14 Abercromby Place, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Edinburgh

Description

Robert Reid and William Sibbald, 1806-19, with later alterations. 44-bay near-symmetrical terrace with curved frontage, comprising 4-storey and basement, 6-bay central pavilion, flanked by 3-storey and basement, 12-bay linking block to W, 3-storey and basement, 16-bay linking block to E, flanked in turn by 4-storey and basement, 5-bay terminal blocks. Polished ashlar sandstone; V-jointed rustication at principal floor; rock-faced rustication at basement. Band courses between basement and principal floor, principal floor and 1st floor; cill course at 2nd floor; cornice at 2nd floor of central and terminal pavilions, continued as cornice and blocking course to linking blocks; cornice and blocking course at 3rd floors of central and terminal pavilions. Ashlar steps and entrance platts oversailing basement. Lowered cills to 1st floor windows except on terminal pavilions. Mews in Dublin Meuse and Northumberland Place Lane to rear, see below.

SW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: central pavilion comprising 4-panel timber door with plate glass rectangular fanlight, centred at principal floor; windows in remaining bays at principal floor, and to floors above. W linking block comprising panelled timber doors in bays 3rd, 4th, 7th and 12th from central pavilion; plate glass rectangular fanlights, except at No 18, with radial rectangular fanlight. Windows in remaining bays at principal floor; regular fenestration to floors above, with blind window in bay 5th from right, at 3rd floor. E linking block comprising pairs of windows flanked by panelled timber doors; predominantly plate glass rectangular fanlights, with radial rectangular fanlights at Nos 8 and 12. Windows in remaining bays at principal floor; regular fenestration to floors above. Advanced W terminal pavilion comprising round-arched doorpiece centred at principal floor, with 4-panel timber door, radial semicircular fanlight, flanked by windows in round-arched recesses. Regular fenestration to floors above; windows in bays at centre and outer left and right at 1st floor with consoled cornices, blind balustered aprons. Regular fenestration at basement. Wallhead tablet centred at 3rd floor.

S ELEVATION: advanced E terminal block comprising round-arched doorpiece centred at principal floor, with panelled timber door, radial semicircular fanlight, and modern Regency-style porch, flanked by windows in round-arched recesses. Regular fenestration to floors above; windows in bays at centre and outer left and right at 1st floor with consoled cornices, blind balustered aprons. Regular fenestration at basement. Wallhead tablet centred at 3rd floor.

E ELEVATION: 4-storey and basement, 5-bay elevation, formerly 2-6 Dublin Street, comprising regular fenestration to all floors, with blind windows to outer right and penultimate bay to right, at 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors; public house (The New Town Bar) at basement, with lying-pane windows. Adjoining terrace to N, see separate listing (26-30 Dublin Street).

W ELEVATION: 4-storey and basement, 5-bay elevation, becoming 1 and 3 Nelson Street, comprising 6-panel timber common stair door with diamond-paned rectangular fanlight, centred at principal floor; regular fenestration at all floors, with blind windows in penultimate bay from right at principal, 1st and 2nd floors, and to outer right at 2nd and 3rd floors. Adjoining terrace to N, see separate listing (5 and 7 Nelson Street).

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows; variety of window guards at 1st floor of central pavilion and linking blocks, except at No 19; window guards spanning 3 bays at Nos 12, 15 (at right) and 17. Grey slate roofs; rectangular dormers to left and right at Nos 10 and 12, 3-bay box dormers at Nos 11 and 14. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Broached and rendered ridge and shouldered wallhead stacks; coped with circular cans.

INTERIORS: pendentived entrance halls at Nos 8-13, by James Gillespie Graham.

RAILINGS AND LAMPS: ashlar copes surmounted by cast-iron railings with spear-headed balusters and urn finials. Cast-iron railing-mounted lamps with glass globes.

MEWS:

NORTHUMBERLAND PLACE LANE: earlier 19th century. Pair of 2-storey 3-bay mews buildings. Coursed rubble, with rendered gables.

N (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: mews to left comprising modern timber door and small light to infilled former cart door to left at ground. Modern garage door centred at ground, with stone lintel. 2-leaf vertically-boarded timber garage doors to left at ground, with ventilation openings, infilled glazing, and original relieving arch evident above. Single window centred at 1st floor, breaking eaves in piended dormerhead, with brick wallhead stack at right, increasing width of dormer. Modern coursed sandstone retaining wall adjoining at right.

NO 17: mews to right comprising boarded timber door with plate glass fanlight, centred at ground. 2-leaf vertically-boarded timber garage doors, with stone lintel, to left at ground. recessed modern garage doors, with stone lintel, to former carriage door opening, to right at ground. Bipartite window with stone mullion to left, window to right, at 1st floor.

Predominantly timber sash and case windows. Grey slate roofs. cast-iron rainwater goods. Ashlar and rendered wallhead stacks; coped, with circular cans. Coped skews.

DUBLIN MEUSE: earlier 19th century U-plan block of mews buildings. Predominantly coursed rubble with droved ashlar dressings.

S BLOCK: predominantly blank E wall, with window to right at ground, infilled doorway centred at ground. N and W elevations, facing courtyard, comprising 2-leaf vertically-boarded timber garage door, with stone lintel; irregular fenestration at ground and attic; Velux windows to W. Rendered W gable.

NO 4: 3-storey and attic, 2-bay rendered tower-style former store, with quasi-Mansard roof to W of S block, comprising modern 6-panel timber door in architraved doorpiece to right of centre at ground, to W elevation; windows to left at all floors, velux window; windows at all floors to N gable, including pair of small lights at 2nd floor; regular glazing to rear.

Predominantly timber sash and case windows. Grey slate roofs. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Rendered ridge stacks; coped with circular cans. Coped skews.

Statement of Interest

Part of the Second New Town A Group a significant surviving part of one of the most important and best preserved examples of urban planning in Britain. Abercromby Place was part of the first extension of the New Town promoted by the Town Council, Heriot's Hospital and the Trustees of David Stewart (later George Winton), James Nisbet and Thomas Morison architects and Maxwell Gordon and John Morison, WS. It was planned by Reid and Sibbald in 1802. Building started in 1806 and was completed by 1819. W H Playfair's first Edinburgh residence was at No 17. Nos 15 and 16 were gutted and rebuilt behind their facades, in 1966.

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