Marischal College

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Marschal College viewed from Upper Kirkgate

Marischal College was founded in 1593 in Aberdeen by George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal of Scotland. It was created as an alternative to King's College, Aberdeen with which it merged in 1860, forming the University of Aberdeen. It is often said that Keith desired a protestant institution alongside the pre-Reformation King's College, but King's had been protestant since 1569. It is possible that the founding of another college in nearby Fraserburgh in 1592 was the true cause; its founder Sir Alexander Fraser was a business rival of Marischal.

The following extract from this external site dates back to the time of the merger:

"Universities of Kings College and Marischal College, Aberdeen. First Report of the Commissioners, 1838. 1837-38. Vol. XXXIII, 75p. [123] Chairman: Lord John Cunninghame.

The commissioners were in favour of a merger of the two colleges despite opposition from Kings College. They considered the unification as essential for the educational system of Northern Scotland although they disagreed with the proposed method of merger laid down by the last commission. The buildings of Marischal College were in very bad repair but new ones were under construction. Additions had been made in 1827 to Kings College buildings which were in a tolerable state of repair."

The building which stands today, and replaced a number of older structures, was constructed between 1837 and 1844 by Aberdeen architect Archibald Simpson. It originally formed a U-shaped quadrangle, with a small entrance via an archway amidst unrelated housing on the west side. This building was substantially extended between 1893 and 1905 by A. Marshall Mackenzie, and became the second-largest granite building in the world.^[1]

Until recently the building housed the University Medical School, but the majority of its functions have now been transferred to the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary site at Foresterhill. The Department of Anatomy remains for the moment but it is intended that this shall also move to the Infirmary site.^[2] Current plans will see the rest of the building let to Aberdeen City Council for 175 years in exchange for £4.7 million.^[3] The City Council plans to demolish a 1960s tower block opposite the college and to make Marischal its headquarters. The University will retain the use of Marischal's Mitchell Hall for graduation ceremonies, and also maintains a museum at Marishal.

[edit] Alumni

Well known alumni of Marischal College include:

James Burnett, Lord Monboddo (1714-1799), jurist, philosopher, linguist, evolutionary thinker
Robert Brown (1773-1858), botanist, discoverer of Brownian Motion