Dungiven High School

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Ssecondary school of post war vintage carried out by the Architects Dept of the former County Londonderry Education Committee.

A single storey building having a H like plan layout with a covered way link to the adjacent primary and technical school. Of flat roof construction, cubist in form and having a variety of external materials typical of some 1950’s schools both here and in Britain. The various elements on the school are robustly expressed such as assembly hall, entrance, classrooms and ancillary accommodation.

Finished with panels of smooth painted rendering, iron stained Claudy schist in rubble walls, extended runs of unbroken metal glazing, great emphasis on horizontal lines, flat roofs with generous overhangs and mineral felt membrane finishes, slim steel columns.

The school is sited well back from the Glenshane Road with straight avenue approach close to the adjacent primary school and opening out into a general forecourt close to the main entrance. Few of the classrooms face the sun, normal prospect S E, though some of the teaching rooms have high lateral lighting.

Historical information

Built by the County Londonderry Education Committee and opened in 1961. The chief architect of the Committee’s architect’s department was Noel Campbell who was imaginative and inventive in his approach to school planning and external expression. He experimented with a variety of external materials.

References
School vice-principal (2000)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

An interesting example of an early post war secondary ( intermediate ) school by one of the provinces more adventurous and spirited architects working for an Education Committee. There are better examples of Noel Campbell’s work in the county and this one should be recorded only.