School in Tawnies Upper

Detached three-bay single-storey former national school, dated 1887, having gable-fronted porch to front (north-east) and recent extension to side (north-west). Now in use as museum. Pitched slate roofs with overhanging timber eaves with exposed roof beams and cast-iron rainwater goods throughout. Carved timber bargeboards to side (south-east) gable and porch. Snecked polychrome stone walls with plinth throughout, having chamfered rock-faced limestone quoins. Inscribed name and date plaque to side (south-east) elevation. Camber-headed window openings with render sills throughout having red brick block-and-start surrounds and red brick voussoirs to replacement timber casement windows. Rock-faced limestone block-and-start surround and voussoirs to side (south-east) elevation window opening having replacement timber casement window. Square-headed ventilation opening with cast-iron vent to gable of side (south-east) elevation, having rock-faced limestone surround. Camber-headed door opening with rock-faced limestone voussoirs to front elevation of porch, having timber battened door and limestone stepped approach. Blind camber-headed door opening to rear (south-west) elevation, having red brick block-and-start surround and red brick voussoirs. Rendered enclosing wall to north-east with pointed rendered copings, square-profile rendered gate piers with double-leaf cast-iron gates.

National schools were established in Ireland by the British Government with the Stanley Letter in 1831. This particular example is notable for its unusual materials, namely an unusual polychrome effect formed by the mixture of limestone, sandstone and rock-faced limestone. While some of its fabric has been lost it retains numerous historic features including its variety of window and door surrounds.