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Summary

Description

Probably A Marshall Mackenzie, architect and John Morgan, builder, 1899; later additions and alterations. 2-storey basement and attic, 3-bay villa now linked to 49 and 51 Queen's Road (see separate listing). Rough faced coursed grey granite ashlar, finely finished to margins at NW elevation; coursed granite rubble to remainder. Pink granite ground floor cill course; pink granite dividing band course; moulded cills to NW elevation.

NW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; broad round-arched doorway to centre bay of ground floor, moulded impost detail, voussoirs alternating between rough-faced and finely finished granite, keystone detail, modern glazed door; bipartite window to 1st floor above; single bipartite rectangular dormer to attic floor. Gabled bay flanking to right; 4-light canted window to ground floor, with parapet enclosing balcony to 1st floor; bipartite window to 1st floor; attic floor slightly advanced on corbel brackets, tripartite window centred in gablehead, overhanging eaves, iron sunflower finial to apex. Bull's-eye window to ground floor of bay to right; oversized angle turret to 1st floor, breaking eaves, window to centre, conical fishscale tiled roof with lead finial.

SW ELEVATION: gabled; window to centre at 1st floor.

SE ELEVATION: harled modern addition obscuring ground floor; window to centre of 1st floor, flanked by 2 Italianate tripartite round-arched windows; rectangular dormers and dormers with catslide roofs to attic floor.

NE ELEVATION: gabled; obscured by modern link to 51 Queen's Road.

Predominantly sash and case windows with plate glass or 2-pane lower sashes and small-pane upper sashes. Grey slate roof with terracotta ridge. Stone skews with blocked skewputts. Coped gablehead stacks and stacks breaking pitch with circular cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: some timber panelling, chimneypieces, and mouldings survive.

GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALLS: square-plan rough-faced granite gatepiers to NW (shared with adjacent villas), with low coped walls between; granite and brick coped rubble walls to remainder.

Statement of Special Interest

B-Group with 37-39, 41-43, 45-47 and 49-51 Queen's Road (see separate listings). From the beginning of the 19th century Aberdeen rapidly expanded westwards from Union Street. 53 Queen's Road is part of the later 19th century development W of Queen's Cross. Queen's Road is on the site of Skene Road, which was originally surrounded by the estate of Rubislaw. In 1877 Rubislaw Estate was bought by the City of Aberdeen Land Association, who re-aligned the road and sold off the estate in smaller plots. Streets became wider and villas with substantial gardens often replaced terraces. Prestigious architects, such as A Marshall Mackenzie, were often employed to produce bold and unusual designs to reflect the wealth and individuality of the clients. Mackenzie designed many of the adjacent villas, notably 37-39, 41-43, 45-47 and 49-51 Queen's Road, which are double villa versions of 53 Queen's Road. This particular group shows the influence of the architecture of Pirie and Clyne (seen best at Hamilton Place, see separate listings), common features include the waisted jambs flanking the doorways, parapet between gables (on the double villas) and the bold angle turret and iron sunflower finials to 53 Queen's Road. John Morgan (for whom this group was built, suggesting that Mackenzie also designed No 53), also patronised Pirie and Clyne, and was involved in their buildings at Hamilton Place, so it seems likely that he could have encouraged the use of the aforementioned features. Modern 3-bay link adjoins 53 Queen's Road with 51 Queen's Road to form the Queen's Hotel (formerly New Marcliffe Hotel).

References

Bibliography

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