Description

Possibly Robert Kay (see Notes), circa 1790. 4-storey, 7-bay Classical tenement with altered shops to ground. Ashlar. Base course, cill courses, raised cills to 2nd storey. Raised long and short quoins to upper storeys. Off-centre narrow round-arched roll-moulded entrance way with entrance door with fanlight above. Shop front to left with fluted timber pilasters and panelled stall risers. Recessed entrance doorway.

Predominantly plate glass timber sash and case windows to upper storeys, plate glass to ground.

Access to vaults below street level (see South Bridge listing)

Statement of Interest

A Group with the South Bridge and Nos 4-13, 19-67 and 87-99 South Bridge and 9 and 10 Hunter Square and 107-108 South Bridge.

This tenement building with its restrained, Classical style and simple detailing forms an integral component of the planned streetscape of the South Bridge. The roll-moulding at the entrance doorway and the raised quoins are simple decorative details that contribute to the character of the row of tenements which constitute the original scheme. The ground floor was originally arcaded and the round-arched entrance doorway here is a survival of that design. Originally pedimented, the 4th storey is a later addition, possible 19th century in date. The importance of the original planned terrace of tenement buildings lining the bridge is recognised in the B Group.

In 1753, the South Bridge Act made provision for the building of a bridge to form a link between the North Bridge (see separate listing) and the newly expanding South side of the city. A group of Trustees was set up to oversee the project. These trustees planned to have unified facades down both sides of the bridge and a number of architects, including Robert Adam, put forward suggested plans for these. The Adam scheme was for a grand, fully colonnaded street which was rejected because of the expense of the scheme. The Edinburgh architect Robert Kay proposed a simpler plan and the Trustees asked that he consult with two other Edinburgh architects, John Baxter and John Brown. The final design, which is thought to be an combination of the different designs from these architects, was for terraces of simple 3-storey, 7-bay, Classical facades, punctuated with pediments and with round-arched arcading at ground level and plain rectangular windows above. Extra pediments were then added to the corners.

The A Group recognises the importance of the South Bridge and its associated streetscape buildings as being an outstanding and significant scheme in late 18th century town planning.

List description revised as part of Edinburgh Holyrood Ward resurvey 2007-08.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56632189

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)