Mews buildings, North block, Dublin Meuse, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Edinburgh

Description

Robert Reid and William Sibbald, 1804, with design alterations by Thomas Bonnar, 1817-18. 31-bay classical palace block terrace, comprising 4-storey and basement 5-bay central pavilion; mirrored pair of 4-storey and basement 3-bay terminal pavilions; mirrored pair of 3-storey and basement 10-bay linking blocks. Polished ashlar sandstone; V-jointed rustication at principal floor; rock-faced rustication at basement. Base course at principal and 1st floor; cill course at 1st and 2nd floors; cornice at 2nd floor, returned and terminated at corners, with blocking course to linking blocks; cornice and blocking course at 3rd floor of terminal pavilions. Corniced frieze at impost level to central and terminal pavilions. Ashlar steps and entrance platts oversailing basement. Mews building in Dublin Meuse to rear, see below.

N (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION, CENTRAL PAVILION: 4-storey and basement, 5-bay central pavilion; comprising recessed doorpieces with radial semicircular fanlights, in centre bay and penultimate bay from right, at principal floor. Windows in segmental arched recesses to left of centre and outer left and right, at principal floor; regular fenestration to floors above, and to basement. Ionic pilasters dividing bays at 1st and 2nd floors. Blind balustered aprons to 1st floor windows (balusters now removed, 1997). Panelled pilasters between bays at 3rd floor. Flagged basement area, with rubble walls and predominantly vertically boarded timber doors.

BLOCKS LINKING CENTRAL PAVILION: pair of 3-storey and basement, 10-bay linking blocks; comprising pairs of windows with doors in bays between, radiating from central pavilion, with single windows to outer left and right, at principal floor; regular fenestration to floors above, and to basement. Art Nouveau door to No 4, with metal plaque reading 'WILLIAM MCTAGGART 1903-1981 PAINTER lived here and his wife FANNY AAVATSMARK Norwegian Patriot and Journalist'. Flagged basement area, with rubble walls and predominantly vertically boarded timber doors to cellars.

TERMINAL PAVILIONS: mirrored pair of 4-storey and basement, 3-bay terminal pavilions, comprising windows in segmental arched recesses at centre and outer left and right at principal floor; windows pedimented with consoles in centre bay at 1st floor, corniced with consoles in flanking bays. Regular fenestration to floors above, and to basement; lunette windows centred at 3rd floors. Central wallhead tablets with swag decoration. Blind balustered aprons to 1st floor windows. Lowered cills to central and left windows at 2nd floor of E terminal pavilion. Flagged basement area, with rubble walls and predominantly vertically boarded timber doors to cellars.

DUBLIN STREET RETURN TO E TERMINAL PAVILION: 4-storey, attic and basement, 6-bay block becoming 70-76 Dublin Street; comprising 4-storey, attic and basement 4-bay gable to right; 3-storey and attic, 2-bay terrace (70 Dublin Street) set back at left. 2-bay shop front to left of centre, at principal floor, comprising 2-leaf timber door in penultimate bay to left, and plate-glass shop window in 3rd bay from left. Common stair door to outer left. Regular fenestration to right and to floors above, with blind windows in penultimate bay from right, and outer right, at all floors; projecting cills. Dormer window in penultimate bay from left; window in 3rd bay from right, at attic. Flagged basement area, with rubble walls and vertically boarded timber doors to cellars. S elevation obscured by adjoining terrace (64-66 (even Nos) Dublin Street, see separate listing).

NELSON STREET RETURN TO W TERMINAL PAVILION: 4-storey and basement, 6-bay terrace becoming 31 and 31A Nelson Street; comprising common stair door with steps and entrance platt oversailing basement in 3rd bay from left at principal floor, with regular fenestration in bays 3rd from left, 3rd from right, and outer right; blind windows in bays to outer left, penultimate bay from left and penultimate bay from right, at all floors. Corniced shop front at basement, to outer left. Flagged basement area, with rubble walls and vertically boarded timber doors to cellars. S elevation obscured by adjoining terrace (25-29 (odd Nos) Nelson Street).

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows, with some plate glass sash and case windows. Window guards to 3rd floor windows at W terminal block. Predominantly 6-panel flush-beaded doors to basement. Grey slate M-roof. Piend-roofed slate-hung canted timber dormers with 4-pane timber sash and case windows to No 7; tripartite box dormer over bay to outer right of E linking block. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Variety of broached ashlar and harled ridge stacks; broached gable head stack to Dublin Street return; large shouldered wallhead stack centred to Nelson Street return; coped with circular cans.

INTERIORS: not seen 1997, but some evidence of working panelled shutters. Adamesque entrance hall to No 1; recast interior to No 4 by Robert S Lorimer; single surviving room of Roman style painting to No 9, executed for Charles Scott, advocate.

RAILINGS AND LAMPS: ashlar copes surmounted by cast-iron railings with spear-headed balusters and urn finials. Cast-iron railing-mounted lamps with glass globes.

DUBLIN MEUSE: earlier 19th century. U-plan block of mews buildings. Predominantly coursed rubble with droved ashlar dressings.

N BLOCK: modern rendered house adjoining blank S gable, to right. S and W elevations, facing courtyard, with modern doors comprising concave shouldered fanlights, and windows to openings; 2-leaf vertically-boarded timber garage door, with stone lintel; door and window to infilled former carriage door, with stone lintel.

Predominantly timber sash and case windows. Grey slate roofs. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Rendered ridge stacks; coped with circular cans. Coped skews.

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.

Drummond Place feued by the magistrates was part of the 1st extension of the New Town planned by Reid and Sibbald in 1802. the elevations, designed by Robert Reid, were partly revised for execution by Thomas Bonnar in 1817-18. Building in Drummond Place had started in 1806 but only the Dublin Street corner was built, and did not start again until after the Bonnar revision. At first Thomas Pringle and Thomas Caldwell builders took most of the feus, but sections of it were relinquished to other builders. It was finished in 1823.

External Links

Historic Environment Scotland Listing

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