Aberdeen, Woolmanhill Hospital, Outbuilding And Stack, Boiler House

Probably W & J Smith and Kelly (H Saxon Snell acting as consultant), 1887-97. Tall single storey, 4-bay rectangular plan boiler house and lower, rectangular-plan outbuilding, part of a significant nineteenth century hospital complex in Aberdeen city centre. Aberdeen bond, cherry-cocked granite. Tall round-arched windows. Lower section to left of boiler house with pair of segmental-arched openings. Outbuilding to right of boiler house with segmental arched entrance to street elevation. Pitched slate roof to outbuilding with raised glazed section. Tall red-brick stack on granite base to north-east corner of boiler house.

Statement of Special Interest

The boiler house and outbuilding is an important ancillary component of the former Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, which is a rare example of a hospital that has not been significantly altered externally since the late nineteenth century. The design of these functional buildings are in keeping with the style of the wider hospital site, by the use of granite and classical details.

The former Royal Infirmary complex consists of a 1833-40 neo-classical building by Archibald Simpson with later nineteenth century buildings to the rear, on a confined gusset site in Aberdeen city centre. This hospital replaced the earlier Aberdeen Infirmary by William Christall, which opened in 1742, and was demolished on completion of the Simpson Pavilion.

In 1887 a major extension and reconstruction scheme commenced at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary site. Known as the Jubilee Extension Scheme (as the Queen's Jubilee provided an opportunity to raise funds) new building were erected to the north part of the site to increase medical facilities at the hospital. The boiler house is first evident on the 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map and therefore it is likely to have been constructed as part of the Jubilee scheme designed by W & J Smith and Kelly, with Henry Saxon Snell as consultant.

After the First World War there was urgent need to increase the facilities of the Infirmary. The confined nature of the Woolmanhill site did not lend itself to expansion and in 1923 a site at Forresterhill was acquired with the foundation stone of the new hospital laid in 1928. Although the future of the Woolmanhill site was uncertain from this date, it has remained in operation until 2013.

Previously listed as part of "Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Woolmanhill".

(Historic Environment Scotland List Entry)