Archibald Simpson
Encyclopedia
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, ("The Granite City") .
Simpson's buildings have contributed significantly to the architecture of Aberdeen
Architecture of Aberdeen
The Architecture of Aberdeen is known for the use of granite as the principal construction material. The stone, which has been quarried in and around the city, has given Aberdeen the epithet The Granite City, or more romantically, and less commonly used, the Silver City, after the mica in the stone...
. His first commission was for St. Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen (1817), the Scottish Episcopal Cathedral, in King Street.
Archibald Simpson is probably best known for the North of Scotland Bank headquarters building, at the corner of Castle Street and King Street, built in 1839-42. It is now a pub which has been named in his honour.
He designed what is now the inner court of Marischal College
Marischal College
Marischal College is a building and former university in the centre of the city of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland. The building is owned by the University of Aberdeen and used for ceremonial events...
.
Outside Aberdeen, he designed St Giles Kirk in Elgin, which was built in 1827-28 and stands in the widest part of the High Street.
In 1833 he was commissioned by the Duchess of Gordon
Duke of Gordon
The title Duke of Gordon has been created once in the Peerage of Scotland and again in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.The Dukedom, named after the Clan Gordon, was first created for the 4th Marquess of Huntly, who on 3 November 1684 was created Duke of Gordon, Marquess of Huntly, Earl of Huntly...
to design Gordon Chapel, a Gothic-style Episcopal Chapel in Fochabers
Fochabers
Fochabers is a village in the Parish of Bellie, in Moray, Scotland, not far from the cathedral city of Elgin and located on the east bank of the River Spey. Around 2,000 people live in the village, which enjoys a rich musical and cultural history...
.
He also designed Kintore
Kintore, Aberdeenshire
Kintore is a town and former royal burgh near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, now bypassed by the A96 road between Aberdeen and Inverness. The name Kintore comes from the Gaelic, Ceann Tòrr. Ceann means the head, or the end, and Tòrr means a round hill. So the name signifies that the town...
Parish Church in 1819, and designed and built Stracathro
Stracathro
Stracathro is a small place in Angus, Scotland,-Location:Stracathro is located 2½ miles southeast of Edzell in NE Angus. It lies to the northeast of Brechin on the A90.-History:...
House (1824-27), near Edzell
Edzell
Edzell is a village in Angus, Scotland. It is located 5 miles north of Brechin, by the River North Esk. Edzell is a Georgian-era planned town, with a broad main street and a grid system of side streets. Originally called Slateford, Edzell was renamed in 1818 after an earlier hamlet, located 1.5...
in Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
,an impressive Palladian home for the Cruickshank family.
A memorial to him stands in Aberdeen's Bon Accord Square. He is buried in the graveyard of the Kirk of St Nicholas on Union Street.