Provost Skene's House

Provost Skene's House

Provost Skene's House
Guestrow (between Broad Street and Flourmill Lane)
Aberdeen
Aberdeenshire
Scotland
AB10 1AS

Tel: 01224 641 086
Fax: 01224 632 133
E-Mail: info@aagm.co.uk

Web: Provost Skene's House

About Provost Skene's House

Dating from 1545, Provost Skene's House is one of Aberdeen's few surviving examples of early burgh architecture. It now houses an attractive series of period room settings, recalling the elegant furnishings of earlier times from the 17th century Great Hall, Parlour and Bedroom to the 18th century Bedroom and Georgian Dining Room, as well as a Nursery recreated from the late 19th century.

Visitors can see an intriguing series of religious paintings in the Painted Gallery, changing fashions in the Costume Gallery and enjoy a light snack in The Cellar at Provost Skene's House. Displays of local interest, coins and archaeology are situated on the top floor.

History of Provost Skene's House

Since it was first mentioned in 1545, Provost Skene's House has had a chequered history, undergoing several alterations and changes of use. In 1622 the house was bought by Matthew Lumsden, a wealthy merchant. During his occupancy an important cycle of religious paintings, depicting the life of Christ, was added and his coat of arms may be seen on a dormer window in the roof of the west wing.

Provost George Skene lived in the house later in the 17th century and is thought to have commissioned the carved plaster ceilings when he made some structural alterations to the building in 1676. In the 18th century, the Duke of Cumberland commandeered the house for his troops on their march north to Culloden. After this, it was known as 'Cumberland House', a name which survived into the 20th century, when the building, which had hitherto housed the famous and wealthy, became a public lodging house for the city's poor.

In the 1930s, when adjacent houses in this formerly grand but now very run-down area of the city were demolished, a campaign was launched to save Provost Skene's House and an extensive programme of refurbishment began. In 1953, the house was opened to the public as a 'Period House and Museum of Local History' by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. In 1993, with financial support from the friends of Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums all the rooms were refurbished in various period styles. In addition visitors can see a changing programme of exhibitions focussing on the history and archaeology of Aberdeen and its residents, epitomised by a lively changing display of costume and fashion.