Name: | Archibald Simpson |
Designation: | |
Born: | 4 May 1790 |
Died: | 23 March 1847 |
Bio Notes: | Archibald Simpson was born in Aberdeen on 4 May 1790, the fifth son of the nine children of William Simpson, clothier, and his wife Barbara Dauney, daughter of the Rev Francis Dauney, minister of Banchory Ternan. His uncle was William Dauney, an Aberdeen architect and builder. Simpson was educated at the Grammar School in Aberdeen and attended Marischal College briefly. He received his initial training with an architect-builder, James Massie, but moved to London in 1810 and was employed initially there by the architect Robert Lugar. He transferred a year later to the office of David Laing but this was a temporary post. His struggles in London, in spite of letters of introduction, are recorded in two letters to his family. He visited Italy but returned home to Aberdeen in 1813.
Simpson set up business on his own account in the town. He was fortunate that Aberdeen was embarking on a series of ambitious street improvements about this time which coincided with technological advances enabling the use of granite as a building material. Simpson’s work made full use of the special qualities of this material and his talents as a designer and town-planner were put to good use.
Simpson’s contemporary, the architect John Smith, was already the City Architect when Simpson emerged on the scene. For the next thirty years or so almost every commission of importance went to either Smith or Simpson. Although Smith had the advantage of the official position, Simpson was the better designer. It was particularly in his Greek Revival designs (such as Aberdeen Music Hall and the porticoed county assembly rooms of 1820) that Simpson’s use of granite gives his buildings particular distinction. These were followed by a wide range of commissions including the Gothic Marischal College of 1837, the New Market of 1840, and in the same year his headquarters of the North of Scotland Bank, with its quadrant corner screen and richly decorated interior incorporating the Parthenon frieze. His finest design is reckoned to be Strathcathro House in Angus dating from 1828 with its fine Corinthian portico. Generally his Gothic churches are perhaps less successful. The brick octagonal spires he used for his series of Free Church designs in Aberdeen in 1843-44. are based on north German examples – highly unusual in the ‘granite city’ but necessary as a cost-cutting measure. Simpson’s practice included many designs for country houses which were generally neo-classical in style with occasional essays in Jacobethan and Scottish vernacular (for example Castle Newe and Meldrum). Toward the end of his life he experimented with a simplified classical style for example at Thainston House and Woodside Church. Simpson never competed for major public buildings in Edinburgh or Glasgow.
Simpson was of slight build and ‘shy and retiring’ in character but was said to have been a man of 'strong and eccentric character'. He was remembered as ‘a little, active man, always to be seen carrying plans under his arm’. He loved music and played the violin. He was a member and president in 1844 of the local dining club knwn as the Maryculter Club.
He died intestate on 23 March 1847 at his home, 1 East Craibstone Street, Aberdeen. He never married. He was buried in the East Church of St Nicholas, Aberdeen. There are various portraits of Simpson all by his friend James Giles. One is in Aberdeen Art Gallery and two belong to the University of Aberdeen.
