Description

John Tait, circa 1830-1840, with later alterations. 3-storey and attic over basement 5-bay Corinthian pilastraded corner pavilion block, terminating SW end of palace-fronted Rutland Street and adjoining numbers 30 and 31 Rutland Square to NW. Droved sandstone ashlar at basement; polished sandstone above; polished dressings. Band course between basement and ground floors; banded cill course at 1st floor; cill course at 2nd floor; string course below dentil cornice; corniced and pilastered 3-bay (single bay to Rutland Street elevation) attic storey at centre. Moulded architraves to openings at ground floor. Ashlar steps and entrance platts oversailing basement.

SW (RUTLAND SQUARE) ELEVATION: segmental-arched doorway with replacement timber door and fanlight in bay to left of centre at basement; window in each bay remaining. Consoled and corniced doorpiece at ground floor in bay to centre; deep-set, part-glazed timber panelled door with large, 2-pane rectangular fanlight; window to flanking bays and to all bays upper floors, including 3-bay attic.

SE (RUTLAND STREET) ELEVATION: 5-bay, grouped 1-3-1, with central 3 bays slightly advanced. Doorway, altered to form window, in bay to centre at basement; window (blocked) in each bay to left; window in each bay to right. Consoled and corniced doorpiece at ground floor in bay to centre; timber panelled door with geometric fanlight; window to flanking bays and to all bays of upper floors, single bay attic included; windows in bays at left blocked.

NW AND NE ELEVATIONS: obscured by adjacent buildings.

12, 15 and 2-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slate piended roof. Tall coped, rendered multi-flue stack to NE wallhead; pilasters flanking dormer to SE acting as stacks; tall cylindrical cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

RAILINGS AND LAMP STANDARDS: cast-iron spear-headed railings (plain up steps to doors) on ashlar cope to street; cast-iron railing-mounted lamp standard with glass globe to SW (Rutland Square) elevation.

Statement of Interest

Part of the Edinburgh New Town A-Group, a significant surviving part of one of the most important and best preserved examples of urban planning in Britain. Archibald Elliot planned the Rutland Square and Street scheme in 1819 for James Stuart and it is shown on John Wood's revised edition of the map first published by Thomas Brown in 1820, although at that stage it was still speculative. John Learmonth bought the ground in 1825 and developed it from 1830 to Elliot's plans, his architect, John Tait, adopting the giant Corinthian pilaster motif at the entrance to the square. The arrangement is echoed at 1 Rutland Square and 28 Rutland Street (listed separately) and the scheme remains an important and intact contribution to early 19th century planning in Edinburgh.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17568082

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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