Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Early-mid 19th century corner warehouse with adjacent warehouses to E (Virginia Street), dated 1861, and to S (Weighhouse Square). 4-storey and attic, 7 x 5-bay corner warehouse with distinctive loft openings. Adjacent 4-bay warehouse to S (Virginia Street), and 6-bay warehouse to S (Weighhouse Square). Coursed granite rubble. Regularly spaced rectangular windows to all elevations.

7 Weigh-House Square: central 5-storey pedimented section with 2-leaf timber hoist doors to W, similar to N with hoist doors now infilled. Some segmental-arched openings to ground, some with 2-leaf timber doors with vents at upper sections.

6-10 Virginia Street: central 2-bay nepus gable with wide stack at apex with date panel.

Predominantly timber windows with vertical metal bars, some sash and case, others fixed with timber astragals. Grey slates. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: timber flooring, some timber panelling at stairs, concertina doors to lifts. Steel columns and beams to Virginia Street. Weigh-House Square converted to small storage units, columns not visible but thought to be cast-iron.

Statement of Special Interest

This is a particularly striking set of warehouses with near intact street elevations, situated near to the Harbour. They add significant value to the streetscape in this part of the city. At one time the Harbour area possessed a great number of granite warehouses, but these have become increasingly uncommon and survivors of this quality are rare. The timber hoist doors and regular fenestration are particularly distinctive features of these warehouses. Warehouses are an important part of Aberdeen's commercial and social history. They are a visible reminder of the harbour's importance to the prosperity of the expanding 19th century city.

The site of Nos 6-10 Virginia Street originally contained several houses and workshops, which were bought for £320 in 1860 by The Shore Porter Society. They were then initially converted into shops and dwelling houses in 1861. In 1891 the building was converted into a bonded warehouse and used as to provide additional storage facilities to the warehouses at 5 and 7 Weigh-House Square.

No 5 Weigh-House Square was purchased in 1906 by the Society from John Begg, an Aberdeen merchant. Begg had purchased the building in 1847 and it is assumed that the conversion to a bonded warehouse dates from this time. It is now a general warehouse.

No 7 Weigh-House Square was erected circa 1862 on the site of previous tenements owned by the Society and was built as a bonded warehouse. It remains as such.

The Shore Porters Society, established in 1498, claims to be the oldest established transport business in the world. The porters were originally called The Pynours or Workmen until 1836, when it become The Shore Porters Society. The porters would originally trundle barrels of goods, unloaded from the ships at the nearby harbour, up Ship Row and into the town for payment of a penny. The Society today continues to provide both storage facilities and a removal service.

References

Bibliography

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.