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Latitude: 60.154 / 60°9'14"N
Longitude: -1.1431 / 1°8'35"W
OS Eastings: 447672
OS Northings: 1141365
OS Grid: HU476413
Mapcode National: GBR R1JW.WCK
Mapcode Global: XHFB4.J1KM
Plus Code: 9CGW5V34+HQ
Entry Name: Leask's, Esplanade, Lerwick
Listing Name: Esplanade, Leask's
Listing Date: 12 August 1996
Category: C
Source: Historic Scotland
Source ID: 390167
Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB43605
Building Class: Cultural
ID on this website: 200390167
Location: Lerwick
County: Shetland Islands
Town: Lerwick
Electoral Ward: Lerwick North
Traditional County: Shetland
Tagged with: Architectural structure Office building
John M Aitken, circa 1900. 2-storey and attic 5 x 1-bay asymmetrical Scots Baronial tenement with chamfered corner bay at SE corner and single storey shop wing along N elevation; gable to harbour with closes flanking to N and S. Stugged sandstone walls with polished and droved ashlar dressings and details, stugged rubble N elevation. Chamfered arrises and sloping cills at windows.
E (ESPLANADE) ELEVATION: asymmetrical, single bay crowstepped gable with chamfered corner bay to left and single storey shop with crowstepped and ball-finialled gable projecting to right. Plate glass fixed-lights to shop windows at ground. Tripartite windows at 1st and 2nd floors of gable; latter with round-headed lights, circular crenellated bartizan (with flagpole attached) corbelled out at right (NE) corner. Segmental turret corbelled out at 1st floor of corner bay, corbelled out to semi-octagonal 3-light corner tower breaking eaves.
S ELEVATION: asymmetrical, 5 bays, irregularly fenestrated at ground, entrance door at ground in bay to outer right; armorial panel above, roll-moulded frame, carved ship and date 1836. Dormers with crowstepped and ball-finialled stone dormerheads breaking eaves in
3 bays to right, metal-clad box dormers breaking eaves in bay to left.
N ELEVATION: single storey shop wing projecting at ground. Irregular fenestration at 1st and 2nd floors; concrete 4-light canted oriel projecting at centre, dormers with crowstepped and ball-finialled dormerheads in 3 bays to left with shouldered and crowstepped wallhead stack between bay to outer left, matching wallhead stack to right of centre and metal-clad dormers in bays to right.
Some plate glass timber sash and case windows surviving at 1st floor, modern glazing elsewhere. Grey slate roof with cast-iron gutters and downpipes, bell-cast pyramidal roof with wrought-iron weathervane to tower. Stugged ashlar stacks, coped with tall circular cans; crowstepped principal gable with thistle finial.
Formerly the offices of the North of Scotland & Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Company. In his book, Manson refers to the offices as "large, roomy, and excellently fitted up; and the whole building, which provides an agent's house, is a striking addition to the architecture of the town". The bold detailing of the E gable continues to make a strong contribution to the skyline of the town, particularly when viewed from the harbour and sea with the backdrop of the Grand Hotel and Town Hall.
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