Description

John Henderson, 1899. 2-storey and attic, 4-bay double villa. Rough-faced coursed grey granite finely finished to margins of S elevation; rubble to remainder. Rough-faced base course; 1st floor cill course; eaves blocking course.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical; 4-bay comprising 2 2-bay mirrored houses. Doorways to centre 2 bays of ground floor, with stone scrolled brackets below lintel, Ionic pilastered doorway to 8 Rubislaw Den North, panelled timber doors to both houses, flanked by glazed panels and surmounted by letterbox fanlights, single window to 1st floor above each; scrolled segmental-arched pediments to dormers at attic floor above. 3-light canted bays through ground and 1st floors of bays to outer left and right, forming balcony to attic floor; wallhead rising to tripartite gableted window to attic floor, flanked by deep granite scrolls.

E ELEVATION: gabled; 2-storey shallow wing with piended roof near-centre, doorway and window to left return.

N ELEVATION: not seen 2000.

W ELEVATION: gabled; 2-storey wing near-centre, doorway and window to right return.

Replacement PVCu windows to 8 Rubislaw Den North, timber sash and case windows to 10 Rubislaw Den North. Grey slate roof with lead ridges. Stone skews. Coped gablehead stacks with circular cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

BOUNDARY WALLS: low coped rough-faced granite walls to S, gateway to SE with scrolled coping; rubble walls to remainder.

Statement of Interest

From the beginning of the 19th century Aberdeen rapidly expanded westwards from Union Street. 8 and 10 Rubislaw Den North is part of the late 19th century development W of Queen's Cross. Rubislaw Den North runs almost parallel to Queen's Road (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 Skene 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. 8 and 10 Rubislaw Den North is one of the few double villas on the street. The basic formula follows that at 35 and 37, and 39 and 41 Forest Road (see separate listings) by John Cameron and also 9 and 11, and 14 and 16 Forest Road (see separate listings), which were designed by Arthur Clyne.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56625447

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

• 
  For the Record
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2