Exterior Description of the Old School House

Overview

The Old School House is a large, two to two and a half-storey detached hall, constructed between 1876 and 1878. Originally designed as a school, lecture hall, and sexton's house for the adjacent Presbyterian church (HB26/50/169), this building was created by the architectural firm Young and McKenzie. While it shares materials with the nearby church, its design exhibits a less ornate yet distinctly high Victorian manse appearance.

Current Use

Having ceased operations as a school around 1925, the Old School House has since been repurposed to serve as a library, lecture hall, offices, and various meeting rooms.

Architectural Features

The hall is long and narrow, oriented on a north-south axis. Its rectangular plan features a single-storey gabled porch projection at the north end, a prominent two-storey gabled stairwell projection to the north-east, and a part-two/part single-storey projection to the south, which houses another stairwell and a boiler room. The integral former sexton's dwelling occupies the northernmost quarter of the building and is two and a half-storeys high, boasting a symmetrical front façade. In contrast, the former school and lecture halls are two-storey structures.

Materials and Construction

The east and north walls are constructed from rock-faced Scrabo sandstone, featuring a bevelled plinth, while the south wall and the remainder of the building are predominantly brick. The roof consists of a simple pitch covered with natural slate. Notable features include red fire clay ridge tiles adorned with a Cock’s Comb embellishment and stone finials. The eaves overhang reveals exposed rafter tails, while a weathered stone chimneystack is positioned along the main ridge.

Windows and Openings

Window openings are symmetrically arranged throughout the building, primarily featuring semi-circular heads. Ground floor openings on the north side, along with some south-facing ground floor windows, are flat-headed. Most frames are 2/2 timber sash, although some sashes have been replaced with single panes. The sills are crafted from cut stone, with lintels made of radial brick, stone arches, and flat brick arches.

North Façade

The north façade showcases a central single-storey gabled porch, flanked by windows on either side. The first floor features three similarly styled windows, while the second floor contains three smaller, closely grouped openings. A slit, flat-headed window is present on the south cheek.

East Façade

On the east façade, the gabled two-storey stairwell is located on the right side. The front face of the rear projection aligns flush with the main façade. The first floor of the second projection includes a triple arrangement of window openings, while the first floor of the southern projection features a paired arrangement. Window and door openings are regularly arranged, consisting of flat-headed and semi-circular headed examples. Three semi-circular-headed door openings, each fitted with a sheeted timber door, are also present.

South Façade

The south side is predominantly obscured by the rear projection, offering only an oblique view of its façade. A single semi-circular-headed window is located on the left side of the first floor, and the walls rise to a gable with a parapet and stone skews.

West Façade

The west façade features two projecting chimney breasts (with chimneystacks removed). Windows are regularly distributed, although some ground floor openings are paired.

Setting

The Old School House is situated immediately behind (west of) the church, with the entire ensemble positioned at the intersection of Townsend Street and Cargill Street. This area is characterised by a mix of housing, light industrial units, and, to the east, the Divis Street cutting of the Westlink by-pass. A narrow alleyway separates the church from its neighbour, while the hall is bordered to the south by adjacent buildings.

20 Claremont Street

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