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Summary

Description

J Russell Mackenzie, circa 1880; central and terminal pavilions Ellis & Wilson, 1884-6 and 1893. 2-storey, basement and attic, double attic in places, 28-bay terrace comprising 2 and 3-bay houses (many subdivided). Tooled coursed granite ashlar to principal elevations, rubble to remainder, finely finished to margins; contrasting pale grey long and short dressings to link blocks. Half-sunken basement floor enclosed by railings; base course; chamfered reveals; basket-arched windows to 1st floor; eaves course and cornice; pilastered, gableted segmental-arched timber dormers to attic floor.

SW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: near-symmetrical; 4-bay central pavilion (1884-1886) flanked to left and right by 9-bay link blocks (circa 1880), 2-bay terminal pavilions to outer left and right (1884-86), 2-bay outer pavilion to far right (1893).

Central pavilion, Nos 6 and 7: symmetrical mirrored pair of 2-bay houses; regular fenestration to basement floor; doorways at 2 centre bays of ground floor, reached by stone steps with railings, glazed timber doors and tall letterbox fanlights, regular fenestration to 1st floor and attic; 3-light canted windows through basement, ground and 1st floors of flanking bays to outer left and right, tripartite rectangular dormers windows to attic floor.

Link blocks, Nos 3-6 and 8-10: 2 9-bay blocks comprising 3 3-bay houses; regular fenestration to basement floor; doorways to outer bays of ground floor, panelled timber doors, double doors to Nos 5, 9 and 10, flanked to inner 2 bays by regular fenestration; continuous decorative ironwork balcony between ground and 1st floors; regular fenestration to 1st floor and attic floor.

Terminal pavilions, Nos 2 and 11: 2 2-bay asymmetrical houses, symmetrically placed; regular fenestration to basement floor; doorway reached by stone steps with railings to inner bays of ground floor, single window to 1st floor above and gableted stone dormer set in eaves blocking course to attic floor, segmental-arched window, pilastered with keystone detail, triangular finial; 3-light canted window through basement, ground and 1st floors forming balcony to attic floor with decorative iron railings; pedimented attic floor with tripartite window, mini-pediment finial to apex.

Outer pavilion, No 1: asymmetrical; 2-bay pavilion adjoining terminal pavilion to E; regular fenestration to basement floor; doorway to left of ground floor, reached by stone steps flanked by railings, panelled timber door flanked by glazed panels, letterbox fanlight, regular fenestration to 1st floor and attic floor above; 5-light rectangular-plan window through basement ground and 1st floors forming balcony to attic floor, balustraded parapet; Venetian-style pilastered tripartite dormer window to attic floor, iron finial behind.

NE ELEVATION: gabled; 2-bay; asymmetrical; canted window through ground and 1st floors of bay to right; canted block advanced through ground and 1st floors to left, with decoratively glazed windows to outer facets; segmental-arched window centred in gablehead at attic floor, bracketed projecting cill with keystone detail; twin gablehead stacks, narrow band course along base stepped-up to left and right with roundel and scroll ornament; diminutive pediment between stacks.

NW ELEVATION: variety of single and 2-storey additions, canted windows and oriels; irregular fenestration and doorways to basement, ground and 1st floors; predominantly piend-roofed rectangular dormers to attic floor, with skylights to upper attic.

SW ELEVATION: gabled; single opening to centre of ground floor.

Predominantly 2-pane timber sash and case windows; replacement windows to attic floor of No 9 and 1st floor of No 10. Grey slate mansard roof with lead ridges. Coped stone skews. Coped gablehead and ridge stacks with octagonal cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIORS: not seen 2000.

GATEPIERS, BOUNDARY WALLS AND RAILINGS: low coped rough-faced granite boundary walls enclosing gardens and road to SE; pair of square-plan corniced gatepiers to outer left; pair of square-plan gatepiers flanked by quadrant walls to outer right. Ironwork railings enclosing basement and flanking steps to SE elevation. Brick and granite coped boundary walls to remainder.

Statement of Special Interest

From the beginning of the 19th century Aberdeen rapidly expanded westwards from Union Street. Queen's Gardens is part of the later 19th century development west of Queen's Cross. It is unusual in that at this time grander terraces such as this were often replaced by substantial villas with gardens. Of particular note are the exceptionally fine ironwork balconies on the elegant link block, by J Russell Mackenzie. Also of interest are the pilastered dormers to the attic floor, and basket arched first floor windows which tie the pavilions in with the link blocks.

References

Bibliography

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