East Extension Wing, Dumfries Academy, Academy Street, Dumfries

East Extension Wing, Dumfries Academy, Academy Street, Dumfries

The original building dates from 1895-97 and was designed by F Carruthers, with a later north-east wing added by John Hill in 1936. The main structure is a 2-storey neo-Greek building of Sellars-Barclay type, featuring an ornate symmetrical frontage of 5 tripartite bays. A central tetrastyle Ionic portico with fluted columns and pediment rises through the composition, while the end bays are advanced and articulated with columned mullions. The building is constructed of red ashlar, rusticated below ground floor cill level and enriched with richly sculptured panels. A slated roof sits behind the parapet, crowned by a central stone cupola supported by winged lions and bearing a torch-bearing figure. Small painted ventilator cupolas punctuate the roofline.

The centre door is flanked by Greek Doric columns supporting a secondary entablature between giant pilasters. A rectangular fanlight above the door is positioned between winged lions that support the ground floor entablature. The southern elevation mirrors the symmetry of the front, with advanced end bays featuring pilastered mullions and a central square flat-roofed porch. To the rear, a plainer 6-bay wing projects westward. The right return elevation shows advanced end bays, one displaying tripartite first-floor and quadripartite ground-floor windows, while the rear elevation features a large studio window on the first floor and bipartite ground-floor windows. A large flat-roofed enclosed porch between connecting links leads to later structures. The rear elevation is faced with white glazed bricks and is covered with Westmorland slate.

The 1936 Addition

The 1936 addition is a 2-storey building with basement, designed in the Art Deco style and arranged on a sloping site in a rough E-plan. The principal elevation extends for 27 bays and is symmetrically composed with an advanced 5-bay centre and 3-bay end pavilions. The base course is channelled to the advanced bays, with a blocking course above and a raised parapet featuring fluted panels to the advanced sections. Individual bays are divided by pilaster-like piers, and the end pavilions are articulated with stylised Ionic pilasters. Construction employs polished red sandstone ashlar to the principal elevations, while courtyards and rear elevations are faced in red brick with white concrete dressings.

The advanced entrance bay is reached by 3 steps and features flanking side walls topped with cast-iron lamps. A 2-leaf timber panelled door is set within a recessed architrave frame, with a fluted band to the lintel and a bipartite fanlight above. The school crest is carved above with the motto DOCTRINA PROMOVET. A window rises above the entrance. A clock to the parapet displays numbers marked in black slate, and a flag pole extends from the roof. The rear and courtyard elevations are irregularly fenestrated, with bays divided by brick pilaster-like piers. Concrete is employed for the base course, eaves course, cills, lintels, door architraves, and capitals of pilasters. Iron-framed casement windows feature border-glazing to the principal elevations and small-pane glazing to the rear. The roof is finished with graded grey slate, and cast-iron rainwater goods with decorative hoppers are dated 1938.

Interior of the 1936 Addition

The entrance lobby is entered through 2-leaf glazed timber doors with bevelled glass. The inner hall contains a cast bronze Great War memorial with hammered detailing; the inscription reads THE FAITH OF DUTY, THE WAR OF GLORY. NOBIS MEMINISSE RELICTUM. A WW2 memorial is positioned above the entrance to the assembly hall. Six steps down to the assembly hall feature cast-iron banisters. The assembly hall itself is fitted with two 2-leaf timber doors with semicircular glazing, a coved ribbed ceiling with timber corbels supporting the ribs, cill-height timber panelling, and a timber stage with roll-moulded architrave. A timber balcony with panelled front and border-glazed 2-leaf timber doors overlooks the hall.

Link Building

The link building is a symmetrical single-storey structure featuring a chamfered key-blocked arch with later glazed doors, flanked by two windows on each side. A band course and central raised parapet complete the composition.

Boundary Features

The boundary wall to the 1895 building is saddle-coped red sandstone with thistle-headed cast-iron railings between raised piers. The boundary and retaining wall to the 1936 building are coped with slightly raised ashlar gatepiers. A flight of approximately 20 concrete steps leads to the entrance of the 1936 building, with coped sandstone side-walls. An ashlar-coped dwarf retaining wall edges the terrace, punctuated at intervals by plinth-like shouldered stone piers with simple key decoration at the top.