Description

Earlier - mid 19th century. 2-storey symmetrical 6-bay rectangular- plan classical villa. Polished sandstone ashlar, channelled at ground; coursed stugged sandstone rubble to sides and rear. Base course; dividing band course; cornice and blocking course; lugged architraves to1st floor windows.

S (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: 2 central bays advanced paired doorcases with fluted Greek Doric columns; single pilasters behind outer columns; 4-panelled timber door; plate glass fanlight above; single windows to first floor above and to both floors of flanking bays; adjoining single storey wings corniced; wing to E contains garage door; wing to W contains a garage door between 2 pedestrian doors.

Windows: 12-pane timber sash and case to No 14, 2-pane timber sash and case to No 16. Grey slate piended roof with corniced mutual and wallhead stacks.

INTERIOR: not seen 1996.

BOUNDARY WALLS: low coped boundary wall to street with apertures for bootscrapers.

Statement of Interest

Dr Benjamin Bell of Hunthill, an eminent Edinburgh surgeon and farmer, speculated on the potential for development in the lands of Newington. In 1806, aware of the demand for countrified dwellings near the city, he advertised his intention to sell 58 plots of land within his 8.5 acres. On his death in the same year his son George Bell, also a surgeon, inherited the land and, in 1825, commissioned James Gillespie Graham to design a plan for new streets within the grounds of Newington House, bounded by the back garden walls of Minto Street, Salisbury Road, East Mayfield and Dalkeith Road. Feus were offered for sale and Blacket Place began to take shape, the houses possibly being built speculatively by one builder or building company. Security was an important feature of the development, with Gothic gates, the octagonal piers of which survive, locked at night and single storey lodges at the entrances from Minto Street and Dalkeith Road.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17793244

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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