Description

Robert Paterson & Son; 1881. 4-storey and basement, 4-bay plain classical corner tenement with prominent bowed corner bay. Sandstone ashlar, rusticated at ground floor. Entrance platts oversailing basement area recess to street. Banded base course, banded cill course at 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors; corniced eaves course. Inset doorways; timber doors with rectangular fanlights. Tri-partite window with stone mullions to right of 15 Leslie Place entrance. Moulded architraved and corniced windows at 1st floor; moulded architraved windows at 2nd floor.

SE (REAR) ELEVATION: squared and snecked sandstone with some tooled ashlar dressings.

Predominantly plate glass in timber sash and case windows. Pitched roof; grey slates. Corniced ashlar ridge stacks with some octagonal clay cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Cast-iron railings edging basement area recess to street.

INTERIOR: (selection of interiors seen 2010) classical decorative scheme, characterised by well detailed cornicing to principal rooms and large entrance vestibules.

Statement of Interest

15 Carlton Street and 15 Leslie Place is a good example of a later nineteenth century plain classical tenement block and finishes off the earlier development of Carlton Street and using similar plain detailing such as the rusticated ground floor. The street formed part of the development of the land of Sir Henry Raeburn, and 15 Carlton Street is characteristic of the later development of the area following the demolition of Deanhaugh House in 1880. 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.

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 land on which 15 Carlton Street is built was not developed until much later because the landowner, Count Leslie, remained in occupation of Deanhaugh House into the second half of the 19th century, effectively halting any further development in this immediate area.

Robert Paterson was articled to the Edinburgh based architect and builder George Beattie, before establishing his own architectural practice c.1859-60. He came into prominence because of his Café Royal Hotel, West Register Street (see separate listing) with its innovative French roof in 1861-62. About 1875 Paterson's son, Robert Paterson, Junior, became a partner in the practice, by which date Paterson Senior was City Assessor. The practice designed a number of tenement buildings in Edinburgh including 147-151 Warrender Park Road and 1-21 Queen Charlotte Street (see separate listings).

(List description updated at re-survey 2012).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17795878

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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