Description

Probably John Smith of Aberdeen, 1836, roof recast circa 1900. 2-storey, 3-bay, gabled house with pedimental blocking course to consoled doorpiece and bracketed and consoled ground floor windows, on elevated site (falling steeply to S) surrounded by enclosure walls. Distinguishing glazing. Harled with contrasting margins. Deep ashlar base course, 1st floor cill course and gableheads (see Notes).

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical. Slightly set-back centre bay with step and dwarf walls leading up to 8-panelled door with narrow flanking lights and arcaded fanlight, and window above breaking eaves into piended dormerhead; flanking broad gabled bays with window to each floor (those to ground taller).

N (REAR) ELEVATION: asymmetrically-fenestrated elevation with 1st floor T-projection at centre oversailing small courtyard and adjoining ancillaries (see below).

E ELEVATION: gabled elevation with slightly advanced centre bay, 3 windows to ground, that to centre blind, and single window to centre above.

Margined 8-pane glazing pattern to S, E and W, small pane and plate glass glazing patterns to N, all in timber sash and case windows. Graded grey slates. Paired coped ashlar stacks straddling gableheads with polygonal cans. Overhanging eaves with plain bargeboarding, and decorative ironwork finials.

INTERIOR: some moulded cornices and picture rails, 6-panelled architraved doors, timber fire surround to drawing room, some panelled timber shutters retained and steeply curving staircase with plain ironwork balusters.

ANCILLARY BUILDINGS: single storey, pitch-roofed, slated, rubble ancillary range to N, incorporating some cobbled sett floors.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND RAILINGS: flat- and rubble-coped rubble boundary walls with some buttresses. S wall with inset decorative cast-iron railings.

Statement of Interest

Rosebank and the nearby similarly dated Carronbank and South Church Manse (all quality villas) occupy a fine position on the edge of Robert Barclay's planned New Town. Rosebank is the most altered, having later gableheads (presumably altered from piended or jerkinhead roofs) but retains some good early work and boasts interesting later stylistic detail. The unusual glazing pattern (both here and at Carronbank) is typical of John Smith (Aberdeen Town Architect and Superintendent of Public Works from 1807), each sash having four main panes with narrow margin pains to left and right only. The current owner (2005) has established the 1836 building date from the Register of Sasines. Reid's Descriptive Guide of Stonehaven advertised holiday houses available to let, and included Rosebank with Mrs Cowan as the contact. There is a small alcove with well set into the wall at the north west of the house.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17779547

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.

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