Survey Data
Reg No
21902320
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Historical, Social
Previous Name
Ballybrood Constabulary Barrack
Original Use
Garda station/constabulary barracks
Historical Use
School
In Use As
House
Date
1820 - 1840
Coordinates
169706, 145666
Date Recorded
01/11/2007
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached two-bay two-storey police station, c.1830, on a rectangular plan with single-bay four-stage tower (south) on a square plan. Pitched slate roof with ridge tiles, coping, and cast-iron rainwater goods on cut-limestone eaves. Rubble limestone walls on battered base originally lime rendered. Square-headed window openings with hood mouldings framing two-over-two timber sash windows. Pointed-arch door opening (tower) with margined tooled cut-limestone surround framing tongue-and-groove timber panelled door. Square-headed loops (upper stages) with margined tooled cut-limestone surrounds having chamfered reveals. Set back from line of road.
Appraisal
This unusual building was originally intended as a constabulary barrack and it is described by Samuel Lewis (1837) as '[a] barrack with a small castellated tower' (Lewis 1837 I, 124). It may have served a dual purpose as it is labelled as "School House" on the first Ordnance Survey. It is well constructed, its tooled limestone dressings demonstrating good quality workmanship, and remains a picturesque landmark in its rural setting.