Description

Late 18th century; No 131 perhaps James Nisbet; later additions; refurbished and unified, 1994. 3, 3-storey and attic, 3-bay former classical houses. Painted polished sandstone ashlar. 2 modern ground floor shopfronts built out over basement. 3 E bays with early 20th century first floor of timber with curvilinear glazing. Original 2nd floor punctuated by upper sections of giant Ionic pilasters; frieze, mutuled eaves cornice and blocking course. Pair of large pedimented tripartite dormers. 6 W bays formerly pair of droved ashlar houses with later architraves; consoled mutuled cornices at 1st floor to right, later 19th century canted timber window to left with 3 lights

to centre and Corinthian pilasters; bracketed cills to 2nd floors;

2 dissimilar pairs of later 19th century piend-roofed canted dormers, those to right with bracketed cornices.

Timber sash and case plate glass and 4-pane windows. Ashlar coped skews; rendered stacks; grey slates.

INTERIOR: single modern retail unit occupies 2 right houses and upper floors of left house.

Statement of Interest

A Group with Nos 129 and 130, whose original facades formed a unified design, as a significant surviving part of the original fabric of Edinburgh's New Town, one of the most important and best preserved examples of urban planning in Britain. Built for John Mackenzie. Compare with 115 George Street (see separate listing). The recent refurbishment temporarily exposed the 19th century fascia of No 132, with the heads of 3 basket arches; it belonged to Truss and Winkler. In 1912, the building housed the Princes Cinema, seating 500, with a tea room and smoking room; it closed as a theatre in 1973 (CTA, 2008).

References and notes updated as part of the Cinemas Thematic Study 2007-08.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17804173

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

• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6