Few of his drawings survive as there was a major fire in his office in 1826. There are some drawings in Aberdeen Public Library. |
This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): |
| Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes |
| | Raigmore House | Inverness | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | Designed Raigmore House (date unknown) - supervised by Alexander Ross |
| | Westburn House | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1815 | Castle Forbes | Alford | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| 1815 | House of Fetternear | Fetternear | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Was thought to have been the executant architect for Massie |
| 1816 | St Andrew's Episcopal Church | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Original church |
| c. 1816 | Fyvie Castle and ancillary buildings | Fyvie | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | May have been responsible for entrance corridor with porch flanked by towers with conical roofs |
| 1818 | Medico-Chirurgical Society Hall | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1819 | Aberdeen Lunatic Asylum | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | New building |
| 1819 | Forgue Parish Church and Graveyard | Forgue | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| 1819 | House, Union Street and Shiprow | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1819 | Kintore Parish Church and manse | Kintore | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| 1819 | Union Building (or Buildings) | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1820 | Athenaeum Reading Room | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1820 | Music Hall | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Plans for music hall - won the commission |
| c. 1820 | Bank of Scotland | Fraserburgh | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Attribution |
| c. 1821 | Crimonmogate, obelisk | | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| 1822 | Haddo House | Haddo/Methlick | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Alterations, including arcade below horseshoe stair to first floor entrance. Also 2-storey, 4-bay pavilion to north wing for dowager apartments. Coffered ceiling to Adam's family stair. |
| 1822 | Heathcot | Ardo | | Kincardineshire | Scotland | |
| 1822 | Mains of Haddo, farmhouse and office | Haddo | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Alterations possibly by Simpson |
| 1822 | Park House | Drumoak | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| c. 1822 | Haddo House Estate, coach house and stable block | | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Remodelling |
| 1823 | Bon Accord Square and Crescent | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1823 | Murtle House | Peterculter | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| 1824 | Durris House | | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Additions |
| 1825 | Crimonmogate | Lonmay | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | House and probably estate buildings including laundry, dairy, corn mill, millhouse, west lodge etc |
| 1825 | St Giles Parish Church | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | Won competition and secured job |
| c. 1825 | County Hotel | Banff | | Banffshire | Scotland | Interior - may be by Simpson or Robertson |
| 1826 | Gordon Castle | Fochabers | | Morayshire | Scotland | East lodge. Orangery. |
| 1826 | Pitlurg House | Slains | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| 1826 | Town and County Bank | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1827 | Gordon Castle | Fochabers | | Morayshire | Scotland | Alterations and repairs to east wing after fire. |
| 1827 | Inverbrothock Chapel of Ease | Arbroath | | Angus | Scotland | |
| 1827 | Letham Grange | Arbroath | | Angus | Scotland | |
| 1827 | Mechanics Institute | Forres | | Morayshire | Scotland | Lower floors |
| 1827 | Stracathro House | Brechin (near) | | Angus | Scotland | |
| c. 1827 | Tillery House | Foveran | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| 1828 | Gordon Castle, Castle Farm | | | Morayshire | Scotland | |
| 1829 | St Lawrence Masonic Lodge and Assembly Rooms | Forres | | Morayshire | Scotland | |
| 1829 | Strathdon Parish Church, Mitchell-Forbes Mausoleum | Bellabeg | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | 'Probably' (HS) |
| 1829 | Woodside Chapel | Woodside | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1830 | Anderson Institution | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | |
| 1830 | Cottages, Marine Terrace | Ferryhill | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Original design |
| c. 1830 | Boath House | | | Nairnshire | Scotland | |
| c. 1830 | St Catherine's House | Banff | | Banffshire | Scotland | |
| 1831 | Castle Newe | | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Reconstruction |
| 1831 | Infant School | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1831 | Old Manse | Bellabeg | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | 'probably' (HS) |
| 1831 | Spey Bridge | Fochabers | | Morayshire | Scotland | Timber arch to replace central spans of stone bridge over the River Spey destroyed by floods for 5th Duke of Gordon. Replaced by an iron bridge 1852. |
| 1832 | Aberdeen Royal Infirmary | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | New building |
| 1832 | Craig Castle | | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Alterations or enlargement |
| 1832 | Elgin Pauper Lunatic Asylum, Bilbohall | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | |
