Description

Mid 19th century. 2-storey and attic 3-bay Classical flatted dwelling with further round-arched pend opening to far right, leading to no 142 King Street. Grey granite ashlar. Central 6-panel 2-leaf timber entrance door with 2-light rectangular fanlight. Round-arched opening with fanlight to right. Band course divides ground and 1st floor. 3 pitched dormers within box dormer.

Predominantly plate glass timber sash and case windows. Grey slate.

Statement of Interest

No 144 has restrained, Classical style and forms an essential component of the planned streetscape of King Street. The classical style was to dominate the planned early nineteenth century city of Aberdeen and this is a good example of the unadorned style that was used. The bold town planning which created Union Street and King Street was the defining gesture which allowed Aberdeen to develop from a contained medieval burgh to a modern expanding city. The building has retained a round-arched pend which gives access at the rear to a secluded courtyard and the villa at no 142 King Street (see separate listing). This building seems to have been built after the villa at no 142 King Street, as it does not appear on the 1828 Wood Map of Aberdeen, and it therefore seems probable that the pend was an essential part of the design to allow access to the villa. It is possible that this building was an eye clinic.

King Street developed after 1794, when a town council meeting asked the engineer Charles Abercrombie to find a way to connect the original steep, haphazard Medieval streets of Aberdeen to the surrounding countryside. His plan was for two streets, one of which would run from Castlegate to the Denburn and the other which would run from the Castlegate to the North of the town. The latter was King Street. A competition for designs for this new street brought forward a design from Thomas Fletcher for the first section of the street. This was to be a long classical façade, with a pedimented centrepiece and higher end blocks. This design was begun on the East side in 1805, with the creation of nos 8-10 (see separate listing). The idea of a standard, uniform terrace, however, was abandoned when negotiations had to be entered into with owners regarding the length of the frontages and the heights of the buildings. It was then decided to allow some variations between designs, whilst keeping to the essential classical style. This basic classical style with small variations is maintained in this section of the street.

Category changed from B to C(S), 2007.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56625064

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback