Garvagh High School

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A free-standing asymmetrical single-storey modernist school, built c.1953 and located to the south-west of Garvagh. The overall, dog-leg plan comprises a quadrangle of four rectangular blocks orientated around open-air courtyard, to the south-east which is interlinked to north-east linear blocks, by a network of flat-roofed corridors, which are punctuated by a series of classroom blocks. Originally the blocks to the south-east, which differ in character from the main school, having pitched roofs and double-height or two-storey volumes, were largely separate but were fully incorporated through the construction of additional corridors and classrooms, c.1979. Linking corridors were originally covered walkways with open sides but have since been fully closed in. The classrooms are generally lighted by windows on two sides, as well as clerestory windows over. Additional wing constructed to east, c.2002, modern in nature and of little interest.

Roofs are generally flat (indeterminate covering) and of varying heights, with concealed rainwater goods to projecting concrete or timber boxed eaves, having various downpipes (uPVC, cast-iron and replacement metal). Pitched slate roofs to three south-eastern gabled blocks with grey roll-moulded ridge-tiles and half-round cast-iron rainwater goods to overhanging timber-sheeted eaves. Walling is predominantly precast and painted concrete blocks, over smooth rendered, recessed base; secondary walling generally to that of corridors and south-east blocks is either red or pale grey/yellow brick laid to stretcher bond. Raised reinforced concrete surrounds to majority of window and door openings; similar sills and lintels to windows (often continuous). Windows are expansive metal-framed with smaller, three-paned windows to corridors and clerestory windows; those of interlinking corridors (later insertions) are timber in plain surrounds. Classrooms generally lit by a fully glazed exterior wall, with additional clerestory windows above; corridors predominantly having a series of three-light windows. Doors are generally plain double-leaf timber and wire-glazed, usually having expansive plain glass and timber side-lights.

The plan is split into five interlinking components; (i) the south-west quadrangle, (ii) the connecting north-west corridor and classrooms, (iii) the canteen and central block (largely c.1979) and the (iv) south-west block (former primary school).

The quadrangle (i) comprises two perpendicular rows of classrooms to the south-west, lit by continuous windows to the outer perimeter; clerestorey windows over flat-roofed advancing corridor which addresses the inner courtyard. Walls of short axis’ are generally blank (brick or precast concrete blocks) but those to south and east of quadrangle are of un-coursed, squared rock-faced blackstone (curved to east), extending above roofline. Western proportion of quadrangle is similar in character to main elevations but double-height, lit by five expansive windows on each side and abutted by single-storey flat-roofed corridors to north and south. Northern block lighted by continuous three-light windows to outer perimeter (some uPVC); similar windows to inner elevation which comprises a number of recessed and advancing blocks and a flat roofed projecting canopy supported on squared metal and concrete columns. East corner of quadrangle contains glazed entrance-bay which has timber sheeting and projecting canopy of reinforced concrete louvres over main doors. A pair of parallel curved rock-faced blackstone walls to south of entrance, advancing east with a number of linear blocks extending south, having extensive glazing (some uPVC) to both sides of long axis. North-east corner of quadrangle punctuated by two-storey red brick block with decorative concrete panels, which is abutted by the north-west corridor (ii). The west side of corridor is of precast concrete and is punctuated by four advancing classroom blocks each breaking through eaves and having expansive glazing and clerestorey windows over; recessed bays also having multiple smaller windows. East side of corridor contains skylit canopy on metal posts, projecting over elevation of yellow-brick volumes, connected by full-height timber framed windows or doors.

The north-east elevation of corridor (ii) is abutted by the central block (iii) largely built c.1979; which connects to the canteen block located to the far north-east. The connecting volume has elevations of yellow brick with timber fascia to wall-heads and punctuated by full-height timber glazing (similar style to previous corridor); continuous high level windows and timber doors to north elevation; roof is flat and lit by skylights except for raised mono-pitched section to centre, clad in blue/green slates with clerestorey windows lining vertical elevations. East side abutted by canteen block (detailed as main school) which is lighted by expansive, continuous glazing and clerestorey windows; lower volumes to either side contain smaller windows.

