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Summary

Description

Thomas Mackenzie, (of Mackenzie & Matthews), 1850. 2-storey, 5-bay collegiate gothic former Christ's College, with tower to SW. Tooled coursed granite ashlar, finely finished to margins; Aberdeen bond rubble to tower and rear elevations. Base course; chamfered reveals; cusped tracery; diagonal buttresses surmounted by elongated pyramidal pinnacles; dividing band course; eaves cornice; crenellated parapets.

N (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical; Tudor-arched doorway to centre bay of ground floor, 2-leaf timber door with gothic panelling, framed by string moulding with ornate drip stones; 2-light Tudor-arched windows with hoodmoulds to flanking bays to left and right; flat-arched 2-light windows to each bay of 1st floor.

W ELEVATION: asymmetrical; gabled bay to left, canted 5-light sandstone oriel window corbelled-out to 1st floor, window opening above with hoodmould, stone finial to apex. Square-plan 4-stage tower adjoining to left, regular fenestration to each stage, crenellated parapet with clockface to each elevation, 5-stage octagonal angle turret through all stages at NW, irregular fenestration. 2-storey, 2-bay block adjoining to right, openings to ground floor, regular fenestration to 1st floor. Single storey block advanced to outer right.

S ELEVATION: asymmetrical; gabled; single storey addition to left of ground floor, remainder not seen 2000. 4 window openings to 1st floor, 2 blind, modern metal flue to centre.

E ELEVATION: kneelered gabled bay to right, window to right of ground floor, louvred opening to left; canted 5-light sandstone oriel window corbelled-out to 1st floor, window opening above with hoodmould, stone finial to apex. 2-storey, single bay addition to left, louvred opening to ground floor, window to 1st floor.

Predominantly leaded diamond-pane windows with cusped tracery. Grey slate roof with lead ridge. Coped stone skews, blocked skewputts. Coped gablehead stacks to rear elevations with circular and octagonal cans.

INTERIOR: predominantly remodelled for use as bar and restaurant (late 20th century).

RAILINGS: iron railings on low coped wall flanking to E and W.

Statement of Special Interest

The College, now a bar and restaurant, was originally built as the Free Church College to train ministers for the Free Church. It occupies a prominent site at the end of Union Street. Christ's College, which contained a gymnasium, was built for a cost of ?2025, primarily funded by a Mr Francis Edmond and some of the other elders. The building was formally opened on 5 November 1850. Linked to the college was a museum and library (containing 17,000 volumes), both originally located in 2 Alford Place (see separate listing). The building is of picturesque composition, with fine collegiate gothic detailing.

References

Bibliography

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