Description

John Baxter, 1788-90. 3-storey, attic and basement, 3-bay, Classical former Merchants' Hall, now commercial premises with restaurants to ground (2007). Sandstone ashlar, rusticated to ground. Band courses; fluted with rosettes at 2nd storey, bracketed cornice, blocking course. 4 giant fluted Doric pilasters rise from 1st storey. Large round-arched window openings at 1st storey set in over-arches. Central round-arched entrance doorway with 6-panel timber entrance door with flanking segmental-arched openings with decorative multi-pane glazing to fanlight. Doric pilastered doorpiece. Blind balustraded parapet to 1st storey.

Predominantly multi-pane timber sash and case windows to upper storeys.

INTERIOR: (seen 2007). Refurbished 1996. Open-well staircase with timber banister and iron balusters. Large double height room on 1st floor with simple cornicing and replica carved timber fire surround. Other rooms modified.

Statement of Interest

Excellent, well proportioned former Merchants' Hall building with considerable streetscape value and fine classical detailing. The fluted Doric pilasters and the rosette features are especially fine and distinguish the building from the other tenement buildings in Hunter Square. The large, high 1st floor room, situated in the position of the original Merchants' Hall is a particularly good internal feature of the building and adds considerably to its character.

The Merchant Company moved to Hanover Street in 1879 and the ground floor was subsequently altered, most significantly in 1894 when the Royal Bank of Scotland moved the entrance door from its central position to one at the side and altered the shop fronts.

The restoration of the building in the 1990s used Baxter's original drawing as a basis for the front elevation.

Hunter Square was formed circa 1786-90 with Blair Street as part of the South Bridge Improvement. John Baxter reduced the size of the Tron Kirk (see separate listing) as part of this scheme and he may have been involved in all of it.

List description revised as part of Edinburgh Holyrood Ward resurvey 2007-08.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17575066

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record