Wikipedia:Friendville

Friendville is a large manor house and estate in the Mannofield area of Aberdeen, Scotland, operated as a hireable exclusive use venue. It is notable for being situated in the city of Aberdeen itself yet containing an estate and gardens that are more commonly found in rural country houses. Friendville house is a category B listed building and the oldest residential property still in use in Aberdeen. It is one of Aberdeen's most valuable properties. HistoryFriendville was built for Robert Balmanno in 1773 in the area of land known at the time as Balmanno's Field which was acquired a year early by Balmanno from the Rubislaw Estate and cultivated as farmland. Friendville was built at the edge of this land as a private residence for Balmanno where he stayed until 1798, when the house was purchased by Arthur Dingwall Fordyce. In the period between 1798 and 1952 Friendville changed hands a number of times but always remained a residential property, during this time large areas of the house were neglected and were allowed to deteriorate, particularly the grounds and the gardens of Friendville which became an eyesore in the affluent Mannofield neighborhood. In 1952 the estate was purchased by William Bell a well known antiques dealer in Aberdeen who undertook a project to restore Friendville. Under the guidance of architect Fenton Wynness, the house and grounds were renovated in an attempt to bring the house back to its original standard whilst maintaining the Georgian architecture and Victorian interior. ArchitectureFriendville house was built in the late 18th century before the mass expansion of the oil industry when Aberdeen was still sparsely populated and land was vast and relatively easily obtainable, as such Friendville was built as a country manor and the city of Aberdeen grow around it, particularly in the early 20th century as the oil industry grew to prominence.

Friendville is a large manor house and estate in the Mannofield area of Aberdeen, Scotland, operated as a hireable exclusive use venue. It is notable for being situated in the city of Aberdeen itself yet containing an estate and gardens that are more commonly found in rural country houses. Friendville house is a category B listed building and the oldest residential property still in use in Aberdeen. It is one of Aberdeen's most valuable properties. HistoryFriendville was built for Robert Balmanno in 1773 in the area of land known at the time as Balmanno's Field which was acquired a year early by Balmanno from the Rubislaw Estate and cultivated as farmland. Friendville was built at the edge of this land as a private residence for Balmanno where he stayed until 1798, when the house was purchased by Arthur Dingwall Fordyce. In the period between 1798 and 1952 Friendville changed hands a number of times but always remained a residential property, during this time large areas of the house were neglected and were allowed to deteriorate, particularly the grounds and the gardens of Friendville which became an eyesore in the affluent Mannofield neighborhood. In 1952 the estate was purchased by William Bell a well known antiques dealer in Aberdeen who undertook a project to restore Friendville. Under the guidance of architect Fenton Wynness, the house and grounds were renovated in an attempt to bring the house back to its original standard whilst maintaining the Georgian architecture and Victorian interior. ArchitectureFriendville house was built in the late 18th century before the mass expansion of the oil industry when Aberdeen was still sparsely populated and land was vast and relatively easily obtainable, as such Friendville was built as a country manor and the city of Aberdeen grow around it, particularly in the early 20th century as the oil industry grew to prominence.