Description

1869-71. 2-storey and basement plain classical corner block, with slightly recessed bowed corner and prominent wallhead stack; set on ground falling to SE revealing basement. Stugged sandstone ashlar; droved at basement; stugged, squared and snecked to NW gable. Banded base course; banded lintel course at ground floor, narrow banded cill course at 1st floor; corniced eaves course. Bevelled architraved openings, corniced at ground floor.

SE (UPPER DEAN TERRACE) ELEVATION: roughly 2 bays with prominent bowed bay to left (SW). Shouldered arched bi-partite windows with stone mullion to right, tri-partite windows with stone mullions to bowed corner bay.

SW (ANN STREET) ELEVATION: 2 bay. Moulded architraved and corniced doorway with panelled timber door and rectangular fanlight

NW (REAR) ELEVATION: squared and snecked sandstone with tooled ashlar dressings. Regular fenestration.

Plate glass in timber sash and case windows. Pitched roof; grey slates. Sandstone skews and some moulded skewputts. Shouldered and corniced broached ashlar wallhead stack to SW and NW elevations; corniced broached ashlar end stack to NE; some clay cans. Cast-iron rain-water goods. Low stugged, squared and snecked wall with droved copes and gate rybats edging gardens to street, topped with cast-iron railings incorporating decorative cast-iron lamp standard with large bowl shade.

INTERIOR: (selection of interiors seen 2010) decorative classical scheme, characterised by intricate plasterwork and large drawing room. Stone stairs with well-detailed cast iron balustrade and timber handrail, topped by large rectangular cupola. Decorative cornicing to principal rooms and entrance hall, some ceiling roses. Working window shutters. Some later subdivision.

Statement of Interest

50 Ann Street is a prominent corner block with a well detailed bowed bay articulating the corner between Ann Street and Upper Dean Terrace. The block is a late 19th century conclusion to the design of Ann Street which is an outstanding example of early 19th century urban planning. The design of 50 Ann Street echoes the plain classical detailing of the earlier phase sof the street with a design with carries across the cornice and cill courses from the adjacent terminal block of the James Milne designed section to the W and the Upper Dean Terrace blocks to the NE. The design also shows characteristic later 19th detailing through the use of tri-partite windows. The building is an integral part of Edinburgh's New Town, which is an outstanding example of classical urban planning that was influential throughout Britain and Europe.

The terrace was originally designed as a key part of the development of the land of Sir Henry Raeburn, and is an early example of classical urban planning in Edinburgh. The design exploits a prominent site at the top of the steep slope up from Stockbridge. Henry Raeburn was born in Stockbridge and acquired the house and grounds of Deanhaugh through marriage, before adding adjacent land at St Bernard's. He occupied St Bernard's House until his death in 1823 when it was demolished to accommodate the growing residential development of the estate, making space for the eastern side of Carlton Street. The authorship of James Milne for the whole development is not certain, but the elevations for the principal streets bear the characteristic features of his designs elsewhere, such as Lynedoch Place (see separate listing) where the streetfronting gardens found on Ann Street are also used. The design of Ann Street was originally intended to be replicated elsewhere in Raeburn's development, with three similar parallel streets, but this plan was later revised to the current layout sometime after 1824.

(List description updated at re-survey 2012).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17792412

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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