Description
18th century, re-designed and extended by J Russell Mackenzie, circa 1875. 2-storey gabled house adjoining reworked 18th century farmhouse, small central courtyard, substantial 20th century additions and alterations. Harled and dry-dashed. Granite base course; dividing band course; 1st floor cill course; decorative pierced timber bargeboards, kingpost details, and some mock half-timbered gableheads.
E (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 2-storey, 2-bay later 19th century house, gabled bay to left with tripartite window to ground floor and window set in gablehead; flanking bay to right slightly recessed, tripartite window with
polished dressings to ground floor, gableted tripartite window to 1st floor breaking eaves. Single storey, 3-bay wing adjoining to right, with dividing band course forming eaves course; regular fenestration to centre and left bays, modern entrance porch advanced to right, modern 2-leaf door, windows to left and right returns.
S ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 3-bay; 3-light metal window openings to ground floor of centre and left bays incorporating glazed doors, gableted windows above; oriel window to 1st floor gablehead of flanking bay to right,
with large pebble-dash details above reeded pilaster mullions with diminutive Ionic capitals.
N ELEVATION: obscured by 20th century additions forming walls of small courtyard; 2-leaf panelled timber door with polished dressings set in gabled bay to outer left,
flanked to right by 2 flat-roofed bays, window to left, timber door advanced with letterbox fanlight to right; 5-bay block adjoining to outer right, enclosing courtyard, 4-light window to penultimate bay to right, breaking eaves to form glazed roof panels, regular fenestration to remainder, right return blank; irregular door and window openings to courtyard.
W ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 2 gabled bays, modern additions to ground floor of bay to right, oriel window to 1st floor, window off-centre to right at 1st floor of recessed bay to left, remainder obscured by advanced piend-roofed additions with irregular door and window openings, stack to right return; 18th century block adjoining to outer left, irregular fenestration, blank rubble left return.
Predominantly timber sash and case windows, variety of glazing patterns. Grey slate roofs with
lead ridges. Coped gablehead and wallhead stacks. Cast-iron and PVCu rainwater goods.
INTERIOR: majority of skirting boards and cornicing survives, in some cases under false ceilings; principal rooms to ground floor off grand hall with round-arched openings, timber pilasters, central cupola with delicate oval stained glass panel to centre; geometric door and window architraves and fine tiled fireplaces survive in many rooms. Segmental vaulted ceiling. Consoled and corniced doorpiece. Further significant decorative schemes potentially extant behind later alterations.
Statement of Special Interest
Alexander Macdonald, who commissioned the Mackenzie extension and re-working of 1875, was the son of Alexander Macdonald senior, the granite quarrymaster in Aberdeen who also invented the first granite polishing machine. As a result of his work in the granite industry Macdonald amassed a great fortune, which, following his death in 1860, passed with Kepplestone to his son. It was this fortune which allowed Alexander Macdonald
to become one of the great patrons of the arts in Aberdeen, and whose collection now forms the important Macdonald Bequest belonging to Aberdeen Art Gallery. By the 1870's Macdonald's collection was rapidly increasing in size, so he commissioned
J Russell Mackenzie to enlarge Kepplestone House (now called Kepplestone Mansion). Despite the popularity of Aesthetic Movement design among Macdonald's acquaintances - such as Sir George Reid, the artist and John Forbes White, who was involved in the development of Aberdeen Art Gallery - he seems to have
preferred the vernacular style, with decorative bargeboards and steeply pitched gables. Indeed Reid wrote to White "he [Macdonald] is sorely exercised in spirit over Mr Russell Mackenzie's plans... there is to be no picture gallery- and his bedrooms and the well were to form the new dining room - with two windows looking to the cold north and a cross light falling in his principal wall for pictures" (Letter of 14th October 1873). Despite the traditional exterior, and lack of windows, photographs from the 1870's illustrate highly decorative painted interiors by Daniel Cottier, which could only belong to the Aesthetic Movement. Earlier this century Kepplestone was a nursing home, during which time the elaborate decor was sadly covered up and in some places destroyed, however, it would seem likely that under the existing white walls much of Cottier's work still survives. Illustrations of the work can be found in Jennifer Melville's thesis (see References). Kepplestone is now owned by Robert Gordon University (1999). It is listed in particular consideration of the surprising quality of its interior work. Not to be confused with Kepplestone House, listed separately at 179 Queen's Road.