Brookfield, 1-3 Halfpenny Gate Road, Trummery TD, Moira

This large, mainly formal two-storey complex was originally a Quaker-run agricultural school built in 1836 and extended around the 1860s–70s, but is now largely derelict. The complex comprises what were various classrooms, farm outbuildings, a headmaster's house and a matron's house, and what were probably dormitories. It stands prominently on a rise south of Halfpenny Gate Road, roughly 2.3 kilometres north-east of Moira. Immediately to the west is an associated Quaker Meeting House of 1874, which ceased to be used in 2000.

At the time of survey, the headmaster's house was occupied; the remainder of the buildings are in various stages of dilapidation, ranging from exposed to the elements to partial and complete collapse.

General Arrangement

Roughly speaking, the complex comprises three ranges of varying size, set parallel on a north-south axis immediately south of the road. Farther to the west are various single-storey outbuildings arranged around a square farmyard.

The most easterly range (Range One) lies a short distance west of the meeting house and appears to be largely of 1836, but extended southwards after 1859. It is two-storey with a long asymmetric east-facing frontage. This range accommodated the headmaster's and the matron's houses at the north end, with various classrooms on the ground floor to the south and possibly dormitories on the first floor.

Two rear returns link Range One and Range Two to the west, creating a small internal court which serves as a rear yard for the former headmaster's house. The return to the north fronts directly onto the roadside and is part two-storey, part single-storey; it may incorporate the fabric of a pre-1836 dwelling.

Range Two, to the west of Range One, has a formal, symmetrical west-facing two-storey frontage with a central three-stage tower topped with a now near-collapsed bell-cote, and a return to the north and south ends. The central portion of this range may be of 1836, but the rest is post-1859, with the tower believed to have been added in 1871. It appears to have accommodated only classrooms.

Range Three lies further to the west and has a much smaller footprint than its neighbours. It is two-storey and appears to have been a farm outbuilding, possibly in part dating from 1836.

A three-metre high brick wall spans between the second and third ranges and encloses a yard. The resultant wall obscures half of the formal front of Range Two; the enclosed area appears to have acted as a farmyard, possibly used for teaching purposes. To the immediate west of Range Three is a further arrangement of farm outbuildings set to the north and south sides of a large yard.

Range One

The front of this range faces east. The majority of the range to the south and centre appears to have housed classrooms (and possibly dormitories), whilst to the north of centre is the matron's house, and to the north again, the headmaster's house. The matron's house has two doorways (one within a mainly glazed late-Victorian looking projecting gabled porch to the south) indicating that this range once contained a third dwelling. To both the north and south ends of the 'house' section there is an east-facing gable, that to the south projecting slightly, with the aforementioned gabled porch taking up its ground floor level.

Headmaster's House

This dwelling is roughly rectangular in plan, consisting of the very northerly end of Range One, much of the return to the west running along the roadside, and a lean-to projection within the rear yard. The return is part single and part two-storey and may have been constructed in two phases; as stated above, it may contain the walls of a pre-1836 structure.

The east-facing front of the house is irregular, being gabled to the right (northern) end and with the doorway to the left of centre. Window openings are mainly flat-headed. Frames to the return section of the house are generally 2/2 sliding sash; to the rear yard there are some modern casement frames. The front door opening is semicircular arched and has an unusual moulded, shouldered surround; the glazed timber-panelled door is recessed, creating an open porch.

Walls are roughcast render and rainwater goods are part missing, part uPVC and part cast-iron. Eaves and verges to the returns are overhanging with painted timber fascias and bargeboards. There is an eaves course to the original section. The pitched roof is slated. Chimneystacks are only located on the ridge of the two-storey return section; one is rendered, the other a brick-faced replacement.

Matron's House

This house, which as stated above may incorporate what was originally a separate dwelling, is L-shaped in plan, taking the southerly return. To the rear there is a later single-storey lean-to return. The house and its return complete the enclosure of the rear yard belonging to the former headmaster's house.

Like its neighbour to the north, the east-facing frontage is irregular. To the left side is the full-height gabled projection with the glazed porch, now much overgrown. Within the porch is the entrance, which has moulded pilasters and archivolt and a raised keystone; the timber-panelled door is surmounted by a radial fanlight. The 'extra' door opening to the right side (which must have originally served a separate dwelling) matches that of the headmaster's house; this has a timber-panelled door and a plain fanlight.

Window openings are flat-headed and frames are sash with 3/6 to first floor and 6/6 to ground. Walls are finished with roughcast render and the pitched roof is slated with two ridge chimneystacks, one rendered, the other a brick replacement.

Classrooms

The southern end of Range One appears to have housed classrooms on the ground floor and possibly dormitories on the first floor. This portion is heavily overgrown and appeared in dangerous condition. The original rectangular plan form has been retained. The roof is pitched and slated; this has part collapsed. Walls are roughcast render. Window openings are flat-headed; most frames are missing but sufficient remain to note that all were sash; those to ground floor were 6/6 and those to first were 3/3. A door opening is semicircular arched.

Range Two

This lies to the immediate east of Range One, with the returns to the rear of Range One linking to its east facade. This range is E-shaped in plan, consisting of a long main rectangular section (somewhat longer than Range One) with projecting returns to the north and south ends and a central three-stage clock tower completing the generally formal west-facing frontage.

The formal central section is two-storey; to either side of the central three-stage bell-cote tower are regularly arranged flat-headed window openings. These have 6/6 frames to the tall ground floor openings and 3/6 frames to the shorter first floor openings. To the ground floor of the tower is a segmental-arched door opening, to first floor there is a segmental-arched window opening, and to the third level is the remains of a clock face; this is surmounted by the timber remains of a bell-cote.

The addition to the north side, which follows on from the return stretching from the north end of Range One, is road-fronted and single-storey. The addition to the south side is two-storey. Window openings are similar to the central section but have brick dressings.

Walls were finished with lime render, much now fallen away revealing random rubble fieldstone construction; quoins are formed in red clay brick. The roof is pitched and slated with gable skews; it has an eaves course and brick chimneystacks to the ridges.

Range Three

This lies to the west of Range Two with a large yard between them and is 'joined' to it by a three-metre high brick wall. This two-storey range is roughly L-shaped, with a return to the northern end facing onto the roadside; however much of this northern end has partially collapsed. It appears to have been used as a byre with a hayloft over.

The walls are rubble fieldstone with brick quoins and the roof pitched and slated. Large areas of walling are blank, but what openings there are are regularly arranged. The windows are flat-headed and with brick dressings, and mainly have timber ventilation louvres. Door openings are also flat-headed with brick dressings. Some doors and window frames are missing. Walls are rubble fieldstone with brick quoins.

Farm Outbuildings

To the west of Range Three there is a long line of piggeries. The roofs are part collapsed. Two further buildings are in an advanced state of collapse or were demolished. Remaining walls are of rubble fieldstone and the remaining sections of the roofs slated.