Rubislaw House50 Queens Road, Aberdeen, AB15 4YE

The original Rubislaw House, formerly the mansion house of the Rubislaw Estate, was demolished in 1886 as it stood out of alignment with the new Queens Road. Number 50 (the current Rubislaw House) was then built for John Morgan, an Aberdeen builder and master mason who specialised in high quality granite cutting and carving and built many of Aberdeen's great granite buildings including much of Queen's Road itself along with the local church, Canada House, the Northern Assurance building, St Ninian's Church and Marischal College. The dated lintel and steps to the southwest of the house seen today originate from the first Rubislaw House.

John Pirie and Arthur Clyne were the architects of Rubislaw House and both monograms can been seen on a buttress. The building represents not only the domestic high point of Pirie and Clyne's careers, but also that of the granite carving trade in Aberdeen. Elements such as the oversized angle turret and oriel windows were from Pirie and Clyne's earlier designs and the house is largely Gothic in inspiration, however many of their familiar decorative motifs were abandoned in favour of a bold mixture of ecclesiastical and proto-Art Nouveau details. In December 1959 the property was turned into three apartments and remained in that configuration until 2010 when the whole building was bought by the current owner to become his family home. The refurbishment was a labour of love, with much time, expertise and expense lavished on the building to create the stunning home of today.

Internally this stunning home has a very fine and distinctive interior, with the stature and style immediately clear from the entrance. A feature pink granite slab leads to the pointed arched decoratively moulded and chamfered door piece. A shouldered doorway is set back with pierced pink granite quatrefoil and polished pink granite spheres. Other architectural gems include scrolled corbels, oversized pierced and ablated buttress, round arched windows, chamfered decorative mouldings and a conical roof piece with fishscale slates. There are deep skirting boards, panelled doors and architraves and highly decorative cornices with vine and grape and floriate pattern mouldings, picture rails, ceiling roses and chunky column radiators and Tudor-style arched recesses.

The entrance hallway is panelled below dado level and has a striking timber rib vaulted ceiling. A cloakroom has a fine tiled shower cubicle with original bathroom furniture. Central to the reception hallway is an oversized polished pink granite column. The delightful drawing room has twin aspect windows, fireplace and dual access to the hallway and garden room. This relaxing and comfortable space offers an abundance of window seating and a wood burning stove. The elegant bow-windowed dining room has a highly decorative ceiling and overlooks the rear of the property with a beautiful five pane curved window. The fireplace is flanked by two port hole windows beyond the arched shaped mouldings. At the heart of this home is the dining kitchen. Here there is a comprehensive range of hand crafted base, drawer and wall cabinets and island with butcher's block, complemented by polished granite worksurfaces. A focal point is the cream gas AGA and module unit. Windows provide an aspect over the front courtyard and a patio door with windows on either side opens into the rear garden. For everyday domestic tasks there is a utility room with horseshoe shaped window, plumbing for a washing machine, space for a tumble dryer and a garden door. A turned staircase leads to the landing. Off here a front and rear bedroom are serviced by a modern shower room with WC, wash basin and oversized shower enclosure housing a mains shower. The layout of this rear wing would be ideal if self-contained multi-generational living space was required, as it has its own external access. Ascending to the first floor is the staircase with distinctively turned balusters and decorative newel posts. The landing showcases the extraordinary stained glass windows which are dominant throughout the property and reflect the style of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Two front aspect bedrooms both have great character: one with a corner turret and the other with curved window and stunning carved fireplace. The fireplace is flanked by stained glass windows featuring a lovely owl motif. The two bedrooms are serviced by the main bathroom which is in a more contemporary style and includes a corner bath and over-sized curved shower enclosure along with WC and wash basin and tiling to dado height. In addition, there is a cloakroom with high level WC and wash hand basin. The former bow windowed library is now the exquisite principal bedroom suite. The five curved windows have fine stained glass windows. With ornate ceiling and mouldings the stunning fireplace can be concealed with thick velvet drapes. A secret door connects to the spacious en suite which features a freestanding roll top bath and separate shower enclosure, WC and wash hand basin.

The second floor continues with an abundance of character with seven curved stained glass windows. The opposite end of the landing has space for four further stained glass windows which are available, but not in place. There are two front facing bedrooms, one with a parapet. The third bedroom overlooks the rear with a horseshoe-shaped window. Completing this floor, in more traditional style is a further bathroom. This rooms features a freestanding claw foot bath, separate shower enclosure and WC along with a wash basin set in a vanity stand.

Reinstated railings and driveway gates are finished in a fan and sunflower design. Electricity is supplied to the gates, but not currently activated. A gravel driveway provides parking and turning for numerous vehicles. An enclosed side courtyard has two stone coal cellars. There is a lean to with power and a stone shed which would be ideal as a workshop. The rear aspect of the property is particularly attractive with the continuation of the pare pointing and bowed windows. The rear garden consists of a central footpath with lawns either side and features a fully operational polished granite fountain. The original coachman's quarters are in redbrick and have a staircase to the hayloft which provides further storage space.

A detached garage has an electric door and personnel door and is fitted with power, water and light. There is an additional double garage roofed with dressed slates constructed in 2014.

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