| 1832 | Gordon Episcopal Chapel and Chapel House | Fochabers | | Morayshire | Scotland | |
| 1833 | St Andrew's Episcopal Church | Banff | | Banffshire | Scotland | |
| 1834 | Dr Bell's School | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| After 1834 | Haddo House | Haddo/Methlick | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Extension of terrace on east elevation - as part of formal garden works |
| Before 1834 | Haddo House | Haddo/Methlick | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Cupola and clock stage added to archway of service court |
| c. 1834 | Blairs Home Farm | Altyre | | Morayshire | Scotland | 'Buildings of Scotland' attribution |
| 1835 | 1-6 Rubislaw Place and 21, 23 Waverley Terrace | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1835 | Bellie Kirk | Fochabers | | Morayshire | Scotland | Repairs and alterations |
| 1835 | Drumoak Parish Church | Drumoak | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| 1835 | Linton Home Farm | Linton | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| 1835 | St Nicholas East Parish Church | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Built on foundations of choir |
| c. 1835 | Carnousie House and Lodge | Carnousie | | Banffshire | Scotland | New house |
| c. 1835 | Linton House | Cluny | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| c. 1835 | Meldrum House | | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | House and alterations to stable and coachhouse |
| 1836 | North of Scotland Bank | Peterhead | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| c. 1836 | Albyn Place | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Designs drawn up for 2-16. |
| 1837 | Aberdeen Lunatic Asylum | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Kitchens |
| 1837 | Aberdeen University, Marischal College | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | U-plan quadrangle building |
| 1837 | Clydesdale Bank | Banff | | Banffshire | Scotland | Attribution also to William Robertson |
| 1837 | High School for Girls | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Central block |
| 1837 | Parish Manse | Keithhall | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Extension |
| 1838 | Forbes of Newe Obelisk, St Nicholas Churchyard | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Alterations to monument |
| 1839 | Gordon Schools | Huntly | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| 1839 | North of Scotland Bank | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1840 | Glassaugh House, with lodge and bridge | Glassaugh | | Banffshire | Scotland | House remodelled. Also remodelled earlier north pavilion as Glassaugh Lodge and designed bridge. |
| 1840 | Lessendrum | Drumblane | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| 1840 | Pittodrie House | Pittodrie | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Additions |
| c. 1840 | North of Scotland Bank | Huntly | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| c. 1840 | Rubislaw Estate feuing | Rubislaw | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Original plan |
| 1841 | Druminnor Castle | | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Enlargement |
| 1841 | New Market and the layout of Market Street | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1841 | Post office | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1843 | Aberdeen Lunatic Asylum | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Workshops and colonnades. Colvin gives dates as 1845-46 for additions |
| 1843 | Free Church | Rothesay | Bute | Argyll & Bute | Scotland | |
| 1843 | Triple Kirk churches | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1844 | Aberdeen Royal Infirmary | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Additions |
| 1844 | Glenferness House | | | Nairnshire | Scotland | Original house |
| 1845 | Mechanics Institute | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | With William Ramage |
| 1845 | Old Aberdeen Free Church | Old Aberdeen | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| c. 1845 | Morkeu House | Cults | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| c. 1845 | Scotston House | Old Aberdeen (near) | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
| 1846 | Union Bank of Scotland | Lerwick | Mainland | Shetland | Scotland | |
| 1846 | West Church School | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |
| 1846 | Woodside Church | | | Aberdeen (near) | Scotland | |
| c. 1846 | Holyrood Free Church and School | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Built School for Duchess of Gordon. Neo-Norman Church planned and one bay built. Colvin states that this is an attribution on stylistoc ground sand Simpson's employment by the duchess elsewhere. |
| c. 1847 | Skene House | | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Remodelling, completed by William Ramage who published a lithograph of the house |
| c. 1847 | Thainston | Kintore (near) | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Remodelling |
The following books contain references to this : |
| Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |
| APSD | | The Dictionary of Architecture | ed Wyatt Papworth | The Architectural Publication Society (8v 1852-1892) | |
| Colvin, H M | 1995 | A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 | 3rd edition | New Haven and London: Yale University Press | |
| Fraser, G M | 1918 | Archibald Simpson Architect and his times | | Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 5 April to 11 October 1918 | |
| New DNB | | New Dictionary of National Biography | | | |
| Walker, David | 1984 | Scottish Pioneers of the Greek Revival | | | Chapter by Malcolm Higgs 'Archibald Simpson'. |