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Summary

Description

Probably William Robertson, circa 1835; later 19th century additions and alterations. Substantial 2-storey, 3-bay, rectangular-plan villa with later single storey 3-bay wing to rear; former outhouse to SW extended to adjoin house. Harl pointed rubble, harled to NE and rear elevations; tooled and polished ashlar margins and dressings; rusticated long and short quoins. Base course; band course at ground floor; eaves course. Pilastered and corniced doorpiece to centre with 6-panel timber door and rectangular geometric fanlight; slightly recessed centre bay at 1st floor with polished ashlar facing. Bracketted, corniced and aproned window at ground floor to left; late 19th century advanced 3-light pilastered bay at ground floor to right. Moulded and lugged architraved windows at 1st floor to flanking bays with triangular pediments with anthemion and cartouche decoration, and aprons. 1st floor windows to side elevation predominantly blind. Later canted dormers to rear. Former outhouse to SW with central entrance to Reidhaven Street, flanked by bipartite windows with painted margins, coped parapet, raised at centre.

Predominantly 12-pane glazing pattern in timber sash and case windows; 2-pane plate glass timber sash and case windows to bay window. Piended platform slate; pitched roof to rear single storey wing; grey slates. Paired corniced ashlar stacks with octagonal clay cans. Low rubble wall with ashlar copes; high rubble wall enclosing rear garden.

INTERIOR: central hall with curved staircase flanked by principal rooms; cast-iron balustrade to stair. Former 1st floor drawing room now divided as bedroom and closet; some remodelling of 1st floor landing in late 19th century.

Statement of Special Interest

9 Seafield Place is a good example of a refined classical villa constructed in the north of Scotland and dating to the 1830s. The building is prominently positioned on a corner site and was constructed as part of earlier 19th century improvements. The house exhibits good stonework detailing including pilastered and corniced doorpiece, carved triangular pediments to 1st floor windows and an unaltered roofline retaining wide corniced stacks to the principal elevation.

9 Seafield Place may have been designed by William Robertson. Robertson was born in Lonmay, Aberdeenshire and established his own architectural practice in Elgin around 1823. His work was wide ranging including churches, public buildings and domestic architecture. Roberston worked for the Seafield Estate, Cullen and designed numorous buildings in Cullen, including Cullen Harbour (1834) and Seafield Arms Hotel and Town Hall (1822) (see separate listings). He also designed the Church of Scotland Manse, 3 Seafield Place (see separate listing) and it is probable that he may have designed other villas in Seafield Place around the same time.

By 1861 9 Seafield Place was the home of Dr John Watson, retired Inspector General, Royal Navy, of Hospitals and Fleets (1861 census). His wife Eliza, 27 years younger than himself, came from Cullen, the daughter of John Fraser, Commissioner to the Earl of Seafield. Their son emigrated to Canada and his son brought a later 19th century photograph of the house back as a gift for the later owners. This photograph shows the house without the ground floor bay window, which was probably added circa 1875-85 when the 1st floor drawing room was divided as bedrooms and replaced by the downstairs room to right of entrance hall.

Seafield Place was laid out as part of the improvements around the earlier 19th century which is described in the New Statistical Accounts as the New Town of Cullen. This New Town replaced the Old Town of Cullen, which was demolished to accommodate improvements at Cullen House (see separate listings). The New Town is located closer to the Moray Firth than Old town and on elevated ground overlooking the Seatown. The streets were laid out on a regular plan around a former square. The houses in Seafield Place are set back from the streetline with a front garden.

(List description updated in 2011).

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