Description

John Henderson, 1905. 2-storey and attic, 2-bay villa. Tooled coursed grey granite finely finished to margins of S elevation; coursed rubble to remainder. Rough-faced base course; projecting cills; dividing band course forming 1st floor cill course; overhanging eaves; half-timbered detail to gableheads; timber bargeboards.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; segmental-arched, chamfered doorway to centre bay of ground floor, panelled timber door with fanlight above; segmental-arched window flanking to left with chamfered reveals; bipartite window to 1st floor, gableted 2-light dormer to attic floor; gabled bay to right, 4-light canted window to ground floor, parapet forming balcony to 1st floor, tripartite window with hoodmould to 1st floor, tripartite window set in gablehead of attic floor.

E ELEVATION: gabled; window centred in gablehead.

N ELEVATION: not seen 2000.

W ELEVATION: gabled; wall plane to right advanced, with window to centre; 2-storey wing adjoining to left.

INTERIOR: not seen 2000.

Predominantly timber sash and case windows with decorative upper panes to 1st and attic floors of S elevation. Grey slate roof with lead ridge. Gablehead stacks with circular cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALLS: square-plan piers to S, with shallow pyramidal caps, low coped walls between; rubble walls to remainder.

Statement of Interest

From the beginning of the 19th century Aberdeen rapidly expanded westwards from Union Street. 12 Rubislaw Den North is part of the late 19th/early 20th 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. John Henderson was responsible for the majority of the houses at the E end of Rubislaw Den North (on the N side of the road). 12 Rubislaw Den North, and the adjacent double villa, 14 and 16 Rubislaw Den North (see separate listing), are more detailed than those further W, with particularly fine glazing patterns to the upper sashes.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56625451

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

• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)