Description

John M Aitken, circa 1900. 2-storey and attic 5 x 1-bay asymmetrical Scots Baronial tenement with chamfered corner bay at SE corner and single storey shop wing along N elevation; gable to harbour with closes flanking to N and S. Stugged sandstone walls with polished and droved ashlar dressings and details, stugged rubble N elevation. Chamfered arrises and sloping cills at windows.

E (ESPLANADE) ELEVATION: asymmetrical, single bay crowstepped gable with chamfered corner bay to left and single storey shop with crowstepped and ball-finialled gable projecting to right. Plate glass fixed-lights to shop windows at ground. Tripartite windows at 1st and 2nd floors of gable; latter with round-headed lights, circular crenellated bartizan (with flagpole attached) corbelled out at right (NE) corner. Segmental turret corbelled out at 1st floor of corner bay, corbelled out to semi-octagonal 3-light corner tower breaking eaves.

S ELEVATION: asymmetrical, 5 bays, irregularly fenestrated at ground, entrance door at ground in bay to outer right; armorial panel above, roll-moulded frame, carved ship and date 1836. Dormers with crowstepped and ball-finialled stone dormerheads breaking eaves in

3 bays to right, metal-clad box dormers breaking eaves in bay to left.

N ELEVATION: single storey shop wing projecting at ground. Irregular fenestration at 1st and 2nd floors; concrete 4-light canted oriel projecting at centre, dormers with crowstepped and ball-finialled dormerheads in 3 bays to left with shouldered and crowstepped wallhead stack between bay to outer left, matching wallhead stack to right of centre and metal-clad dormers in bays to right.

Some plate glass timber sash and case windows surviving at 1st floor, modern glazing elsewhere. Grey slate roof with cast-iron gutters and downpipes, bell-cast pyramidal roof with wrought-iron weathervane to tower. Stugged ashlar stacks, coped with tall circular cans; crowstepped principal gable with thistle finial.

Statement of Interest

Formerly the offices of the North of Scotland & Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Company. In his book, Manson refers to the offices as "large, roomy, and excellently fitted up; and the whole building, which provides an agent's house, is a striking addition to the architecture of the town". The bold detailing of the E gable continues to make a strong contribution to the skyline of the town, particularly when viewed from the harbour and sea with the backdrop of the Grand Hotel and Town Hall.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77770663

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair