Description

Circa 1900. 2-storey, basement and attic, 2-bay villa. Tooled coursed grey granite ashlar finely finished to margins at SE elevation, Aberdeen bond granite rubble to remainder. Rough-faced dark grey granite basement floor; base course; rough-faced long and short quoins; dividing band course; eaves course; overhanging eaves.

SE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; Tuscan columned porch to left of ground floor, spherical finials surmounting parapet, flight of steps flanked by low walls with spherical finial terminating blocks lead to panelled timber door flanked by etched glass panels, letterbox fanlight above; bipartite window to 1st floor; 3-light canted window through basement, ground and 1st floors of flanking bay to right, doorway to basement floor, 3-light windows to remainder.

NE ELEVATION: central gablet; regular openings to central bay.

NW ELEVATION: asymmetrical; doorway to centre of basement floor, small window to 1st floor above; regular fenestration to all floors of bay to left; 3-light canted window through basement and ground floors of bay to right, single window to 1st floor above; tripartite rectangular dormer to centre of attic floor.

SW ELEVATION: replacement (replicating original) timber lean-to conservatory with iron brattishing surmounting to ground floor, stained glass tripartite window to 1st floor above; gablet flanking to right, window to outer right of 1st floor.

Predominantly 2-pane and 4-pane timber sash and case windows (some replacement). Piended grey slate roof with lead ridges. Coped wallhead stacks with octagonal cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: good interior. Etched glass inner door flanked by etched panels; good quality cornice work, friezes and ceiling mouldings, especially to ground floor; mouldings, doors and architraves predominantly survive; timber staircase with turned balusters; marble fireplaces; distinctive fitted bookcase.

GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALLS: square-plan gatepiers to SE (shared with adjacent properties), low coped wall between; granite and brick coped rubble walls to remainder.

Statement of Interest

From the beginning of the 19th century Aberdeen rapidly expanded westwards from Union Street. 80 Queen's Road is part of the later 19th century/early 20th century development W of Queen's Cross. Queen's Road is on the site of Skene Road, which was originally surrounded by the estate of Rubislaw. In 1877 Rubislaw Estate was bought by the City of Aberdeen Land Association, who re-aligned the road and sold off the estate in smaller plots. Streets became wider and villas with substantial gardens often replaced terraces. Prestigious architects were often employed to produce bold and unusual designs to reflect the wealth and individuality of the clients. Of particular note at 80 Queen's Road is the finely detailed interior, also of interest with the decorative exterior porch. The unusual cornicing to the entrance hall exactly matches some at 50 Queen's Road (see separate listing), by J B Pirie and Arthur Clyne. This suggests that either Clyne was the architect (Pirie died in 1892) - however no plans survive to support this - or that the same plasterer was involved with both properties. Currently in use as The Hamilton School (2000).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17780137

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

• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)