Description

Circa 1880. Coursed, Aberdeen bond granite rubble walled cemetery to N and S of Allenvale Road.

S CEMETERY

Coursed granite Aberdeen snecked walls with saddleback coping. 2-leaf decorative cast-iron gates, with pedestrian gates to left and right to N, W and E; steps at gateways to S on Riverside Drive. Square-plan gatepiers with squared rough-faced battered base, stop-chamfered shaft, corniced with gableted caps to S cemetery, flanked by saddleback-coped granite ashlar low quadrant walls.

N CEMETERY

Terraced, 3-chambered; tooled coursed granite walls with shallow-pointed coping; 4 decoratively chamfered gatepiers to W, flanked by low coped granite walls, 2-leaf cast-iron gates; square-plan granite ashlar gatepiers with corniced necks and gableted caps to centre and E of S wall, 2-leaf cast-iron gates, walls flanking gatepiers stepped down; boarded timber door between 2 S gates. Low coped E wall stepped up, with cast-iron railings.

LODGE

Dated 1889. Single storey and attic; 3-bay lodge to NW of S Cemetery. Coursed squared rough-faced grey granite, with architraved surrounds. Cill course; long and short quoins; projecting cills to S and E elevations; terracotta finials to apex of gables; timber bargeboards.

N (Entrance) Elevation: asymmetrical; gabled porch advanced to centre, panelled timber door reached by 2 stone steps, letterbox fanlight; pilastered bipartite window to flanking bay to left; tooled datestone reading "1889" to right of doorway, gabled 4-light pilastered canted window to outer right angle, with bull's-eye window set in gablehead.

W Elevation: asymmetrical; 2-bay; window to bay to right, gabled bay to left, with window to attic floor, canted window to outer left angle (see above). Aberdeen bond granite wall extending to outer right forming gateway to outbuilding enclosure, and boundary walls to S of lodge.

S Elevation: asymmetrical; ground floor predominantly obscured by harled, flat-roofed addition; gabled bay to left with window set in gablehead; gableted dormer to right of attic with tripartite window, small modern skylights to attic. Rectangular-plan wing adjoining to outer right angle, S boundary wall meets wing to centre at gableted bay with boarded timber door to right return.

E Elevation: near-symmetrical; 2-bay; gabled; regular fenestration to ground floor; wing advanced out outer left angle, pilastered bipartite window to centre, panelled timber door to right return.

Predominantly 2-pane timber sash and case windows. Green-grey slate roof with decorative terracotta ridge. Corniced granite ashlar wallhead and gablehead stacks with circular cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

Interior: not seen 1999.

JAMES SAINT MONUMENT

J B Pirie, 1892. Monument to James Saint adjoining NE wall of S Cemetery. Granite ashlar. Simple plinth base with elongated ionic capital surmounted by inscription panel within decorative concave-shouldered surround, with 2 horizontal bands of scrolls; architraved surround; low block pediment ornamented with anthemion motifs; decorative finial. J B Pirie's monogram to left return, John Morgan's monogram to right return.

Statement of Interest

The Allenvale Cemetery over looks the river Dee to the S and the Duthie Park (see separate listings, Duthie Ward) to the E. The elaborate gatepiers with their decorative railings are similar to those at the Duthie Park. The lodge in the S cemetery is grandly detailed. The James Saint Monument is especially interesting and important. It was J B Pirie's last work, and represents a culmination of the variety of decorative motifs he used throughout his bold architectural career. According to his obituary "its execution relieved many an hour of illness, and not improbably the deceased architect may have felt it to be his last work, and so made it his best" (In Memoriam, p177). John Morgan was a builder and property developer in Aberdeen, as well as a close friend and patron of Pirie, so the presence of his monogram suggests his involvement or support in the building of the monument. His monogram also appears with Pirie's on Queen's Cross Church and 50 Queen's Road, both in Aberdeen (see separate listings).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17769972

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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