Description

James Henderson, circa 1845, with later alterations. Single storey and attic, 3-bay former schoolhouse with stone-pedimented dormerheads, and gabled single storey school wings forming H-plan and further taller single storey wing to rear forming T-plan. Harled and painted with chamfered ashlar margins and quoin strips. Base course. Chamfered reveals.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: centre bay at ground floor of schoolhouse with gabled porch and part-glazed panelled timber door, windows in flanking bays and 3 windows above with gabletted dormerheads breaking eaves. Lower gabled wings projecting at outer left and right, each with centre window and arrowslit in gablehead.

N (ENTRANCE, BATH STREET) ELEVATION: projecting gabled bay of schoolroom with single window at centre; return to right with gabled porch incorporating panelled timber door and fanlight at left and 2 windows to right; similar gabled porch (opening blocked and tiny pointed-arch air vent inserted) and 2 windows on return to left. Recessed gabled wing at right with centre window, and small modern porch in re-entrant angle at left. Recessed face to left similar mirrors the above but with small early lean-to in re-entrant.

E ELEVATION: blank elevation of low wing with full-height projecting, stepped chimney breast at centre.

Late 20th century fenestration. Graded grey slates. Coped ashlar gablehead, and harled wallhead stacks with cans. Gablet coped skews with moulded pyramidal skewputts.

INTERIOR: largely modernised 1960s and 1970s, 2 timber and 1 stone fire surround retained.

BOUNDARY WALLS: semicircular- and flat-coped random rubble boundary walls.

Statement of Interest

Of special interest as a good, traditional building with an unusual plan as well as its historical importance for the development of education in Stonehaven. The school closed in 1875 with the opening of J Russell Mackenzie's new school (now Stonehaven Community Centre) at the east end of Bath Street. Sold to Lord Stonehaven for use as the Ury Estate Office, the old school subsequently passed into private ownership in the early 1920s. Alterations carried out during conversion to offices are thought to have included closure of the west facing door, at which time the porch was converted to a strong room, and sub-division of the large schoolroom into three offices.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56647119

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)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings