Marischal College, University Of Aberdeen, Broad Street, Aberdeen

Marischal College, University of Aberdeen, Broad Street, Aberdeen

Marischal College is a large and impressive collegiate complex of predominantly Tudor-Gothic granite, forming one of the most significant buildings in Aberdeen. The complex was built in stages between 1837 and 1906, with principal contributions by architects Archibald Simpson (1837–44), Robert Mathieson (1873), W W Robertson (1888–9), and Alexander Marshall Mackenzie (1893–1906). The building is based around a central quadrangle and courtyard. Simpson's work was constructed in Rubislaw granite, while later additions employed Kemnay granite. The complex is dominated by Mackenzie's 80-metre Mitchell Tower and an outstanding façade featuring multiple pinnacles and crockets in the perpendicular Neo-Gothic style.

The Broad Street elevation dates to 1905 and presents a 3-storey building with basement and attic. The central section of eight bays is treated uniformly, with bays divided by buttresses topped with crocketed spires and finials. The principal floors have tripartite leaded windows with stone mullions and sidelights. The attic level features bipartite wallhead gablets with pierced stonework. An advanced entrance bay to the left contains engaged corner towers and a wide, shallow-pointed arch with painted shields above. An arcaded pend with ribbed vaulting leads through to the courtyard. Mackenzie's 1903 Greyfriars Church stands at the far right, its tower and spire continuing the Neo-Gothic style.

The quadrangle contains Simpson's restrained 1837 Tudor-Gothic U-plan building, which is 2-storey with a base course, cill course, hoodmoulds, and simple blocking course. The principal entrance features double-leaf timber doors at Mitchell Tower on the north-east elevation, flanked by 3-bay arcades to the ground floor. Nine-bay wings return on either side, terminating in engaged octagonal ogee-capped towers. Mackenzie's later infill completes the quadrangle, with cill courses, hoodmoulds, blocking courses, and window treatments reflecting Simpson's earlier work. An exit bay features a triangular attic pediment flanked by engaged 4-stage ogee-roofed towers, with 3 bays to the left and right containing large shallow-pointed arch windows at ground floor. Predominantly bipartite windows with decorative tracery are set in square-headed openings throughout the upper levels.

Mitchell Tower was added in 1895. It is tripartite with canted windows at the first and second floors and a parapet above. A clock face is positioned on the quadrangle elevation only. Large mullioned and traceried tripartite openings face all four sides of the tower. The tower is surmounted by ribbed clasping pinnacles and a crocketed central spire.

Mitchell Hall abuts the rear of the quadrangle at right angles. It is 3-storey with the main hall at upper level, dominated by a tall, narrow gable to the north-east elevation with clasping pinnacled towers. A tripartite canted bay rises to the second floor with a crenellated parapet. Above this is a large round-arched window with intricate tracery. Five bays to the returning south-east and north-west elevations are flanked by perpendicular buttresses. The roof is pitched with flanking towers.

The interior of Simpson's U-plan building features an entrance hall with a bifurcated stone stair and pointed arch arcading, along with decorative Gothic timber handrailing. A fine fan-vaulted plaster ceiling with quatrefoil pattern spans the hall. A pair of halls flanks the central landing to the north-west and south-east; both have corbelled Tudor arched ceilings with decorative Gothic timber ribs. A timber gallery is present at the north-west hall. The remaining interior is predominantly plain, with some parquet flooring and timber dado panelling and timber doors.

Mitchell Hall's main hall is divided into two distinctive sections separated by a tall, narrow pointed arch. The larger section features Gothic timber panelling to the dado and parquet flooring. The smaller ante-room is dominated by a large stained glass tracery window. The division creates a pointed arch separating the 'nave' from the 'chancel'.