My wife's ancestors - Skene - Contents

Provost Skene's House

Guestrow, between Broad St and Flourmill Lane, Aberdeen (see map).

Provost Skene's House.
See full size.
Photo 2005 by Daniel Robinson. From here. See terms of use.

"Provost Skene's House" or "Cumberland's House" dates from at least 1545,
purchased by Mathew Lumsden 1622,
bought by Sir George Skene, Provost of Aberdeen 1669,
sold to David Ædie 1694.
A Mr. Thomson was in residence as at 1746.

This old area of Aberdeen became very run down in the 19th cent.
The house was very nearly demolished in slum clearance 1930s,
but was eventually saved and restored 1951, opened to the public.
It was formally opened 1953 (see plaque and other shot) by the Queen Mother.
It is now a museum.

Location of Provost Skene's House.
Click to toggle map/satellite view. Click to zoom in/out. Drag to move.
From Google Maps.

Provost Skene's House, painting 1898.
Front RHS showing ornate door, and some now-vanished surrounding buildings.
From Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums collections. Used with permission.

Provost Skene's House.
Front RHS showing ornate door, and some now-vanished surrounding buildings.
Painting 1924 by William Bowie.
From Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums collections. Used with permission.

Provost Skene's House, c.1920s.
From Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums collections. Used with permission.

Provost Skene's House. Postcard, 1940s.
From here.

Provost Skene's House.
Postcard, c.1955.
Note no entrance gate.
From Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums collections. Used with permission.

Provost Skene's House, 1972.
Note entrance gate now erected here.
From Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums collections. Used with permission.

Provost Skene's House, 1972.
From Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums collections. Used with permission.

Provost Skene's House, 1981.
From Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums collections. Used with permission.

Provost Skene's House.
Photo 1992 by Colin Smith. From here. See terms of use.

Provost Skene's House, Aberdeen, 1998. See full size.

Provost Skene's House, 2001.
From here.

Provost Skene's House.
Photo 2008. See larger and full size.
See other shot and other shot.

The side and rear

Provost Skene's House (back).
Photo 2004 by Richard Slessor. From here. See terms of use.

The entrance gate

This archway was not originally part of Provost Skene's House, but rather has been re-erected here.
A modern plaque on the inside says this archway was erected by Andrew Thomson in 1637 as a gateway to his house nearby. When this house was demolished in the 20th cent the gateway was saved, and later moved here in 1970.
The older plaque on the outside (and other shot) says "A.T." and date 1673.

The entrance gate.
Photo 2008. See larger and full size.

The ornate door

Provost Skene's House.
Front RHS ornate door.
Photo 1930s.
And similar shot.
From Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums collections. Used with permission.

Provost Skene's House.
Door on front RHS. Photo 1982.
From Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums collections. Used with permission.

Front RHS ornate door.
Photo 2008. See larger and full size.
See other shot and other shot.

Videos, 2008

Pan showing the location of Provost Skene's House surrounded by brutal modern office buildings.
From here. Hosted at my YouTube account.
Download AVI file.

Walking through the entrance gate.
From here. Hosted at my YouTube account.
Download AVI file.