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Latitude: 55.954 / 55°57'14"N
Longitude: -3.1967 / 3°11'48"W
OS Eastings: 325372
OS Northings: 674085
OS Grid: NT253740
Mapcode National: GBR 8MF.Z4
Mapcode Global: WH6SL.VLYZ
Plus Code: 9C7RXR33+H8
Entry Name: George Dobie & Son, 23-25 George Street, Edinburgh
Listing Name: 19-25 (Odd Nos) George Street, George Hotel
Listing Date: 12 December 1974
Category: A
Source: Historic Scotland
Source ID: 367429
Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB28830
Building Class: Cultural
ID on this website: 200367429
Location: Edinburgh
County: Edinburgh
Town: Edinburgh
Electoral Ward: City Centre
Traditional County: Midlothian
John Young, circa 1780; now classical hotel with many later alterations. David Bryce, 1840-1; alterations and additions McGibbon and Ross, 1879-80; alterations R H Watherston, 1903; rear block Henry Wylie, 1968. 4-storey, 7-bay former office to E; 3 4-storey 3-bay former terraced houses to W; all with considerable alterations at ground.
NO 19 (INCORPORATING 15 & 17): cream sandstone ashlar. Channelled glazed arcaded rustication at ground, with pedestals to each pier; originally pilastraded (altered by Watherston); doorpiece to projecting centre bay framed by fluted and panelled pilasters and open segmental pediment; garlands in tympanum and arched doorway with mask keystone. Giant colonnade to 1st and 2nd floors of fluted Corinthian columns, engaged at centre bay, which has pedimented window at 1st floor; remaining 1st floor windows corniced. Massive entablature and dentilled cornice. 3rd/attic storey with pilastered arched windows and engaged fluted Corinthian colonnade; entablature and balustraded parapet with urn finials. Similarly detailed single bay return to E, adjoining irregular 5-story 5-bay stuccoed elevation framed by channelled pilasters; further tall 2-storey block beyond, containing former telling room (McGibbon & Ross). Single storey link to Wylie?s elegant 7-storey accommodation block to NE, with alternate horizontal bands of windows in bronzed frames and polished ashlar.
NO 21: ground floor treatment as above with simple pilastered arched doorway to right. Upper floors with moulded architraves; consoled cornices and single cast-iron balustrade at 1st floor; cill course (former cornice) at 3rd floor; heavy eaves cornice; later set back attic.
NO 23: projecting full-width painted Adam revival tripartite bay at ground; taller canted tripartite central section flanked by pilastered single bays with swan-necked pediments. 1st and 2nd floors with moulded architraves, cill courses; cornice above 2nd floor; later 3rd floor/attic with punched windows, cornice and blocking course.
NO 25: rendered to upper floors; projecting tripartite ashlar front to function rooms at ground, with broad central entrance bay, panelled pilasters, entablature and balustraded parapet. 1st floor windows with raised architraves and consoled cornices with blocking courses. Upper floors rendered with punched windows; cornice and blocking course continuing that of No 23.
Rear elevations of 2 and 3 stories with attics, on raised basements; ashlar.
Variety of timber sash and case windows, and several casements.
INTERIOR: lavish decorative scheme. Entrance hall with single row of columns; former banking hall with windows to rear with Corinthian columned aisles and glazed saucer dome; fitted restaurant seating.
No 19 was given a tetrastyle portico by Bryce, which was repeated across Nos 17 & 15 (house and tenement stair) by MacGibbon & Ross, who at the same time added the attic storey; Watherston later altered the ground floor, perhaps also altering No 21 to suit. MacGibbon & Ross were working for the Caledonian Insurance Company, while providing hotel accommodation on the upper floors for the adjacent George Hotel. The George took over the whole building in 1950. The W houses contain a significant surviving part of the original fabric of Edinburgh?s New Town, one of the most important and best preserved examples of urban planning in Britain.
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