garda station/constabulary barracks

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.

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.