 "Londonderry" was laid down at J. Samuel White's Cowes, Isle of Wight shipyard on 15 November 1956, and was launched by Cynthia Brooke, Viscountess Brookeborough, wife of Basil Brooke, 1st Viscount Brookeborough, the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland on 20 May 1958.She was completed on 20 July 1960.From 1967 to 1969 "Londonderry" underwent a major modernisation, which brought the ship close in capacity to the "Leander"-class.