Public House, Alford Place, Aberdeen

This is a two-storey public house located on Alford Place, Aberdeen, built in 1850 by Thomas Mackenzie of Mackenzie & Matthews. Originally Christ’s College, the building is constructed in a Collegiate Gothic style. It is built of tooled granite ashlar, finely finished to the margins; Aberdeen bond rubble is used on the tower and rear elevations.

The principal north elevation is symmetrical, with five bays. The central bay features a Tudor-arched doorway with a two-leaf timber door exhibiting gothic panelling, framed by a string moulding with ornate drip stones. Flanking this doorway are two-light Tudor-arched windows with hoodmoulds. The first floor has flat-arched two-light windows in each bay.

The west elevation is asymmetrical. A gabled bay to the left has a canted, five-light sandstone oriel window corbelled out on the first floor, topped with a stone finial. Adjoining this is a square-plan, four-stage tower with regular window openings at each stage, a crenellated parapet, and a clock face on each elevation. An octagonal angle turret extending through all stages is located at the northwest corner, featuring irregular fenestration. To the right of the tower is a two-storey, two-bay block, with openings on the ground floor and regular fenestration above. A single-storey block projects to the outer right.

The south elevation, also asymmetrical and gabled, has a single-storey addition to the left of the ground floor. The remainder of the elevation was not visible in 2000 and includes four window openings to the first floor, two of which are blind, and a modern metal flue positioned centrally.

The east elevation features a kneelered gabled bay to the right, with a window on the ground floor and a louvred opening to the left. A canted, five-light sandstone oriel window is corbelled out on the first floor, topped with a stone finial. A two-storey, single bay addition is located to the left, with a louvred opening on the ground floor and a window on the first floor.

The building has predominantly leaded diamond-pane windows with cusped tracery. The roof is covered in grey slate with lead ridge detailing, coped stone skews, and blocked skewputts. Coped gablehead stacks are located on the rear elevations, featuring circular and octagonal cans.

The interior has been remodelled in the late 20th century for use as a bar and restaurant. Iron railings are set on a low coped wall flanking the building to the east and west.