Description

1893; facades with wings added 1903; rebuilt after fire 1929. Classically-detailed school comprising 3 tall, piend-roofed, 2-storey, rectangular-plan ranges, with lower entrance links, T-projection and various single storey ranges to rear. Pedimented doorpieces incorporating lugged architrave, keystone, mutuled cornice and 2-leaf panelled timber doors; W range with keystoned and pilastered arcaded ground floor windows and diminutive ogee-arched window; corbelled angle to SW single storey range. Stugged coursed and squared rubble with ashlar dressings (finely droved and stugged). Rock-faced base (to ground floor cill level), moulded band course and 1st floor cill course, eaves cornice and blocking course. Stone mullions and stop-chamfered arrises. Smaller windows at 1st floor.

N (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: centre range with 4 bipartite windows to each floor and almost full width horizontal rooflight, irregular-fenestration to returns; flanking set-back bays incorporating doors and asymmetrical fenestration. Further 4-bay range to right with 3 arcaded windows at ground and small horizontal 4-light window at 1st floor; return to left with further round-arched window at ground and tall 1st floor window breaking eaves into flat dormerhead, similar window on return to right; set-back bay at outer right with small ogee-arched window at ground, small window above and 2 further small 1st floor windows on return to right. Narrow, plainer range to outer left with 3 round-arched windows to ground and small horizontal 4-light window to 1st floor, asymmetrically-fenestrated returns.

W (QUEEN'S ROAD) ELEVATION: variety of elements to stepped 2-storey elevation extending into single storey range with 3 pilastered bays. Isolated gambrel-roofed gymnasium to right incorporating tiny window in gambrel and decorative terracotta ridge with finials. Further lower piended range with corbelled angle beyond and later range with shaped gable at outer right.

Some small-pane glazing in casement and timber sash and case windows retained to W range; largely replacement windows elsewhere. Grey slates. Stepped and coped squared rubble gablehead stack. Cast-iron downpipes with decorative rainwater hoppers.

INTERIOR: simple plan with centre corridor and flanking classrooms incorporating moulder cornices; vertically-boarded timber dadoes; cast-iron coat pegs; panelled timber doors with margined top lights, some architraved; dog-leg staircases with simple ironwork balusters, square-section timber newel posts and timber handrails. Cloakroom with vertically-boarded dadoes, traditional toilet cubicles with vertically-boarded timber door, handbasins and mural decoration (circa 1960?) by former pupil, depicting playground with children playing hop-scotch and various other activities; 2nd scene showing tree-lined river with boy lying on his front looking over bank, and other children sitting with feet in water. Top-lit octagonal-plan link hall leading to isolated ranges. Gymnasium with metal-braced open timber roof, boarded timber walls and lean-to timber-lined changing room.

WAR MEMORIAL: simple classical ashlar war memorial forming bench seat with bronze plaques bearing roll of honour affixed to advanced faces of outer dies; frieze worded 'IN MEMORY OF THE MASTERS AND FORMER PUPILS OF THIS SCHOOL WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY DURING THE GREAT WAR' with flanking laurel wreathes enclosing dates '1914' and 1919', surmounted by stylised pediment incorporating school crest. WWII roll of honour inserted below frieze.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND RAILINGS: coped rubble boundary walls, some with inset railings.

Statement of Interest

Formerly the Mackie Academy, this fine academic building stands on a prominent corner site at the brow of a hill on the main road leading to Stonehaven town centre from the railway station. Mackie Academy moved to new premises on Slug Road in 1969 at which time this building became Arduthie Primary School, providing 18 primary and 2 nursery classes. The building was paid for out of a Trust fund, created by William Mackie, for secondary education. As a 'higher grade school', it was managed by a Board of Governors until 1919 when the Kincardineshire Education Authority took over. This authority was subsequently superseded by the Kincardineshire County Council in 1930. Re-opened in January 1932, after a second fire, it was now classed as a 'multilateral school', with a 'primary section (fee paying), a junior secondary department ', and a senior secondary' (Third Statistical Account).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77777965

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

• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)