Description

Nos 27 and 29 probably John Russell Jun., builder, 1807; No 31 circa 1820; No 1 Seaport Street James Thomson, 1893. 3-storey and attic corner block of 3 tenements with classical details in unified design of various dates. Grey sandstone, stugged ashlar with polished dressings to front and SE elevation, coursed and squared rubble to rear of main block, squared and snecked rubble to Seaport Street block. Base course; rusticated ground floor of polished ashlar; band course above ground floor; cill course at 1st floor; band cill course at 2nd floor; eaves cornice and blocking course; arcade effect at ground floor to NE elevation.

NE (BERNARD STREET) ELEVATION: near-symmetrical; 9-bay; 3 centre bays slightly recessed with shop doorway to right bay, panelled door and semi-circular plate glass fanlight. 1st floor windows divided by strip pilasters set in round-arched ashlar panels with fluted aprons. Single windows at 2nd floor. Slightly advanced 3 outer bays; to right doorway to common stair with panelled door and radial fanlight; to left doorway at centre with panelled door and semi-circular plate glass fanlight. 1st floor windows architraved with centre window consoled and pedimented; outer windows corniced. Single windows at 2nd floor above. 3 rectangular tripartite dormers with piended roofs, 1 canted tripartite dormer.

SE (SEAPORT STREET) ELEVATION: 8-bay; 3-bays to outer right (1815) with single windows per bay and floor; 1st floor windows architraved, centre window consoled and pedimented, outer windows corniced. 5 bays to left (1893) with matching detailing; corniced and consoled doorway to outer left, panelled door with rectangular plate glass fanlight, bipartite window and doorway with panelled door and small-pane fanlight flanking. Single windows to remaining bays and floors. 2 canted tripartite dormers with piended roofs.

SW (REAR) ELEVATION: single windows, some altered, some window guards to Bernard Street blocks. Corbelled corner swept to square at eaves level to SW corner of Seaport street block. Small 2-storey rubble-built felt-roofed warehouse with central gable, hoist and hoist doors to SW.

12-pane timber sash and case windows. Slate roof with metal flashings; corniced mutual stacks, wallhead stack to rear of No 31. Ornamental cast-iron gutter brackets to rear of Seaport Street block.

GATEPIERS AND RAILINGS: 5 coped gatepiers and plain iron railings to NE.

Statement of Interest

The drawings for No 31 are unsigned and dated 1814 but were still at planning stage by 1817. However, the full terrace is shown on Thomson?s 'Plan of Leith and Environs' of 1827. The coherent design of the terrace matches that of Nos 15-23 Bernard Street, framing the classical Bank at No 25. Group with listings from 1-25 Bernard Street and 2-18 Bernard Street, 29-43 Constitution Street and Robert Burns Statute.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17570191

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

• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback