Description

Before 1828 (see Notes). 4 storey and attic 13-bay former hotel building, with altered shops to ground, situated on prominent corner site. (flats and shops, 2006). Grey granite ashlar. Cill course to nos 96-100. Cornice and blocking course. Curved at corner.

Nos 94-100 with some raised architraves and console bracketed cornices to windows. Central wallhead panel.

Upper storey linking bridge to no 19 Correction Wynd (see separate listing).

Mixture of glazing to timber sash and case windows to upper storeys with some curved glazing to corner. Plate glass to shops. Mansard roofs, grey slates.

INTERIOR: not seen at time of resurvey (2006), but believed to be comprehensively moderised.

Statement of Interest

Situated on a prominent corner site, this former hotel is notable for its curved corner, and cornice and architrave detailing. The building was named the Temperence Hotel on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey Map of 1866-7 and remained a hotel until the later 20th century. The row forms an essential component of the planned streetscape of Union Street and the simple classical style is typical of granite buildings of this period before sophisticated cutting techniques were developed. It was constructed between 1794 when Union Street was planned and 1828 when it appears on John Wood's plan of Aberdeen. Planned as the major thoroughfare in an increasingly wealthy and self-assured city, Union Street was a bold and confident project which required major engineering to complete. The buildings which aligned the street had to reflect this sense of grandeur and confidence as the visual appearance of the street was of the utmost importance..

Union Street was developed after 1794, when a town council meeting asked the engineer Charles Abercrombie to find a way to connect the original steep, haphazard network of 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 former became Union Street. This was a particularly difficult project to complete as the street had to cut through St Katherine's Hill at the East end and be built on a series of arches culminating with a large bridge at the Denburn. The street was to be lined with classical buildings, but the initial idea of having a long, uniform classical design that each new house would have to conform to was abandoned, as it was realised that different purchasers would require some control over the design Some variety was therefore conceded. This variety had, however, to conform to the 'uniformity and regularity of the street' and that between each crossroads, the houses had to be the same height, the same number of storeys (4) and have the same pitch of roof.

Part of B Group with Nos 5-53, 67-89, 95-139, 143-153 (odd nos) Union Street, Nos 26-42, 46-62, 78-106, 114-144 (even nos) Union Street and St Nicholas Churchyard.

Reference from previous list description: Aberdeen Directory 1824.

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

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56625203

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

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  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
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  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
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  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide