Bishop's House, 3 Queen's Cross, Aberdeen

Bishop's House, 3 Queen's Cross, Aberdeen

A 2-storey villa with basement, probably designed by J Russell Mackenzie in the late 19th century, with substantial additions completed in 1911 by J Devlin. The building comprises a 6-bay main block with a 2-bay link connecting to a 6-bay eastern extension.

The exterior is constructed of tooled coursed grey granite, finely finished to margins, with a base course, panelled aprons, dividing band course, and eaves course. Long and short rough-faced quoins mark the corners, and the eaves are overhanging on brackets.

The principal north-west elevation features a symmetrical 3-bay entrance block to the right, with a tetrastyle Tuscan portico advanced to the centre of the ground floor. The portico has a balustraded parapet and is approached by stone steps leading to a panelled timber door with letterbox fanlight. This is flanked by narrow windows, with a tripartite window above on the first floor. The flanking bays contain regular fenestration at ground and first floors. To the left, a 2-bay block steps back with regular fenestration, followed by a single-storey recessed block. Twentieth-century additions adjoin to the outer left, with a chapel addition to the outer right.

The south-east elevation is symmetrical with five bays. A raised terrace to the ground floor is formed by the addition at basement level. The centre bay features a 4-light canted window rising through ground and first floors, flanked by round-arched niches at ground floor level with single windows above. Tripartite rectangular-plan windows advance to the ground floor of the outer bays, with single windows to the first floor. The right return shows regular fenestration, and a single recessed bay with regular fenestration stands at the outer right. A twentieth-century addition occupies the outer right, with the chapel addition to the outer left.

The south-west elevation is largely obscured by twentieth-century additions. The north-east elevation has its lower floors concealed by twentieth-century additions, with windows visible only to the first floor.

Windows throughout are predominantly 2-pane timber sash and case. The roof is piended grey slate with lead ridges. Ridge stacks are corniced with modillions and decorative square-plan cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods complete the external detailing.

The interior retains much original detail. Principal rooms on the ground floor feature decorative cornices, with simpler cornicing elsewhere. Deep skirting boards with dentil detail are found in the principal ground floor room. Exceptionally fine panelled timber doors with inlaid details and stained glass are present throughout the ground floor, with architraves and entablatures. Panelled timber shutters remain at windows. Fireplaces are predominantly marble. A ground floor hall and first-floor landing feature Corinthian columns, and the staircase retains fine iron balusters.

The 1911 addition, designed by J Devlin, is a 2-storey rectangular-plan block with basement comprising six bays, linked to the main building by a full-height block. A chapel occupies the ground floor to the north, lit by three leaded bipartite windows. The remainder of the building has regular fenestration. A twentieth-century link connects the addition to 1 Queen's Road to the west. Windows are predominantly 2-pane timber sash and case, though modern glazing has been introduced to the ground floor of the south-east elevation. The roof matches the main building with piened grey slate and lead ridges, corniced stacks with square-plan cans, and cast-iron rainwater goods.

The chapel interior is predominantly simple, with a segmental-arched roof, parquet floor, decorative pews with pierced backs, and panelled walls to the west end.