Description

Thomas Brown, 1825; completed 1884-8, James Lessels. 4-storey and basement 22-bay terraced tenement stepping down at centre, comprising 12-bay central block flanked by 5-bay terminal pavilions. Polished ashlar sandstone, V-jointed rustication at principal floor of terminal pavilions, channelled at E elevation. Greek Doric doorpieces to central block. Band courses between basement and principal floor, principal and 1st floor, 1st and 2nd floor; continuous cornice to 2nd floor; cornice and blocking course at 3rd floor. Raised margins to principal floor windows; panelled aprons at 1st floor. Ashlar and entrance platts oversailing basement.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: advanced and corniced doorpieces to central block, with Greek Doric columns supporting entablatures; regular fenestration to all floors. Terminal pavilions with round-arched recesses in central 3 bays at principal floor; 6-panel timber door with plate glass semicircular fanlight centred at E terminal pavilion, 4-panel timber door with radial semicircular fanlight centred at W pavilion, 6-panel timber door with infilled rectangular fanlight to outer right at W terminal pavilion, regular fenestration to floors above, and to basement. Ionic pilasters between bays at 1st and 2nd floors, panelled pilasters between bays at 3rd floor.

E (DUNDONALD STREET) ELEVATION: 4-bay elevation; 6-panel timber door with plate glass rectangular fanlight to right at principal floor; windows in remaining bays, regular fenestration to floors above and to basement.

W ELEVATION: adjoining terrace, see separate listing (1-12 Fettes Row).

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slate M-roof. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Variety of wallhead and ridge stacks; coped, with circular cans.

INTERIORS: not seen, 1997, but some evidence of working panelled shutters.

RAILINGS AND LAMPS: ashlar copes surmounted by cast-iron railings with fleur-de-lis balusters and floriate and pineapple finials. Cast-iron railing-mounted lamps with glass globes.

Statement of Interest

Part of the Second New Town A Group, a significant surviving part of one of the most important and best preserved examples of urban planning in Britain, Royal Crescent was part of the first extension of the New Town, planned by Reid and Sibbald in 1802. Feued by the Magistrates. Building began in 1825 and was discontinued about 1829. The original scheme was for 3 segments with a detached building in the middle of Nos 15-23. This did not materialise and following upon the construction of the Scotland Street tunnel in 1847 the eastern segment had to be omitted. The western segments were finally completed in 1888 according to a scheme prepared by James Lessels, architect to the City Improvement Trust, in 1884.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17567708

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

• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)