Nazareth House, 34 Claremont Street, Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Aberdeen

Description

Ellis & Wilson, 1871; E and W wings, circa 1881; mortuary chapel and enlargement of wings Ellis & Wilson, 1890; enlargement of chapel, R G Wilson, 1897; NE wing, R G Wilson, 1900; later additions and alterations. 3-storey and attic, 9-bay former convent with chapel to the N. Tooled coursed grey granite with finely finished dressings. Dark grey granite base course; cill courses; rough-faced dividing band course between ground and 1st floor; variety of finely finished band courses; eaves blocking course corbelled-out, crenellations at gables. Segmental-arched openings to ground floor; Tudor-arched openings to 1st floor.

SE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical; 9-bay, arranged 1-3-1-3-1. Rough-faced central entrance bay stepped-forward; chamfered Tudor-arched doorway to ground floor, modern panelled timber door with traceried fanlight above; pierced stone balcony to 1st floor, gothic-arched window surround enclosing bipartite window with stained-glass oculus in tympanum; pair of pointed-arched windows to 2nd floor; gableted square-plan tower to attic floor, balustraded parapet between 2nd and attic floors, pointed-arched niche with red sandstone statue inset, decorative acroterion, elongated pyramidal spire. Regular fenestration to each floor of 3 recessed bays to left and right, bipartite rectangular dormers to attic floor. Gabled bays advanced to outer left and right, regular fenestration to each floor; round-arched windows set in gableheads, with arrowslit openings above, iron finials to apexes.

NE ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 5-bay with 1900 addition to right; gabled bay advanced to centre, curved angles, corbelled out at 2nd floor, doorway to ground floor, 2-leaf panelled timber door with glazed upper panels, small windows flanking to left and right, Tudor-arched windows with stepped hoodmoulds, flanked by small windows at 1st and 2nd floors, round-arched window set in gablehead, iron finial to apex; regular fenestration to recessed 2 bays flanking to left and right. 1900 addition adjoining to right, stair windows in 2 bays to left, bays to right advanced, irregularly placed openings, gabled bay to left return, regular fenestration, statue set in gablehead.

NW ELEVATION: asymmetrical; chapel adjoining to centre of ground floor (see below), pointed-arched traceried window with leaded glass above, irregular fenestration to flanking bays, rectangular dormers to attic floor; gabled bays advanced to outer left and right. Substantial 20th century addition to left, including lead-faced lift shaft flanked by glazed landings.

SW ELEVATION: 5-bay with 4-bay 1890 extension to left; gabled bay advanced to centre, curved angles, corbelled out at 2nd floor, doorway to ground floor, timber door, small windows flanking to left and right, Tudor-arched windows with stepped hoodmoulds, flanked by small windows at 1st and 2nd floors, round-arched window set in gablehead, iron finial to apex, regular fenestration to 2 bays flanking to left and right. Near-regular fenestration to 1890 extension, flat-roofed single storey addition to ground floor to left, small tripartite window to 2nd floor of bay to outer left, tooled datestone reading "1890" set in parapet near-centre.

Predominantly modern PVCu glazing. Purple-grey slate roof, raised to form mansard at SE elevation; lead ridges; harled top of lift shaft. Coped wallhead and ridges stacks with octagonal cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: largely remodelled as nursing home; some panelled timber doors and architraves survive; staircases to E and W wings with decorative iron balusters.

CHAPEL:

Ellis & Wilson, 1871; enlarged by R G Wilson, 1897. Single storey, cruciform-plan chapel adjoining main building to N. Aberdeen-bond granite finely finished to margins. Pointed-arched openings.

NW Elevation: gabled with crucifix finial to apex, flat-roofed addition to left, boarded timber door flanked by decoratively shouldered and stop-chamfered bipartite window with leaded glass, bipartite and single windows to left (outer) return.

SW Elevation: asymmetrical; gabled transept advanced to centre, tall window flanked by 2 smaller windows, windows to left return, flat-roofed addition to re-entrant angle to left, 3 windows to flanking chancel to left; addition to re-entrant angle to right, pair of bipartite windows surmounted by trefoil and quatrefoil; bays to outer right not seen 2001.

SE Elevation: adjoining main building; open timber gableted bellcote, with bell surviving.

NE Elevation: asymmetrical; gabled transept advanced to centre, tall window flanked by 2 smaller windows, pointed-arched windows to right return, flat-roofed addition to re-entrant angle to right (see above); regularly placed bipartite windows surmounted by trefoil and quatrefoil to flanking bays to left.

Leaded and stained glass windows. Grey slate roof with lead ridges. Coped stone skews with moulded skewputts. Coped and chamfered wallhead stack to N, with octagonal can. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

Interior: pointed-arched boarded timber door from main building; nave and aisles, octagonal pink granite columns supporting pointed-arched arcades of aisles, transepts and chancel, open timber roof with iron ties, decoratively traceried rooflights; simple gallery to S supported on iron columns; boarded timber roofs to aisles and chancel.

ENTRANCE LODGE, MORTUARY CHAPEL AND ANCILLARY STRUCTURES: entrance lodge to centre of S wall; tooled granite ashlar with coped wallhead, gableted doorpiece to centre, with stop-chamfered reveals, iron gate opening into porch, timber door; tooled tympanum reading "1871", fleur-de-lys to apex of gablet; simple N elevation, doorway to centre flanked to left and right by 4-pane sash and case window. Small gothic mortuary chapel adjoining boundary wall to SW of main building; tooled granite, gableted centre bay with chamfered cusped doorway, decoratively panelled and boarded door with leaded glass upper panels (badly damaged), leaded glass fanlight above, stone patera to centre of lintel, tooled vessica set in gablehead; pointed-arched openings to left and right; soup kitchen adjoining to right, in former shelter sheds, converted 1997.

GATES, GATEPIERS, BOUNDARY WALLS AND RAILINGS: high coped rubble walls flanking Entrance House to S, square-plan gatepiers to outer left and right, with truncated pyramidal caps. Low coped granite walls to N, surmounted by railings, square-plan piers with pyramidal caps.

Statement of Interest

The imposing Nazareth House was originally built as a convent, and is now a nursery and retirement home, with some accommodation still used by the nuns. The original entrance is through a "tiny chapel-like gatehouse" (Brogden, p141) on Claremont Street. The stark simplicity of the building is counteracted by the gothic entrance tower. The row of bicycle sheds to the west of the building was converted in 1997 by David Murray Associates, to form a soup kitchen. The tiny mortuary chapel is also of note.

External Links

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