Description

Probably James Milne, 1826-29, with some later additions to attic. Extensive stepped terrace of paired 2-storey, 3-bay and basement classical townhouses stepping back on rising ground to SE; prominent gardens fronting the street. Sandstone ashlar, coursed squared rubble with ashlar rybats at basement; rubble with brick toothed corner to NW gable. Entrance platts oversailing basement area recess to garden. Banded base course and narrow banded cill course at ground floor; deep banded cill course at 1st floor incorporating fluted aprons to 1st floor windows; corniced eaves course. Moulded architraved, bracketed and corniced doorways; rectangular fanlights with geometric glazing pattern; later stone pediment to doorway of No 12, dated 1886 and initialled 'EM'. 2-bay blind return to No 6, 10 and 14. Some later rectangular tile hung dormers. Large later tile hung mansard roof with three pedimented dormer windows to No.12.

NE (REAR) ELEVATION: coursed rubble with tooled ashlar rybats, lintels and cills. Roughly regular fenestration.

12-pane glazing pattern in timber sash and case windows. Predominantly double-pitched roof with some piended gables; grey slates. Corniced ashlar ridge stacks with some clay cans. Cast-iron rain-water goods. Low broached ashlar wall with droved copes and gate rybats edging gardens to street, topped with cast-iron railings incorporating decorative cast-iron lamp standards with large bowl shades.

INTERIOR: (selection of interiors seen 2010) decorative classical scheme, characterised by intricate plasterwork, large drawing rooms and stone stairs with well-detailed balustrades, topped by large cupolas. Some later conversion to flats.

Statement of Interest

4-14 Ann Street is a prominent and finely detailed terrace forming part of an outstanding example of early nineteenth century urban planning with a classical design scheme by prominent architect James Milne. The design is well proportioned, with simple classical detailing including the use of Greek sources. The terrace was designed as a key part of the development of the land of Sir Henry Raeburn and the design exploits a prominent site at the top of the steep slope up from Stockbridge. It 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. Although Milne is not named as the architect in the sasines for Ann Street, but he is known to have been working elsewhere on the Raeburn estate at Upper Dean Terrace (see separate listing), and was the first resident of 17 Ann Street. The use of street fronting gardens in this design is unusual, echoing Milne's work at both Upper Dean Terrace and Lynedoch Place (see separate listings).

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 street fronting 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 1814.

James Milne was an architect and mason working in Edinburgh between 1809 and 1834 (when he moved to Newcastle). His other works in Edinburgh also include Lynedoch Place and Saxe-Coburg Place (see separate listings). Milne was also the author of The Elements of Architecture only the 1st volume of which was published in Edinburgh in 1812.

(List description updated at re-survey 2012).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17571774

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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