Description

J and F Johnston, 1938 (see notes); opening on 31st October 1958 with later alterations and additions, including swimming pool, 1967-68. 2-storey, 50-bay modern school building, long low horizontal, generously fenestrated, with various adjoining outbuildings and former janitor?s house to NE and swimming pool complex to NW. Harled and brick with concrete dressings, brick base course: continuous cill course.

SE RANGE: principal elevation to SE in 3 parts (bays 27-16-6-1); entrance in 16-bay section slightly advanced and taller, with 2 single storey projecting wings (irregular in form) flanking canopied, glazed door area. 27 bays to left 2 storeys of continuous fenestration. 7 bays to right of assembly hall, with tall 3-part canopied studio window in brick panel dominating bays which step back slightly to outer right with tall brick stack in re-entrant angle. Rear elevation with door to right and projecting wings to left now enclosed as courtyard by addition of slightly taller later wing to NW (jettied to courtyard at 1st floor on concrete pillars creating aisle effect). SW elevation with taller blank brick wallplane to right with bold diaper pattern of raised bricks, and lower rendered stair bays to left with framed stair window at centre.

GYMNASIUM: rectangular-plan gymnasium with rendered wall to door lintel height and taller glazed clerestorey-like upper section (grid pattern to glazing). 2 doorways surrounded by concrete slabs. Fully equipped interior.

SQUASH COURT: simple harled rectangular games hall, 1976, gabled.

SWIMMING POOL COMPLEX: windowless, harled cubic blocks with entrance to SW. Black reeded panels to wallheads at intervals. Flat roof.

FORMER JANITOR?S HOUSE: to NE of SE range. Currently used as dental/medical centre and music block. Rectangular-plan, contemporary with original design. Piend-roofed, pantiled house with en suite concrete box window frames.

Predominantly metal-framed casement and top-hopper windows in regular glazing pattern. Some replaced with uPVC. Some with concrete ?box? frames. Coped wallhead to flat roofs.

INTERIOR: seen in part only. Classrooms with period corridor lights of mottled glass. Terrazzo floor to hall.

Statement of Interest

The building is in a prominent position beside the main road to Duns. It is a fine example of a streamlined Modernist building, redolent in period details such as box frame windows. According to the current occupants of the building, the school was designed just prior to the 2nd World War and work was not started until the 1950s, when money was made available. The building is apparently similar to the Burton?s Biscuit factory in Carlisle.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17851575

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)