Building record MAB23910 - KING'S COLLEGE

Kings College, including King's College Chapel (NJ90NW0917), quadrangle, library and Elphinstone Hall.

Kings College, including King's College Chapel (NJ90NW0917), quadrangle, library and Elphinstone Hall. King's College, named for King James IV, was founded in 1495, built about 1498 - 1505 and arranged around a quadrangle, The Chapel and Ivy Tower are the only original parts of this range to survive. The west frontage of the quadrangle is by John Smith 1825-6, comprising a 2-storey Tudor gothic building with an archway into the quadrangle. The south and east sides of the quadrangle and library were designed by Robert Matheson 1860-2 and 1870-3 with additions by WW Robertson 1881 and 1894, and in 1914 by A Marshall Mackenzie. The Ivy Tower dating from the 16th century and is 4-storey, rubble built now partly enclosed in the Mathieson Buildings. The Cromwell Tower was begun in 1657 (dated 1658), reconstructed by John Smith 1825-6 and is 4-5 storey (altered from 6 storey), rectangular in plan with a battlemented top. Inside is a 16th Century tall oak screen separating nave and choir. It contained confessional cubicles and a staircase led originally to the library. The blocked door high in the south wall of the choir indicates the original position of the screen. The ceiling is a shallow wooden vault. The Elphinstone Hall was designed by A Marshall Mackenzie and son 1927-9 with alterations and additions by G Bennet Mitchell 1956. It is in late Scots gothic style of ashlar, with a cloister feature. A wing connecting the Elphinstone Hall and the library is by G Bennet Mitchell, ashlar built in simple late medieval style. The Chapel contains a war memorial window dedicated to Captain William Murison Smith Merson, 7th Battalion Gordon Highlanders, who was killed in action in November 1916. In front of the college stands a memorial to Bishop Elphinstone (NJ90NW1192), designed by Harry Wilson 1926, comprising a tomb chest with a recumbent bronze figure. In the pend of the quadrangle is a commemorative plaque to philosopher and Scottish enlightenment scholar Thomas Reid (1810-1796) who taught in the College. See NJ90NW0063 for cross incised stones built into the east end wall of the chapel. A watching brief in 1990 in the Library building recorded a circular structure, probably a support structure. A watching brief was carried out by Aberdeen City Council Archaeological Unit (ACCAU) in February 2002 on trial pits external to the chapel. A further watching brief was carried out by ACCAU in December 2002 on trial pits on the west side of the college for a soakaway. See also NJ90NW0917 - including excavation in the Chapel in 2003, NJ90NW0929 watching brief 2005 during works for floodlighting, NJ90NW0934 - watching brief; NJ90NW1018 - watching brief 1989 on trenches for floodlighting. A watching brief during conversion from University Library to Visitor and Conference Centre recorded no archaeological features. A desk based assessment was carried out by Cameron Archaeology in July 2020 prior to alterations to allow for formation of a new teaching block. Photographic survey was also carried out. A watching brief was carried out by Cameron Archaeology in November 2021 during excavation of test pits and boreholes within the courtyard ahead of proposed works. The test pits were located against the walls of buildings surrounding the courtyard, exposing their foundations, but no other archaeological features or artefacts were observed.

Period Notes
Founded 1495, built 1498-1505. Cromwell Tower begun 1657, reconstructed 1825-6West frontage of quadrangle 1825-6. South and East sides of quadrangle 1860-2, 1870-3 with additions 1881, 1894 and 1914. Elphinstone Hall 1927-9

AAS/GR/84/CT51, 63, 69, AAS/GR/84/CT51, 63, 69 (Ground Photograph). SAB36656.

AAS/GR/90/CT60, 61, AAS/GR/90/CT60, 61 (Ground Photograph). SAB36657.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 20/02/1982 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

ANDERSON, J, 1888, REPORTS ON LOCAL MUSEUMS IN SCOTLAND IN PSAS 22(1887-88) 331-422, PSAS 22, 331-422 (Bibliographic reference). SAB17.

ANDERSON, PJ, 1889, PSAS 23(1888-9) 80-8, PSAS 23, 80-8, 166-84 (Bibliographic reference). SAB61.

BROOK, AJS, 1892, PSAS 26(1891-2) 492-8, PSAS 26, 492-8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB181.

MACGIBBON, T, 1896, ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND 1, vol 3, 287-296 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1141.

DENNISON, E, 1997, HISTORIC ABERDEEN: THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF DEVELOPMENT. THE SCOTTISH BURGH SURVEY, p. 101-6 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4057.

ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL, 2013, PEOPLE AND PLACES ABERDEEN (Bibliographic reference). SAB8383.

ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL, 2016, OLD ABERDEEN TRAIL: A GUIDE TO OLD ABERDEEN (Bibliographic reference). SAB8368.

ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL, 2017, A LIST OF SOME OF THE WAR MEMORIALS IN ABERDEEN CITY (Bibliographic reference). SAB6461.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2020, KING'S QUARTER, UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN: DESK BASED ASSESSMENT, DBA /WSI (Bibliographic reference). SAB8141.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2021, KING'S QUARTER, UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN: WATCHING BRIEF, WB report (Bibliographic reference). SAB8255.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2021, KING'S QUARTER, UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN: WRITTEN SCHEME OF INVESTIGATION FOR BORE-HOLES AND TEST PITS, WSI (Bibliographic reference). SAB8815.

Author unknown, n.d., EVENING EXPRESS, 18/02/1991 (Bibliographic reference). SAB446.

Sep 22 2020 , 201070/LBC, 201070/LBC (Ground Photograph). SAB34997.

Record last edited

Sep 19 2025 9:31AM