Gracehill Village Association was aware that when a new primary school was erected the existing primary school, a grade B listed building dating from the late eighteenth century situated in the centre of the Conservation area, would become vacant. A new Gracehill Primary School had been discussed over many years and Gracehill Village Association (then Gracehill Environmental Improvement Association) wrote to the North Eastern Education & Library Board (NEELB) in September 1996 outlining their hopes that should a new school be constructed the old building might be retained for the benefit of the community.
Subsequently Gracehill Primary School did occupy a fine new purpose built building on the third of May 2000. Initially NEELB proposed to use the old building as a “Library/Heritage Centre” however these plans failed to progress. As a result a group was formed drawing membership from Gracehill Village Association, Gracehill Moravian Church and the local community in an attempt to take forward suitable plans for the old school. This group initially called the scheme “The Cennick Hall Project”. (Cennick was a famous Moravian who travelled extensively in Ireland).
Several years earlier the Village Association, as part of the Ballymena Economic Development Strategy, had commissioned “The Gracehill Area Plan”. During the production of this plan research was undertaken and a number of public meetings were held. As a result various projects and facilities were identified as having the potential to enhance the village and indeed the Borough. It was suggested that the then Primary School building might be a potential site for these should it become available.
The initial discussions of the “Cennick Hall” group were based on these ideas. The group made a presentation to Ballymena Borough Council Development and Leisure Services Committee on 9th. October 2000 and subsequently were provided with technical support by Council.
Having explored the options and after taking legal advice the group decided that the best way to achieve their aims was the establishment of a Building Preservation Trust. As a result the group became Gracehill Old School Trust (GhOST) and was legally constituted as a company limited by guarantee and accepted as a charity by the Inland Revenue under reference XR59054.
The company’s Objects are
“to preserve and protect for the public benefit buildings or structures of particular beauty or of historic environmental architectural industrial or constructional merit or interest in and near Gracehill in the County of Antrim and to restore renovate and conserve gardens parkland planned landscapes and other open spaces and land related to such buildings or structures”.
Following a competitive tendering and interview process GhOST appointed Consarc architects in April 2002 to provide architectural services. Ballymena Borough Council funded Locus management consultants to undertake a feasibility study and prepare a business plan. The results were presented to Ballymena Borough Council Economic Development Partnership meeting on 9th.October 2002. Subsequently Council agreed to support in principle the project as presented.
At the present time GhOST is taking forward funding applications with a variety of funding organisations in addition to its own fund raising activities. Happily to date a significant amount of funding has already been raised from among others The Heritage Lottery Fund, Ballymena Borough Council, Ulster Garden Villages and the general public.
GhOST have demonstrated that the proposals for Gracehill Old School are viable and sustainable. In addition they have the support of the wider community and while there will certainly be local gain the potential for regional benefit is significant. Please support this important project in any way you can.