South-east corner of central block (iii) is abutted by former primary school (iv) and a mono-pitched modern extension. Character of this block is notably different, comprising three grey-brick gabled blocks of varying size, having pitched slate roofs, generally expansive metal framed glazing to outer perimeter and the proportion to the south is two-storeys in height. These gabled blocks are interlinked by a single-storey flat-roofed L-plan corridor extending south and then east. Elevations to this linking corridor are in matching brick or roughcast; lighted by variations of metal framed windows and having timber and glazed doors with timber canopy extending over to create a porch. North elevation comprises a series of advancing and recessed blocks with ramped access and brick screen-walls still remaining.

Setting

Located within expansive, mature grounds to the south-western side of Main Street, Garvagh. Bounded by rubblestone walls with metal railings to the east, access is on the west side of Main Street via a painted and rendered screen wall with round-arch in keyed blackstone architrave having a pedestrian cast-iron gate. Two rectangular blackstone and capped piers to right supporting large modern metal gates, with ‘GARVAGH HIGH SCHOOL’ in cut-away lettering. Main bitumen drive with mature planting to grounds on either-side leads to large car park to south of main building. Expansive grass and paved sports grounds to the south-west, the remaining perimeter is bounded by modern metal railings. St Pauls Church (HB03/02/001) and the Cenotaph (HB03/02/002) in Garvagh Forest are located a short distance to the south of the site. The remaining grounds are generally planted lawns having a caretakers house to the south and greenhouse accommodation to the north-east (both of no interest). Steps to primary porches are fired clay tiles with concrete steps to remainder; inner open-air courtyard has pebble paths with extensive planting.

Two historic outbuildings of squared black-stone construction, with red-brick dressings remain to the immediate north. The southern is pitched and slated with a brick chimney, brick quoins and stepped brick architraves to door and window openings. Timber sheeted half door with 2/2 timber casement each side, having projecting stone sills; west gable is blank; north elevation rubblestone and blank; east elevation abutted by concrete wall with timber sheeted double leaf door inserted.

Second outbuilding is of similar materials; double height with larger openings and replacement metal sheeted roofed; west elevation abutted by mono-pitched single-storey extension in similar style. Large-scale red-brick chimney immediately to east.

Roofing: Slate & flat roof (not known)
Walling: Concrete cladding and brick
Windows: Metal casement
RWG: Cast-iron, uPVC & replacement metal

Historical information

Garvagh High School (formerly Garvagh Intermediate School) dates from the early 1950s and was built to designs by Noel E Campbell. A later section to the east was added in the mid-1960s and the school is first shown on OS map editions dating from the 1960s/70s.

Work started on Garvagh Intermediate School in October 1951 and the building was opened on Friday 5th September 1953 by the then Minister of Education, H C Midgley before a gathering of 500 guests including parents of intending pupils and prominent local citizens. The school was built at a cost of more than £107,000 to designs by Noel Evans Campbell, County Education Architect. The contractors were Orlit (NI) Ltd, manufacturers of pre-cast concrete (Coleraine Chronicle). The school is first shown on the OS map edition dating from the 1960s/70s and was entered into valuation records in 1954 at £830.

The Intermediate School was built as a result of the Education Act of 1947, which introduced transfer at 11+ to Intermediate, Grammar and Technical schools and set out to modernize the aging educational fabric of the province. Garvagh school was one of 50 under construction in the early 1950s, with a further 15 schools being rebuilt. The new building was thought to embody ‘modern ideas of construction and lay-out’ and local newspaper coverage of the period emphasised the ‘bright colour scheme’ and the fact that this was the first school in Northern Ireland to be equipped with under-floor heating. The concrete frame of the building allowed Campbell to employ large amounts of glazing throughout, adding to the sense of light and spaciousness in the interiors. This was only the second Intermediate school to be built in the province and the first to be built in a rural area. It could accommodate 325 pupils, mostly transported from the surrounding area by County Education Committee buses (Irish Times; Coleraine Chronicle).

