3 Queen's Gate, Aberdeen

3 Queen's Gate is a large villa dating from 1882, designed by Matthews & Mackenzie. It is located in Aberdeen and is built in a finely detailed, eclectic style reflecting the late 19th century.

The villa is two storeys, with a basement and attic, and comprises three bays. It is constructed from tooled, coursed grey granite, with finely finished margins. The basement course rises to form a moulded cill course at ground floor level. Long and short quoins are used in contrasting light grey granite and the windows have corniced architraves, with pilastered mullions and Ionic capitals to the ground floor. A dividing band course and a deep eaves course are present, with overhanging eaves supported on modillion brackets.

The northwest (principal) elevation is symmetrical, with the centre bay slightly advanced. An Ionic columned porch also projects forward, topped by a diminutive balustrade forming a balcony to the first floor. Stone steps lead to a panelled timber door with a letterbox fanlight, flanked by narrow windows and pilasters with channelled rustication. A pedimented bipartite window is centrally positioned on the first floor. Bipartite windows are slightly advanced through the ground and first floors of the flanking bays. Three bipartite rectangular dormers are visible in the attic floor.

The southwest elevation is asymmetrical, featuring a broad bay projecting centrally, with a window to the first floor and a single architraved window to the ground floor return. The right return has irregular fenestration.

The southeast elevation is symmetrical, again with a centre bay of the basement floor advanced and single windows to the left and right. A decorative iron stair leads down to the garden from a modern lean-to conservatory which sits above the basement. Tripartite windows are set back to the left and right of the basement and ground floors, forming a balcony to the first floor with geometric iron railings. A tripartite window is centrally positioned on the first floor, flanked by single windows. Three rectangular dormers are in the attic floor.

The northeast elevation has a near-symmetrical appearance with an architraved bipartite window to ground floor level, featuring a pilastered mullion. Elaborate stone brackets support the advanced moulded cills of the first floor windows.

The villa has predominantly two-pane timber sash and case windows. The roof is piended and covered in grey slate, with lead ridges. Corniced ridge stacks are present, along with cast-iron rainwater goods.

The interior is richly decorated, featuring elaborate plaster ceilings and a mosaic floor to the porch. An etched glass inner door has one pane replaced. The hall is panelled and features timber fluted Ionic columns and pilasters, a simple fire surround, and a swan neck pedimented overmantle with a thistle motif. A dog leg stair has turned balusters and an Ionic pilastered newel post. A stained-glass stair window with nine lights is also present. A service stair is located to the west, featuring iron balusters. Panelled timber doors, some with pilasters and pediments, are incorporated throughout. A highly decorative room to the east has a finely detailed ceiling and frieze.

The gatepiers and boundary walls are constructed from squat, square-plan rough-faced granite, with deeply stop-chamfered angles. Low rough-faced granite walls flank the gatepiers, and the original railings have been removed. High granite and brick coped rubble walls form the remainder of the boundary.