Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB19/17/030

Address :
Hilden Primary School 4 Bridge Street Hilden Lisburn BT27 4RZ

Townland:
Lambeg South

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
16/02/1994 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
School

Former Use
School

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
Partially

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OS Map No:
165-7

IG Ref:
J2804 6547

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Owner Category

Education Board

Exterior Description And Setting

Detached single-storey gabled rendered and redbrick former school, built c.1910, restored in 1997, closed 2006, now boarded up and awaiting redevelopment. Rectangular on plan facing south with three gabled rear projections and lean-to extensions spanning the spaces between. Set on the north side of Hilden Road opposite the former Thread Mill with front garden and bitmac playground to rear. Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge comb tiles and pair of octagonal lead louvred vents having lead cupolas, to the ridge. Some redbrick profiled chimneystacks to the rear projections. Ogee moulded cast-iron guttering to timber fascia fronting carved rafter feet and cast-iron downpipes. Plain timber bargeboards to the gables with timberwork gables. Dry-dash rendered walling with projecting redbrick plinth course and limestone architrave ventilation panels. Square-headed window openings with rounded redbrick surrounds on continuous red sandstone sill course with moulded terracotta architrave below (all boarded up). Symmetrical front elevation with central gable and breakfront gable to either end. The central gable has a rectangular panel with raised lettering stating: ‘HILDEN NATIONAL SCHOOL’. Tripartite arrangement of window openings to all gables with three equal-sized window openings to the recessed sections to either side. West side elevation, three windows wide with lower rear projection containing segmental-headed door opening formed in rounded redbrick with vertically-sheeted timber door opening onto concrete platform. Further segmental-headed window opening, also boarded up. Symmetrical rear north elevation comprising; three gables, that to the centre projecting further north and a lean-to extension spanning the two spaces in between. Segmental-headed redbrick window openings to the rear with red sandstone sills. Lean-to sections have vertically-sheeted timber doors. East side elevation, as per west elevation with three concrete steps to the door opening. Setting: Situated on the north side of Hilden Road on its own enclosed grounds opposite the derelict Barbour Thread Mill. Boundary wall consisting of rubblestone low walling with concrete coping and metal railings to Bridge Street. Original red-brick gate piers with decorative octogonal concrete cappings with carved lettering stating 'Hilden Public Elementary School'. Main gates replaced. Original cast metal garden gates intact. Orignal slate roof canopies and dash render sheds to rear. Canopies with metal posts and painted timber beams and rafters. Roof: Natural slate RWG: Cast-iron Walling: Dry-dash render Windows: 6/6 timber sash with overlights

Architects

Fennell, William J

Historical Information

Hilden National School was built to designs by William John Fennell who won the competition to design the building in November 1909. The contractor was Thornbury Bros and Messrs Barbour were to build the school ‘for the benefit of their workers’ children’. (Irish Builder, 1909) However, although plans had been submitted by February 1910 and the tender of Thornbury Bros was accepted soon after, there was a considerable delay in starting to build the school while awaiting the grant from the Commissioners of National Education. On 23rd December 1911 the Irish Builder reported that work had finally begun. The building first appears captioned, ‘Sch[ool]’ on the fourth edition map of 1920-1 with outbuildings shown to the rear. In 1898 John Doherty Barbour had brought together his father’s various linen firms to form the Linen Thread Co Ltd, which became the world’s largest linen thread producers. John Doherty Barbour died in 1901 and was succeeded by his eldest son Sir Milne Barbour who would have been Chairman and Managing Director of the firm at the time the school was built. As employers of large numbers of people Messrs Barbour took their responsibilities towards their workforce seriously. Rankin comments, “Altogether the company employed over 5,000 people and they took an active interest in their social well being, building houses and schools at Hilden.” A previous school, designed by Young & Mackenzie, had been built by the Barbours in 1879. (Rankin, p.42-4) The school is not listed in Annual Revisions, but by 1934 it is occupied by the Trustees of Lambeg South Public Elementary School and leased from William Barbour and Sons Ltd. It is a school and playground valued at £80 and later raised to £96. At this time the school comprised 6 classrooms, 2 cloakrooms, 2 sitting rooms and 4 WCs. A plan and dimensions are given showing that the school at this time had not been extended. Pat Mackell attended the school in the 1950s and 60s, his father being a foreman in the Twisting room at the Barbour Mill. He recalls that the school was non-denominational and catered for both Catholic and Protestant pupils. The school had a 100% success rate for the eleven plus but this was achieved by only allowing the brightest pupils to take the test. Catholic students who did not take the eleven plus remained at the school until they were fifteen as there was no Catholic secondary school at the time. (www.bbc.co.uk) The Linen Thread Company passed out of the direct control of the Barbour family in 1951 and was taken over by Hanson in 1978, eventually closing altogether in 2006. (www.lisburn.com) The school eventually became an Integrated Primary School and was completely refurbished in 1996. However, it closed in 2008 due to falling pupil numbers and children are now catered for at other schools in the area. Conversion plans are currently being considered for the building. (www.lisburn.org.uk; www.northernireland.gov.uk) References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/1/64/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1920-1 2. PRONI OS/6/1/64/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1920-31 3. PRONI OS/6/1/64/6 – Sixth Edition OS Map 1920-39 4. PRONI VAL/3/D/1/14J/3 – Valuers’ RV Binder (1933-57) 5. PRONI Young and Mackenzie papers D2194/2/2 6. Irish Builder, Vol 51, 27 November 1909, p.755 7. Irish Builder, Vol 52, 19 Feburary 1910, p.117 8. Irish Builder, Vol 53, 23 December 1911, p.843 Secondary Sources 1. Rankin, K “The Linen Houses of the Lagan Valley, The story of their families” Belfast, Ulster Historical Foundation, 2002 2. www.bbc.co.uk 3. www.lisburn.com 4. www.lisburn.org.uk 5. www.northernireland.gov.uk

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting K. Group value

Historic Interest

R. Age S. Authenticity T. Historic Importance U. Historic Associations V. Authorship X. Local Interest Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

Detached single-storey gabled rendered and redbrick former school, built c.1910, restored in 1997, closed 2006. Formerly serving the area of Hilden and built in a mock Tudor style, the school building has a symmetrical front elevation and terminates the development to the east side of the village. Restored in 1997, the interior retains all its original fabric with some innovative elements that characterise the period. Commissioned by the Barbour family to educate the children of the Hilden Mill workers and built to the designs of William John Fennell, It is an important part of the architectural and social history of Hilden village.

General Comments

Criteria R-Age, S- Authenticity, T- Historic Importance & U - Historic Associations also apply.

Date of Survey

16 June 2010