Scotland > 1868, 1878 - Slater's (late Pigot & Co.'s) Royal national commercial directory and topography of Scotland > 1878 > Part 1

DIRECTORY.
ABERDEEN.
ABERDEENSHIRE.
where will be foniid also the names of the officiating ministers.
The two colleges which now form the University of Aberdeen are
very ancient seminaries of leariiing^King'a College in Old Aber-
deen, and Marischal College in Broad street. The former was first
instituted in tlie year 1494 by a bull of Pope Alexander VI., dated
at Homo, February 10. The original foundation charter is still
extant in the charter chest of the college. The library, to which
all the Btudenfs have free access, is a very valtiable collection of
books; the museum, also for their use, is furnished with an
extensive assemblage of Greek and Roman coins, specimens of [
modei'n erection, and consists of a central compartment and pro-
jecting wings, the length in front being about one hundred and tifty
feet, and the breadth uuo hundred and twelve. The building rises
to the height of three lofty storeys, the lowest containing tho
requisite offices for the establishment, and the other floors wards
and private apartments. There is accommodation for 300 patit.its.
One of the wings is so contrived that it may be used as a separate
fever hospital. In the centre of the upper part of the front is a
spacious operation room, lighted from above through a dome thirty
feet in diameter. The whole is designed in a simple style oj" Grecian
mineralogy and zoology, fine engravings, and a good assortment of i architecture and executed in dressed granite. From tho elegance
most things interesting in natural history. The students wear a
scarlet cloth gown, but do not reside within the college. The
building forms a quadrangular court; the east end 'is a plain
structure containiug the public hall, and class-rooms underneath;
the north-east corner is a lofty building of six storeys. On the
north side are the public school and library hall. On the south-
east corner is a lofty square tower, strengthened by buttresses and
covered with a flat roof, having on the top a parapet, over which
springs from each of its corners a slip of stonework highly orna-
mented ; these slips meet at the top and form four open arches, in
of the design and the beauty of the materials, as well as the situa-
tion of the building, it forms an ornamental feature of ii.e city from
various points of view, and is allowed to be a high;/ creditable
proof of the skill of the architect, the late A. Simpson, Esq., to
whose talents the city is indebted for some of its most tasteful
public buildings and private mansions. The Lunatic Asylum
consists of two buildings, one of which was raised in ISOU, the
other in 1819. The insuflaciency of the old building for the pur-
poses of the institution rendering the erection of a more spacious
and commodious one necessary, an adjoining field of three acres
imitation of an imperial crown. ~ On tho top of this is a stone was pui-chased, and an elegant edifice erected according to a plan
lantern, surmounted with another imperial crown of stonework, by the architect of the infirmary, the late Arcliibald Simpson, Esq.
with a globe and cross. Tho tower formerly contained a peal of Since that period it has received additions, under the superin-
thirtcen bells. The south side of the court consists of a plain ■ tendence of William Ramage, Esq., architect. Elmhill House is an
building one hundred and twelve feet long, with a piazza under- ! establishment of a superior description, in connection with and
neath; there was anciently a round tower at each end, hut one only under the same management as the Royal A&ylum, designed for
now remains. The common hall is ornamented with portraits of the accommodation of the wealthier class of patients. Tha
Bishops Elphiston, Dunbar, &c. The erection of these buildings | Asylum for the Blind, situated in Huutly street, was endowed
commenced about tho year 1500. Marischal College was founded
and endowed by George, Earl Marischal of Scotland, by charter
dated the 2nd day of April, 1583. Some years since the old college,
which was inconvenient, was taken down, and a grant obtained
from the government for the erection of a new one immediately
adjoining. The foundation stone was laid in 1837, and the building
finished in 1841, at a cost of J-21,240. Of this sum government
granted iglS.OOO, and the balance was raised by public subscription.
The new college is a spacious, elegant and convenient building, in
the Gothic style, from a design by the late Mr. Archibald Simpson,
architect. It forms three sides of a square of one hundred feet.
■ From the centre of the middle compartment springs a lofty tower,
surmounted by an observatoiy ; tho public hall and museum
extending the whole length of one of the sides — the approach to
them is by a noble staircase of polished granite. The philosophical
apparatus belonging to this college is perhaps the finest and mobt
extensive in the kingdom.
The Grammar School is a new and handsome building at the
west end of the town. It is in the old Scotch baronial style, and
was built in 1863, at a cost of about iE15,000, from plans drawn by
James Matthews, of Aberdeen. It contaius a large public school,
60 feet by 40 feet, lofty, airy and well lighted; five class rooms on
the ground floor for the classical department, and four class rooms
for arithmetic, writing and modern languages ; the library and
reading room are in the upper storey. The school is of very ancient
origin, the first recorded date being as far back as 1262. There
are nearly thirty bursaries in connection with the school, for the
education of poor scholars, and in 1634 Dr. Patrick Dunn left a
handsome bequest for the better pa^Tnent of the masters. Many
eminent men have received their education liere, among whom may
be mentioned Lord Byion. 1797 : Sir James M*Gregor, 17S4; Da%-id
Wedderburn, 1602; Thomas Reid, private secretary to James VI. ;
Dr. James Dunn, Dr. James Melviu, &c. The Free Church Divinity
Hall is a beautiful building in the Elizabethan style of architecture,
erected in 1850, at a cost of ^2,000. In this hall tho Aberdeen
Presbytery of the Free Church hold their stated meetings.
Robert Gordon's Hospital, School hill, is a spacious building,
standing on the ground anciently possessed by the Dominican
friars, and having an extensive piece of ground in front. It coU'
sists of a centre or main building and two wings.
