Description

1872. 4-storey 10-bay asymmetrical Scots Baronial tenement block with canted bay to corner of Forresthill and advanced gabled block with pend to outer left. Squared and snecked bull-faced sandstone with polished dressings (painted to ground). Continuous cornice to ground floor; moulded string course between 2nd and 3rd floors. Advanced 4-bay block with pyramidal slated spirelets to canted windows at corners to outer right: later pilastered limestone-faced shop front (black granite below cills) to ground floor: recessed glazed door with plate glass fanlight flanked by black granite Doric columns to outer right; bipartites in 2nd bay from right at 1st and 2nd floors; carved panel to centre at 3rd floor; 2 timber dormers to attic. 5-bay recessed block to centre: pilastraded shops: foliated colonnettes remaining at No 39; Art Deco shop with recessed border glazed door, inset marble step and green marble facing at No 35 bratishing to continuous cornice; timber panelled doors with plate glass fanlights in depressed-arched surrounds to outer right and 2nd bay from left; piend-roofed tripartite canted window to centre; pedimented dormerheads breaking eaves in 1st and 2nd bays from left and 1st bay from right; crowstepped dormerhead and bipartites in 2nd bay from right. Advanced gabled block to left: shoulder-arched pend to ground floor: 4-leaf timber boarded studded door with decorative metal grille; bipartites to upper floors; carved panel between 1st and 2nd floors; small blind arrow slit in crowstepped gable; 2-storey corbelled bartizan with finialled slated conical roof and original curved glazing in re-entrant angle.

Predominantly plate glass in timber sash and case windows. Grey slates. Corniced ridge stacks with circular cans.

Statement of Interest

Strategically-sited terrace of tenements, on the road leading from the High Street to the Meadows.

The planned street triangle of Forrest Road, Bristo Place and Teviot Row was conceived as part of Thomas Hamilton's (1784-1858) vision for the new Southern Approach Road linking Princes Street to George Square and the Meadows (via the Mound, Bank Street and the new George IV Bridge).

Forrest Road, which first appears on Pollock's 1834 Plan of Edinburgh, was built on the grounds of the former Poor House.

The City Improvement Act brought in by Lord Provost Chambers in 1867 was to implement better housing standards and to replace the medieval slum areas in Edinburgh's Old Town. The groups of baronial style tenement blocks on Forrest Road and Teviot Place were built as a direct result of this development phase.

The tenement block of 27-41 Forrest Road is visible on the Ordnance Survey map of Edinburgh 1877.

Listed building record and statutory address updated (2015). Previously listed as '27-41 (Odd nos) Forrest Road'.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata IDs Q77775411 Q77775415

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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