History in Structure

2 Forres Street, Edinburgh

A Category A Listed Building in Edinburgh, Edinburgh

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Coordinates

Latitude: 55.9535 / 55°57'12"N

Longitude: -3.2079 / 3°12'28"W

OS Eastings: 324673

OS Northings: 674049

OS Grid: NT246740

Mapcode National: GBR 8KF.P9

Mapcode Global: WH6SL.PMM9

Plus Code: 9C7RXQ3R+CR

Entry Name: 2 Forres Street, Edinburgh

Listing Name: 2-10 (Even Nos) Forres Street, Including Railings

Listing Date: 14 December 1970

Category: A

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 367303

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB28769

Building Class: Cultural

ID on this website: 200367303

Location: Edinburgh

County: Edinburgh

Town: Edinburgh

Electoral Ward: City Centre

Traditional County: Midlothian

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Description

James Gillespie Graham, designed 1822. 3-storey and basement, 9-bay bowed linking corner classical terrace flanked by 4-storey and basement terminal pavilions, on falling ground. Polished ashlar sandstone; V-jointed rustication at principal floor. Base course; band course between basement and principal floor; corniced frieze at impost level at terminal pavilions; cill course at 1st and 2nd floors; cornice and blocking course at 2nd floor of linking block; cornice at 2nd floors of terminal pavilions; cornice and blocking course at 3rd floors of terminal pavilions. Ashlar steps and entrance platts oversailing basement.

E (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION, LINKING TERRACE: 3 3-bay houses, No 4 with 4-panel timber door and rectilinear-design rectangular fanlight, in bay to right at principal floor; Nos 6 and 8 with 4-panel timber doors and rectilinear design rectangular fanlights in bays to left at principal floor; windows in remaining bays at principal floor; regular fenestration to floors above; architraved windows with cornices at 1st floor, architraved windows at 2nd floor. Flagged basement area.

S TERMINAL PAVILION: on corner site, comprising 5-bay bowed angle, flanked by pair of advanced pavilions; 3-bay pavilion to N, 4-bay pavilion to W (1, 2 St Colme Street, see separate listing). Semi-engaged Doric columns flanking central 3-bays of bowed angle, Doric pilasters at outer left and right. Advanced pavilion with E elevation with Doric pilasters flanking bays at 1st and 2nd floors, panelled pilasters flanking bays at 3rd floor; infilled doorway, with 6-pane window and radial semicircular fanlight, in bay to outer left at principal floor, windows in round-arched recesses with raised cills, in remaining bays at principal floor; regular fenestration to floors above; architraved windows at 3rd floor. Flagged basement area.

N TERMINAL PAVILION: 5-bay terminal pavilion; Doric pilasters flanking bays at 1st and 2nd floor; panelled pilasters flanking bays at 3rd floor. 4-panel timber door with radial semicircular fanlight centred at principal floor; windows in round-arched recesses in remaining bays at principal floor; regular fenestration to floors above. Flagged basement area.

MORAY PLACE RETURN TO N TERMINAL PAVILION: 4-bay, becoming 43 Moray Place (see separate listing).

Variety of timber sash and case windows. Variety of roofs, including grey slate M-roofs and pavilion roof; pair of box dormers at No 4. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Anthemion and palmette window guards in bays at 1st floors of linking block, and in bays to left of centre of N terminal pavilion, and in bays at 1st floor of Moray Place return of N terminal pavilion; decorative window guards spanning 3-bays at outer right and outer left at S terminal pavilion. Variety of broached ashlar and rendered ridge and wallhead stacks; some with cornices, coped with circular cans.

INTERIORS: not seen, 1998.

RAILINGS: ashlar copes surmounted by cast-iron railings with fleur-de-lis and other decorative finials.

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. The Moray Estate was designed for the 10th Earl of Moray (1771-1848). He inherited the 13 acre site from his father, after it was acquired from the Heriot Trust in 1782, and decided to feu the property for development in 1822. The complicated plan, with the crescent, oval and polygon of Randolph Crescent, Ainslie Place and Moray Place respectively, conjoins the New Town with the Second New Town. Building was completed in 1830-31.

External Links

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