Garvagh House

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Exterior view of Garvagh House. Garvagh House is claimed to have been first built in the early 17th century and enlarged twice since then. The House eventually evolved a late Georgian appearance. The Garvagh Estate, in County Londonderry, was the former seat of the Canning family, who arrived in the early part of the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster, as agents of the Ironmongers' company. George Canning, father of the Prime Minister and grandfather of the Viceroy of India, the Earl Canning, was the eldest son of Stratford Canning of Garvagh; but was disinherited on account of his marriage to an "impecunious Irish beauty"; so the Estate passed to his brother, the father of 1st Baron Garvagh. George Canning was elevated to the peerage in 1818 as 1st Baron Garvagh. When the family sold Garvagh House, it was used as flats for single female teachers, and some classrooms. The house had fallen into disrepair over the years, suffering from wet and dry rot, and vermin infestation. County Londonderry Education Committee decided to demolish Garvagh House and to build a new primary school on its site. This was duly done and Garvagh Primary School opened in 1965