Description

Brown and Watt, 1895. 2-storey and attic, 2-bay, L-plan villa with service wing to rear. Tooled coursed grey granite with finely finished margins to NE elevation; coursed granite rubble to remainder. Base course; chamfered reveals; eaves swept down to NE elevation.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; gabled bay advanced to right, 3-light canted window to centre of ground floor; bipartite window to 1st floor, squat segmental-arched triple window set in gablehead, with corniced cill, stone finial to apex; 3-stage circular-plan entrance tower breaking eaves to re-entrant angle to left, gabled porch to 1st stage, segmental-arched doorway, with moulded reveals, panelled timber door with diamond-leaded upper panels, leaded tripartite fanlight, window to centre of 2nd stage, band of square windows below eaves with ogee lintels, conical tower with fishscale slates and lead finial. Window to centre of recessed bay to left, flanked to right by small window, deeply chamfered outer left angle with window to centre, oversized corbel above to form right angle, gableted window breaking eaves to 1st floor of bay to left, tiny vessica detail in gablethead.

NW ELEVATION: irregular openings, 2-storey wing to outer right, doorway to left return.

SW ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 2-bay; gabled bay to left, stair window to right of 1st floor, with replacement stained glass, 2-storey service wing adjoining to left, irregular fenestration; flat-roofed addition to right, stepped back at 1st floor, band of windows floor; broad rectangular dormer to attic floor above.

SE ELEVATION: gabled; bipartite window set in gablehead.

Predominantly 2-pane timber sash and case windows and sash and case windows with small-pane upper sashes. Green slate roof with lead ridges. Stone skews with gableted skewputts. Coped gablehead and wallhead stacks with circular cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: skirting boards, doors architraves and cornicing survive; timber staircase with barley sugar turned balusters.

GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALLS: square-plan obelisk gatepiers to NE, with low granite wall between; granite and brick coped rubble walls to remainder.

Statement of Interest

Forest Road is built on the site of Stocket Forest, hence the appropriate name which was chosen by Sir Alexander Anderson, Lord Provost at the time. From the beginning of the 19th century Aberdeen rapidly expanded westwards from Union Street. 28 Forest Road is part of the later 19th century development W of Queen's Cross. Stocket Forest was originally part of the estate of Rubislaw. In 1877 Rubislaw Estate was bought by the City of Aberdeen Land Association, who re-aligned Skene Road (which was renamed Queen's Road) and sold off the estate in smaller plots. Streets became wider and villas with substantial gardens often replaced terraces. Prestigious architects, such as Brown and Watt, were often employed to produce bold and unusual designs to reflect the wealth and individuality of the clients. 28 Forest Road is particularly well detailed, with fine entrance tower, the band of windows below the eaves suggesting the influence of Alexander Thomson. Also of note is the deeply chamfered angle to the E and the leaded glass door.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17770561

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.

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