Government Offices, 27-29 King Street, Aberdeen

John Smith and Archibald Simpson, begun 1818, with later additions, 1823-3 and 1840. 2-storey and basement, 12 bay Classical building comprising former Medico-Chirurgical Hall of 1818-20, County Records Office of 1822-3 and private house of 1840. Constructed as 3 separate buildings but forming visually coherent unit (see Notes). Central advanced pedimented section with asymmetrical flanking units, that to left with 7-bays, to right with 3 bays. Grey granite ashlar to street (E) elevation, rubble to rear. Some base and band courses, cill course, deep eaves cornice, blocking course, balustraded parapet to far left. Deep-set windows to ground, some with aprons, some segmental-arched to left.

Predominantly 12 and 15-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slate, coped gable stacks.

RAILINGS: Cast iron decorative railings to front (E), including stair rail and gates.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: No 29; Archibald Simpson, 1818-20. Symmetrical 3-bay former Medico-Chirurgical Hall with giant tetrastyle Ionic portico and shallow steps. Flanking giant Doric pilasters. Central timber entrance door with simple moulded granite architrave.

No 27: John Smith, 1822-3. Asymmetrical, former County Record Offices, in 2 separate, but physically linked sections. Recessed 3 bays with basement linked by flat-roofed single storey entrance porch with 4-panel timber door, round-arched doorway and semicircular fanlight to balustraded 3-bay building. Advanced end bays with flanking pilasters. Central window to ground with consoled bracket above. Single storey arched opening to left.

No 31: circa 1840. Asymmetrical 3-bay townhouse with stairs oversailing basement to entrance at left. 4-panel timber entrance door with rectangular coloured glass fanlight above. Pair of piended dormers. Tall round arched stair window to rear.

INTERIOR: original room plans largely extant to Nos 27 and 31. 4-panel timber doors. No 27 with dog-leg stair in entrance hall, dentilled cornicing, simple fire surrounds to upper room. No 29 with decorative cast iron balustrades to staircases. Corinthian columns to hall. Barrel vaulted basement rooms. Nos 27 and 29 connected internally. No 31 with good decorative scheme. Ground floor converted to form small theatre. Arcaded hallway. Stained glass stair window. Geometric floor tiles at entrance hall. Some good decorative ceiling and cornice plasterwork to hall and drawing room. Some deep decorative skirting