Description

W & J Smith and William Kelly, 1895-6. 2-storey and attic, 2-bay villa. Tooled coursed granite ashlar to ground floor, Aberdeen bond ashlar to 1st floor of S elevation, finely finished to margins; granite rubble to remainder. Roughly tooled base course; contrasting light grey long and short dressings to 1st floor of S elevation; overhanging eaves.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 3-light canted window to left at ground floor with parapet forming balcony to 1st floor, bipartite window to 1st floor; bipartite window to ground floor of bay to right, with straight hoodmould, single window to 1st floor above; piend-roofed dormer centred to attic floor.

E ELEVATION: near-symmetrical; doorway to centre of ground floor, panelled timber door; window to 1st floor above.

N ELEVATION: not seen 2000.

W ELEVATION: asymmetrical; bipartite stair window to right, single window to ground floor to left; single storey wing adjoining to outer left.

Predominantly timber sash and case windows with small-pane upper sashes. Piended green-grey slate roof with lead ridges. Shouldered wallhead stacks with circular cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen 2000.

GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALLS: square-plan granite ashlar gatepiers with pyramidal caps to S, low coped walls between; granite and brick coped rubble walls to remainder.

Statement of Interest

From the beginning of the 19th century Aberdeen rapidly expanded westwards from Union Street. 60 Rubislaw Den North is part of the late 19th century development W of Queen's Cross. Rubislaw Den North runs almost parallel to Queen's Road (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 Skene Road and sold off the estate in smaller plots. Streets became wider and villas with substantial gardens often replaced terraces. Prestigious architects, such as William Kelly, were often employed to produce bold and unusual designs to reflect the wealth and individuality of the clients. 60 Rubislaw Den North is one of 4 houses on the N side of Rubislaw Den North designed by William Kelly (partly speculatively, although 60 Rubislaw Den North was built for James Ogilvie, upholsterer), the others being 58, 62 and 64 Rubislaw Den North (see separate listings). 62 Rubislaw Den North was Kelly's own house. According to Simpson, Kelly's domestic commissions were carried out to the highest standards. He also notes that "most of them were enriched with Morris wall-papers and furnishings, De Morgan tiles, leaded glass-work and other features designed to have them as artistically satisfying as he [Kelly] could make them" (Simpson, p7).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17780266

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

• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)