Description

1882. 2-storey with attic and basement, 8-bay Collegiate Gothic school building with rear yard and ranges. Tooled coursed granite ashlar with dressed base, band and eaves course. Buttressed and pinnacled. Multi-gabled with plain skews and squared putts.

W (KING STREET) ELEVATION: symmetrical: central full height buttress with chamfered arrises and gablet surmounting, single bay flanking to both storeys with single height buttress to outer of ground floor window, triangular pediment spanning width of all with tall pinnacles above ground floor

buttresses, arched hoodmould to centre of pediment, band course with square and circle detail to apex, decorative stone finial with fleur-de-lis surmounting; bipartite to each storey flanking central bays with further single window to outer of each. Advanced gabled end bays: slightly advanced stepped centre with bipartite window with stone mullion to ground and 1st floor separated by paired band course, triangular gablet below segmental-arched louvred window to gablehead with hoodmould adjoining band course, finial surmounting. Single bay to both storeys far left, adjoining from right return of side elevation (see W ELEVATION).

S ELEVATION: to left 2-storey paired gables each comprising: paired windows to ground and 1st floor, segmental arched louvred window to each gablehead with hoodmould adjoining band course; finial surmounting. Entrance door to centre, to right further 2-storey advanced block containing symmetrical bays.

E (REAR) ELEVATION: symmetrical 2-storey elevation with further U-plan range of 2-storey multi-gabled buildings enclosing former schoolyard. Advanced rectangular block adjoining to centre.

N ELEVATION: 2-storey paired gables each containing: paired windows to ground and 1st floor, window at upper right of left gable now altered, segmental arched louvred window to each gablehead with hoodmould adjoining band course; finial surmounting; single window to both storeys on right return forming part of principal elevation. Recessed symmetrical bays with further wing to left.

3 & 6-pane replacement timber casement windows with vertical pivot central panes or opening top hoppers. Piended grey slate roof with lead ridges and valleys.

Painted cast-iron rainwater goods. Low coursed gablehead stack to rear range, cans now missing.

INTERIOR: not seen, 2001 but plan as that of original classrooms, now in university use.

GATEPIERS, GATES AND RAILINGS: pair of squared coursed tooled granite ashlar piers, squared caps with sloping bases, finials now missing. Curved tooled granite ashlar wing walls with dressed copes and chamfered arrises. Pair of squared granite piers supporting gates: projecting base, carved course below projecting squared cap with sloped base, gablet stone with triangular panel surmounting. Railings: plain painted wrought-iron railings with dog bars, stylised fleur-de-lis surmounting all. Gates: 2-leaf, design and material as railings.

Statement of Interest

Formerly King Street Public School. The building is now part of the Robert Gordon University campus. The school was originally built after the 1872 Act and was sited adjacent to William Smith's Italianate "Boys and Girls' Hospital" of 1869, also now part of the University's campus. The King Street School remained in use until the latter part of the 20th century. The building is now in use as the medical unit of the Robert Gordon University, itself a college since 1750 until 1992 when it was awarded university status.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77776541

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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