According to Larmour, Campbell’s use of a pre-cast concrete frame with natural stone walls was ‘one of the themes in modern architecture in the British Isles at the time with precedents in pre-war European work and was a feature that was employed elsewhere in Ulster by other progressive architects’. Wilshere judged that the school at Garvagh exhibited ‘a very high standard of architectural skill, both in the design and in the use of colour and materials’ (Perspective)

The school incorporated the innovations of modern school design; a school meals block serving 500 hot meals per day, metal and woodwork rooms with the most up-to-date equipment and an annexe for a forge, a covered play area and art, needlework and science rooms. The classrooms were given an ‘informal character’ by the provision of chalk boards on the long wall, omitting division walls between classrooms and stores and architect-designed built-in furniture constructed of wood and plastic veneer. The tank tower next to the entrance was embellished with a county crest modelled and coloured by the architect himself (Coleraine Chronicle; Perspective).
The school was to be used at night for evening classes and lighting was therefore designed to enhance its appearance after dark. Fittings were selected for their good design, and colour and lighting schemes as a ‘stimulus to the eye’. The bright colours were intended to be pleasing to children and to add interest to the shell of the building (Coleraine Chronicle).

The Northern Minister of Education, Mr Midgley talked of a ‘crusade’ to build as many schools as possible at the lowest possible cost consistent with maintaining standards in order to reduce class sizes and abolish out-of-date and one and two teacher schools (Irish Times). The school was to draw its pupils from a radius of 7 or 8 miles around Garvagh which meant a longer school day for children who were accustomed to walk to their local school but it was thought that the ‘improved facilities of a central school more than compensated for that disadvantage’. The intermediate school was said to be well equipped to allow children to learn from ‘doing things’ as well as from books and could therefore provide a training that was a ‘real preparation for life’ (Coleraine Chronicle). As a large proportion of boys would be going on to work on the land the school had a laboratory for rural science, a large kitchen garden and a field of 4 to 5 acres for practical agricultural education.

The school was highly praised by contemporaries for its modern and aesthetically pleasing design. The contractors declared it was ‘so beautiful they had fallen in love with it’ (Coleraine Chronicle) and the Education Minister thought the school was ‘so lovely that …bus tours should be operated to it’ (Northern Constitution).

The school was built in the grounds of the eighteenth-century manor, Garvagh House, the former home of the Canning family, founders of the town and agents for the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers. Garvagh House was retained within the design of the new school and provided a domestic flat for the teaching of ‘housecraft’, two general purpose classrooms, Principal’s and Vice-principal’s study, staffrooms, offices, library and a reading room as well as residential accommodation for the Principal and some members of the teaching staff (Irish Times 29th August 1953). In 1956 girls at the school took part in an experimental scheme in ‘home-craft training’ by spending one day and one night weekly in the domestic flat at Garvagh House doing all the cooking and housework (Irish Times 29th September 1956). Garvagh House was retained on the site for some years, but was demolished c1965 to be replaced by a new primary school, although the late nineteenth-century stable block which had been converted into the main boiler house, survives, as does the Canning crest formally situated over the portico of the house. When the school-leaving age was raised to 16 in 1972, numbers in secondary education increased and the primary school was closed and its buildings transferred to the Intermediate School (Northern Constitution; www.garvaghprimaryschool.org.uk).

The school has since been renamed Garvagh High School but enrolment has recently declined and the school is expected to close at the end of this academic year (2013) (www.northernireland.gov.uk).

References:

Primary Sources

1. OS Map (1960s/70s)
2. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/2 First General Revaluation 1933-57
3. PRONI VAL/3/D/6/3/K/5 First General Revaluation 1933-57
4. Irish Times 29th August 1953
5. Irish Times 29th September 1956
6. Coleraine Chronicle 5th September 1953
7. Northern Constitution 5th September 1953

Secondary Sources

1. Larmour, P “Style Master” Perspective July/August 1997
2. www.garvaghprimaryschool.org.uk
3. 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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

A predominantly single-storey modernist school, built c.1953 to the designs of notable architect Noel .E. Campbell on a site previously occupied by Garvagh House. Generally consisting of a quadrangular plan comprising four primary inter-connected blocks, orientated around a central open air courtyard, having similar but linear wings projecting to the south and north-east. Characterised by extensive glazing, flat-roofs and the close relationship of the low-level asymmetrical plan with the exterior, the school constitutes a relatively late but good representation of 20th century educational design, which was pioneered by R.S. Wilshere. The layout has been modified in previous decades to internally connect the main western classrooms to the later double-height and two-storey accommodation to the east. With the later 20th century extensions of additional classrooms and the enclosure of many external walkways to create internal corridors, the original design intention has been a little diluted. However, the overall character remains and the school constitutes a significant and modern aspect of Garvagh’s architectural heritage and is also of social importance to the local community.

General comments

Listing criterion S - Authenticity also applies to this building