Description

Archibald Simpson, begun 1843. Single storey and attic, 2-bay and 3-bay cottages; basement floor to Nos 18-24 and 18A. Granite rubble finely finished to margins. Base course; variety of panelled timber doors with letterbox fanlights; panelled aprons to Nos 18-24 and 18A; doorways and windows of principal floor corniced with consoles to Nos 18-24 and 18A; long and short dressings to Nos 26-30; eaves course; canted dormers to attic floor.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; No 18: symmetrical, doorway to centre flanked to left and right by single windows, regular fenestration to basement, 2 dormers to left and right of attic floor, gableted dormer to centre. Nos 20 and 22: 4-bay mirrored pair of 2-bay houses, 2 doorways to centre 2 bays reached by stone steps, flanked to outer left and right by single windows, regular fenestration to basement; 2 dormers to attic floor. No 24: asymmetrical; 2-bay; doorway to right of ground floor, flanked to left by window; dormer to left of attic floor, flanked by skylight to right. Nos 26 and 28: symmetrical; 3-bay; doorway to centre, flanked to left and right by single window; 2 canted dormers to attic floor, skylight to centre of attic at No 28.

NW ELEVATION: gabled; blank.

SW ELEVATION: variety of door and window openings and additions.

SE ELEVATION: gabled; doorway to left of ground floor, flanked by broad window to right, with non-functional shutters, outer right corner curved with doorway of No 18 to centre, corniced with consoles; flat-roofed addition to outer left.

Variety of timber sash and case windows. Grey slate roof with lead ridge. Stone skews. Coped gablehead and ridge stacks with circular and octagonal. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen 2000.

BOUNDARY WALLS: low granite walls to NE; variety of brick and rubble walls to SW.

Statement of Interest

A-Group with 1-23 Albert Street, 2-18 Albert Street, 1-34 Albert Terrace and 1 Prince Arthur Street, 2-16 Albyn Place, 31-55 Carden Place and 2 and 4 Prince Arthur Street, 1-6 Rubislaw Place and 21 and 23 Waverley Place, 7-11 Victoria Street, 17 Victoria Street, 19 Victoria Street, 21-59 Victoria Street and 181 Skene Street, and 30-56 Victoria Street (see separate listings). Victoria Street was laid out by Archibald Simpson for James Skene of Rubislaw, as part of the feuing plan for the Rubislaw Estate. It is noted by Chapman and Riley as being an area "where buildings present features of special charm" (p149). The street design is unusual, in that there are 2-storey buildings on the E side and single storey and attic buildings on the W, this idea is repeated at Albert Street (see separate listings). The terraces are of simple traditional design, comprising rubble walls with finely finished dressings and canted dormers. Ferryhill Place also includes houses of similar design (see separate listings). Nos 18-28 Victoria Street are good examples of the "Aberdeen Cottage", developed from the Butt and ben by the 1820s. Usually with 2 main rooms on the ground floor, a smaller room tucked behind and further accommodation in the attic, lit by canted dormers. The consistency of detail unites the design, allowing a variety of window and door combinations.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing

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

• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)