Former Church Street School.

Image: © P Flannagan Taken: 26 Sep 2007

Church Street School, or to give it its original designation, the 'Duke of Manchester School', was founded in the mid 1800s. It was one of a number of local schools to be run under the auspices of the National Education Board. In 1882, the patron of 'the Duke's School', as it was known locally, was the then Rector of St Mark's, the Rev Augustine Fitzgerald M.A., D.D. In 1889, the Select Vestry concluded that the school required major structural 'improvements' and accordingly it was rebuilt and renamed the 'Portadown National School'. By 1925, following the creation of the new Northern Ireland state, the school became 'Church Street Public Elementary School' and around 1947, when it came under the control of the County Armagh Education Committee, it had a further name change to Church Street County Primary School. In 1970, following the opening of the new Millington Primary School, the school was closed and the premises reverted to the ownership of St Mark's Parish. The following year, the old school was given a new lease of life when it became 'Fergus Hall', in memory of Mr Samuel Fergus, one of St Mark's most respected parishioners, and it is currently used for many church activities.

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