Description

R H Watherston and A Craig, 1906 -1907. 4-storey and basement, 2-bay terraced townhouses in plain classical style. Sandstone ashlar. Entrance platts oversailing basements. Banded base course. Moulded band course at 2nd floor incorporating cornice to No. 16 (see separate listing). Corniced eaves course. Corniced main doorpieces with moulded architraved surrounds and rectangular fanlights; rising to corniced and moulded architraved window at 1st floor with raised apron. Corniced 2-storey, 3-light canted bays at right. Bipartite windows above canted bay at 2nd and 3rd floors.

Plate glass in timber sash and case windows; some plate glass over 2-pane timber casements to larger windows. 2-leaf timber panel doors. Double pitch M-section roof. Corniced ashlar ridge and gable end stacks with modern clay cans. Cast-iron railings on ashlar coping stone edging basement recess to street. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

Statement of Interest

Plain Classical townhouses completing the wider scheme for the West End, and providing good streetscape. The canted bays provide a particularly striking feature, complemented by the doorpiece which is integrated with the 1st floor window above. The Watherston office is likely to have built the terrace a single house at a time. It is likely that they were also working to the outline designs from the Walker Estate and drew up the exact elevations themselves, perhaps with the input of clients. This more informal approach to the feu plans for the Walker Estate is in sharp contrast to the earlier parts of the scheme which were built to strict elevational plans and maintained a rigorous symmetry.

The Watherston's practice built large parts of Edinburgh's West End speculatively, often conforming to the plans of the Walker and Heriot Trusts. The practice functioned as both architects and builders, and as well as their work in Edinburgh the firm also did country house work in the same way. The Watherston office was also responsible for the design of Nos. 17 and 18 Rothesay Place (see separate listing) which illustrates the variety of sources which they drew upon in their designs.

The building was redeveloped in the early 21st century by the Treetops Company into residential flats.

(Category changed from B to C(S) and list description revised 2009 as part of re-survey.)

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56632169

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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