Description

William Dauney. Circa 1780. 3-storey with attic; 5-bay symmetrical classical townhouse on sloping site. Loanhead granite ashlar with raised margins; moulded eaves course. Central timber door; rectangular fanlight with oval timber tracery. Double-leaf door (No 32) to left with identical fanlight and 6-pane fixed windows flanking. Further timber door at 5th bay with fixed-pane window to right. 3 canted piended dormers.

12-pane timber sash and case windows to first and second floors. Grey slate. Ashlar coped skew to left gable. Coped granite ashlar stack and clay cans. Cast-iron rain water goods.

INTERIOR: 18th Century panelling to first floor rooms. Converted to five modern flats in 1990 (maintaining the original layout of the rooms). Half oval staircase to rear. Ornate plaster work to arched alcoves at reception rooms. Moulded cornicing. Two Tuscan order columns reclaimed from houses demolished to make way for the widening of Virginia Street are reused in the porch facing into the garden, clearly visible from Virginia Street.

Statement of Interest

Nos 28-32 is a fine example of the early Classicism seen throughout Marischal Street's lengthy run. The building contains a good interior with 18th Century timber panelling and plasterwork furnishing the 1st floor rooms. The house was built around 1780 by William Dauney, architect and uncle of Archibald Simpson (foremost architect of Classical Aberdeen). It was built for William Young who went on to become Lord Provost from 1811 to 1815. Marischal Street (designed by William Law, 1767) is of considerable historic interest in terms of the early development of Classical Aberdeen and the refined classical styling of Nos 28-32 forms a significant part of the Street's lengthy run. The building was constructed at some point between 1789 (not shown on Alexander Milne's map of that date) and 1821 (shown on John Woods map).

Formed on the site of the Earl Marischal's lodging and linking Castlegate with the Harbour below, Marischal Street is carried on embankments down a partly vaulted incline. It is the earliest example of this type of construction in Aberdeen, anticipating the larger scale development of Union Street and Edinburgh's South Bridge by 20 years. Originally having a fine granite bridge half way down, this was demolished and replaced in 1983 along with adjacent Nos 36-38 and 37-39 to allow the widening of Virginia Street below.

The buildings occupying the Southern half of the street are attributed to William Smith (d.1812), father of John Smith (the renowned Aberdeen architect - b.1781) and are generally grander and more varied. The street as a whole retains much of its refinement and original character despite the gradual move from domestic to commercial ownership throughout 19th century. It is thought to be the first street in Aberdeen paved with square granite sets.

Part of A Group with 3-60 (Inclusive Nos) Marischal Street.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17775725

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

• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version