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Fisher's Close, 312, 314, 316, 318 And 320 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh

A Category A Listed Building in Edinburgh, Edinburgh

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Coordinates

Latitude: 55.9492 / 55°56'57"N

Longitude: -3.1935 / 3°11'36"W

OS Eastings: 325566

OS Northings: 673549

OS Grid: NT255735

Mapcode National: GBR 8NG.MW

Mapcode Global: WH6SL.XQGN

Plus Code: 9C7RWRX4+MJ

Entry Name: Fisher's Close, 312, 314, 316, 318 And 320 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh

Listing Name: 312-320 (Even Nos) Lawnmarket, Including Fisher's Close

Listing Date: 14 December 1970

Category: A

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 368633

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB29240

Building Class: Cultural

ID on this website: 200368633

Location: Edinburgh

County: Edinburgh

Town: Edinburgh

Electoral Ward: City Centre

Traditional County: Midlothian

Tagged with: Architectural structure

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Description

Circa 1700, major alterations (see Notes) James Shearer, 1950-53. 5-storey and attic 8-bay tenement with 3 curvilinear-gabled 2-window wallhead dormers to attic; bays grouped 1-3-3-1; flat-arched pend (Fisher's Close) to left. Ashlar; rubble to rear. Modern ashlar ground floor and sloping string course between ground and 1st floors; roll-moulded surround to door in 3rd bay from left, surmounted by broken pediment enclosing thistle, arms and motto (RAX ME THAT BUIK); decorative carved sign to Fisher's Close to left. Engaged octagonal stair rubble tower with ashlar dressings, long and short quoins and studded timber boarded door in roll-moulded surround to right in stone-flagged pend, giving access to 6-storey rear wing.

12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows. Tall brick end stack to right, ashlar to left.

Statement of Interest

Built for Thomas Fisher, merchant. Reconstructed (interior gutted, steel-framed replacement) by Shearer as Scottish Central Library for the Carnegie Trust and opened on 5th November 1953. Rear wing adjoins 3 Victoria Terrace, Baden Powell Hall, former Primitive Methodist Chapel (separately listed). The E side of Fisher's Close is formed by the S wing of Nos 306-310 Lawnmarket (separately listed), bounded to the E by Brodie's Close. The theme of curvilinear gabled wallhead dormers continues on the adjoining tenement block at Nos 322-328 Lawnmarket, and is picked up in the late 19th century corner block at Nos 332-340 Lawnmarket.

External Links

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