Description

William Duguid and Son (Ballater), builders. 1896 (dated). Single storey and attic irregular plan purpose built Masonic Lodge with advanced 2-bay central gable to N (street elevation) and distinctive tall gabled tower with ball finial detailing in re-entrant angle to left and 2-bay single storey and attic 20th century extension to right. Particularly distinguished internally by decorated octagonal vault-room, added in 1930s. Pink and grey granite with Aberdeen bonding at N, coursed rubble at S. Situated within own grounds, next to Victoria Barracks (see separate listing). Gabled dormers breaking wallhead.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: central 2-bay gable flanked by 4-panel timber entrance doors, with narrow timber pilaster jambs and narrow rectangular fanlight above, that to left with datestone above.

Predominantly 4-pane timber sash and case windows. Graded grey slate. Gable stacks.

INTERIOR: original Masonic rooms essentially unchanged. Finely decorated and notable octagonal Royal Arch vault added in 1930s, reached by timber spiral staircase. Hand painted figures and symbolic signs on each surface. (see Notes) Timber lined staircase with timber treads. 4-panel timber doors. Some simple iron chimney-pieces.

BOUNDARY WALL: low granite rubble to N with rectangular coping. Iron railing gate with iron support to lantern above. Rubble granite wall to S, E and W with rubble coping.

Statement of Interest

Ballater Masonic Lodge is a distinctive building with its fine detail apparent in the unusual 2-stage tower. It proves an unusual aspect in the streetscape within surrounding Victorian villas and sitting next to the Victoria Baracks (see separate listing) It is particularly distinguished by the finely decorated Royal Arch Chapter vault which is, with the exception of Aberdeen, the only vault of its kind in the North-East. The paintings within the vault were completed after WWII, in 1948, by a Mr Davidson, from designs by John Maitland. They represent scenes from the Masonic stories of the Royal Arch.

This building replaced the earlier Masonic Lodge of Ballater which had been in Church Square.

William Duguid and Sons were local builders who also built the Albert Memorial and Victoria Halls (see separate listing) and other local houses.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77779415

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

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  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
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  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
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  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)