Former National School, 6 Loughorne Road, Newry, Co Down, BT34 1LT

This is a former national school dating from the 1820s, situated on the south side of, and at a right angle to, Loughorne Road in Newry. The building is currently derelict.

It is a linear, single-story, four-bay vernacular schoolhouse, incorporating a schoolmaster’s dwelling. The roof is pitched and originally covered with natural slate, though much of it has now collapsed, exposing plain projecting rafters that cantilever from the wall head and carry a timber soffit. A small cast-iron skylight is located at the north end of the front (west) pitch. Two red brick chimneys, both now collapsed, are positioned between the first and second bays from the left and between the third and fourth bays. The principal elevation faces west and is constructed of harled rubble stone. The first three bays housed the schoolmaster's house, while the fourth bay was the schoolroom, being double the width of the other bays. Windows are rectangular with dressed granite cills. The first bay has a 2/2 timber fixed window; the second bay has a window opening and a doorway to its right; the third bay has a single window opening, and the fourth bay has three window openings. A small, derelict lean-to abuts the right (south) gable, which also has a doorway. The rear (east) elevation has three window openings on its left (widest) bay, a single window opening in the second bay from the left, a blank third bay, and remains of a 2/2 sliding sash window in the fourth bay. The left (north) gable is blank and faces Loughorne Road.

Erected in 1824, the site and funds were donated by John Martin of Loughorne Cottage, the landowner. The building, initially smaller than its current size, appeared on the 1834 Ordnance Survey map as 'Loughorne School'. By 1859, as shown on the 2nd edition OS map, which captions it 'National School', the building had expanded to its present dimensions, suggesting that the two northern bays of the schoolmaster’s house were added in the mid-19th century. The school ceased operating in 1904 with the opening of Loughorne Primary School.