Dundee High School, Euclid Crescent, Dundee

Dundee High School, Euclid Crescent, Dundee

A Greek Revival school designed by George Angus and constructed between 1829 and 1834, with additions of various dates to the courtyard and rear. The building is single and two-storey, arranged on a quadrangular plan with a symmetrical front elevation.

The principal front is constructed in cream sandstone ashlar and features a massive ashlar base course with corniced and coped blocking course. The centrepiece is an 8-column hexastyle portico with fluted Doric columns, triglyphs and antefixae, which advances to the centre of the front elevation. The portico has a coffered ceiling and is approached through a shouldered moulded and corniced doorcase. A First World War memorial plaque is positioned to the right of the door. Single-storey wings recessed to left and right flank the portico, each comprising 6 bays. Slightly advanced single-bay pavilions with stepped and corniced parapets mark the outer edges of these wings. Throughout the front elevation, windows are architraved with a continuous cill band, fitted with 16- and 24-pane timber sash and case frames, some of which have later metal hoppers inserted.

The left return elevation is two-storey and extends across 10 bays. Two pilastered bays slightly advanced to the centre have windows to the ground floor. Three bays recessed to left and right flank a tripartite pilastered doorcase to the centre, which features sidelights and an entablature within a segmental arch, approached by steps with iron railings. Windows are positioned to the left and right of this doorcase, with 3 windows to the first floor above. Single-bay pavilions at the far left and right have windows to the ground floor. A memorial plaque to Sir David Anderson, a former pupil and engineer of the Forth Road Bridge, is positioned at the right pavilion and was erected in 1964.

The right return elevation is two-storey and spans 8 bays. The left section comprises 5 bays with a tripartite doorcase to the centre matching that of the left return elevation, flanked by windows to left and right and 3 windows to the first floor above. Pavilion bays slightly advanced to left and right have windows to the ground floor. The right section spans 3 bays with windows to both ground and first floors.

The rear elevation accommodates a two-storey, 9-bay gymnasium to the centre, with a continuous cill band to the first floor and a corniced blocking course. The outer bays are delineated by giant pilasters. Windows are 4-pane timber sash and case frames, some blocked at ground floor level. Mid-20th century bays to left and right link to the gables of the return elevations of the original building.

The courtyard elevations have been considerably altered. The main building is constructed in stugged and snecked rubble to the courtyard and Bell Street elevations of the gymnasium, with coursers, brick and harl used elsewhere. The roof is covered in slate, lead and bitumen sheet.

The interior contains war memorials and a memorial to Reverend Richard Low, rector of Dundee Grammar School for 46 years, positioned in the entrance hall. A stone T-plan staircase with coped flanks and octagonal newels rises from this space. Both the main staircase and the well stair feature cast-iron balusters fitted with cast-iron 'anti banister-sliding' devices. Most classrooms have been subdivided with original boarded dado now masked by modern material; some retain flagstone floors. The gymnasium is supported by cast-iron struts and includes an early example of a climbing wall.

A lodge stands at the north-east corner of the site. This is a two-storey rectangular-plan building with 3 bays. It has a base course and 12-pane timber sash and case windows, a corniced doorcase with fanlight and sidelights, and a corniced blocking course. The roof is flat, though it was formerly pitched. The interior was not seen at survey.

The site is enclosed by gatepiers, boundary walls and railings. Two coped ashlar gatepiers stand to the east and west elevations. Two pairs of concrete-coped monolithic gatepiers are positioned to the front. An ashlar boundary wall with post-Second World War metal railings encloses a semi-circular yard to the front and sides. A high rubble boundary wall runs along the north-west angle and part of the north boundary with Bell Street.