Btructuro occupies the greater part of the centre,
by Miss Cruickshauk, and opened iu 1848. There is accommoda-
tion for forty inmates. The funds of this charity received an im-
portant accession from the bequest of the late Miss Janet Walker,
of Kirkhill. Several trades are taught, as the making of basketB,
mats, rope, twine, weaving, &c. The Institution for the Education
of the Deaf and Dumb is in Belmont street, and is principally
supported by voluntary contributions. The average number of
pupils of both sexes is thirty. The Boys' and Girls' Hospital in
King Street road was instituted in 1852. Its objects are the main-
tenance and education of poor children of the parish of Saint
Nicholas. The Medical Society's Hall, King street, has a hand.some
front, with a portico of four Ionic columns. It contains a library
and museum, a large room for the meetings of the society, com-
niittoo rooms, &c. It was built in 1818, at a cost of i£2,00iJ, from
the plan of the architect of the infirmary. In the ball are aome
portraits, among the rest, an original painting of Harvey, by Van-
dyke. There are also two by T. Miles, Esq. r.a. which are both
favourable specimens of the skill of this distinguished native
artist.
The weekly markets are held on Tuesday and Friday, and tho
annual fairs are Paschal market on the last Wednesday in April
(old style), and Wednesday after the third Tuesday in October
(feeing) markets before the 26th of May, Friday before and after
22nd November ; and (wool) markets last Thursday aud Friday of
first and second week iu July; (timber) the last Wednesday iu
August. The population of Aberdeen, accordi-g to the returns for
1871, amounted to 88,189—39,792 males and 43,397 females. The
inhabited houses at the same date were 6,716. In 1861 the popula-
tion numbered 73,305.
Old Aberdeen stands about a mile to the north of the city, on
an eminence on the south bank of the river Don, iu the parish of
Old Machar, of which it is the capital. Formerly this towji was
the seat of the Bishop of Aberdeen, but it now derives its original
importance from King's College (amalgamated with the University
of Aberdeen) and the Cathedral. The charter was renewed by
George I. wlien a power was couferred of electing its own magis-
trates, which are now provost, three bailies, a treasurer, and
council, with the deacons of six incorporated trades. The prin-
cipal curiosity in the neighbourhood is the old bridge, which
The original crosses the river Don by one Gothic pointed arch, the only
d is tiiree i structure of the kind in Scotland, if not in the United Kingdom.
storeys in height, having'a small neat spire risiug from it. The hall I ^-I^"* Kenuedy, iu his *' Annals of Aberdeen," states it to have been
on the second floor is 30 feet by 20 feet wide and 12 feet high. This \ erected by Robert Bruce. The x)arish of Old Machar lies in the
building was erected in 1739 after a design by Gibbs, and at an
expense of ^3,300. The remainiii;^ part of the centre and the
wings were completed in 1832 from a design by the late John
Smith, Esq., at an expense of about £ 13,000. The latter erection is in
the Grecian style of architecture, presenting a chaste and elegant
appearance. The more ancient part has been altered to correspond.
peninsula between the Dec and the Don, whore they join the ocenn.
Its length is about seven or eight miles, and its greatest breadth
four. The land rises^iu a gentle slope from the sea, aud is beauti-
fully diversified by undulating grounds. The windings of the Dee
and Don — the manufactories aud the woods on the banks of the
latter, interspersed with many gentlemen's seats aud villas,
aud a colonnade now traverses the building from the old house to ; together with the numerous admirable prospects of the sea—
the projecting fronts at the ends of the wings. The ground iu ■ impart a pleasing variety to the general appearance of the parish,
front, which is tastefully laid out, much impiovcs tho appearance 1 Great improvements in agriculture, at a very considerable expense,
of the edifice. Tho sum originally bequeathed was £10,000 ; this I l^ave been efl'ected, which have been the means of matenally
was invested in laud of constantly iucieasiug value, so that at the ! enhancing the value of the land, and beautifying the neighbour-
present time the annual revenue is about £4,000. The object of liood of Aberdeen. The parish of Ola Machar possesses an acreage
the charity is to maintain and educate the sons and grandsons of of 12,143; in 1871 its population was 42,477.
of decayed bmgesses. A Trades' Hospital was founded in 1632 by i Nigg is a parish in Kincardineshire, situated near the termina-
Dr. Gould, one of the town's ministers, afterwards principal o"f ■■ ^i*^"^ °^ ^'^^ ridge of the Grampian mountains. It is bounded by
King's College, and in the year 1633 the same gentleman granted to ^-^^ ^^^ on the norLh, which separates it from Aberdeen, and on the
the members of the town's corporations tho monastery aud other south and west by Banohory-Davenick. It extends four miles iu
property which bad formerly belonged to the monks of the Holy length by two in breadth. The coast is bold aud rocky. Thenorih-cast
Trinity, for the benefit of their indigent brethren ; the Town Conn- poi"^ called Girdleness, is a remarkable promontory, forming the
cil also gave 1,000 merlis, and the different corporations made south side of the estuary of the Dee. There is a small bay called
liberal contributions. The new buildings were designed by tha
late John Smith, Esq., and erected in 1846-7; the old building, with
the ground &c. having been sold to the Aberdeen Railway Com-
pany in 1845.
The Royal Infirmary, which is situated on Woolman hill, is a
the Bay of Nigg, at the head of which stands the parish church.
The district contains the fishing village of ToitRY, which has a
small harbour and pier, and also the village of Co^':E. A bridge is
in contemplation to connect the village of Torry with Aberdeen.
The parish has an acreage of 4,432. The population in 1871 was
2,348 ; Torry at the same date numbered 660, aud Cove 450.
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