Description

A H L Mackinnon, 1902. 2-storey, 3-bay villa. Rough-faced pink granite ground floor, tooled coursed grey granite 1st floor, finely finished margins. Dividing string course; projecting cills; overhanging eaves with timber bargeboards.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; quadripartite window to ground floor of bay to right, bipartite window breaking eaves to 1st floor; 4-light canted window to ground floor of advanced gabled bay to centre, tripartite window to 1st floor; recessed entrance bay to left, open timber porch advanced surmounted by late 20th century sun porch, recessed segmental-arched roll-moulded doorway to ground floor, panelled timber door.

E ELEVATION: asymmetrical; gabled bay to left, variety of window and door openings to right.

N ELEVATION: asymmetrical; wing advanced to left, lean-to addition to ground floor, window flanking to right; recessed bays to right not seen 2000.

W ELEVATION: asymmetrical; open porch and sun porch to right; pair of windows to ground floor of bay to left, single window to 1st floor above.

Predominantly timber sash and case windows with 4-pane upper sashes. Replacement Rosemary tiled roof with terracotta ridges. Corniced gablehead stacks with circular cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen 2000.

GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALLS: square-plan rough-faced granite gatepiers with half-spherical caps to S; low granite walls between; brick and granite coped rubble walls to remainder.

Statement of Interest

From the beginning of the 19th century Aberdeen rapidly expanded westwards from Union Street. 68 and 68A Rubislaw Den South is part of the late 19th/early 20th century development W of Queen's Cross. Rubislaw Den South 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, such as A H L Mackinnon, were often employed to produce bold and unusual designs to reflect the wealth and individuality of the clients.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56625510

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

• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings