History in Structure

2 Lady Stair's Close, 477 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh

A Category B Listed Building in Edinburgh, Edinburgh

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Coordinates

Latitude: 55.9495 / 55°56'58"N

Longitude: -3.1935 / 3°11'36"W

OS Eastings: 325567

OS Northings: 673588

OS Grid: NT255735

Mapcode National: GBR 8NG.MR

Mapcode Global: WH6SL.XQGC

Plus Code: 9C7RWRX4+RJ

Entry Name: 2 Lady Stair's Close, 477 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh

Listing Name: 453-463 Lawnmarket, Including Wardrop's Court and 2 Lady Stair's Close

Listing Date: 14 December 1970

Category: B

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 368606

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB29229

Building Class: Cultural

Also known as: Lady Stair's Close
Edinburgh, 477 Lawnmarket, 2 Lady Stair's Close

ID on this website: 200368606

Location: Edinburgh

County: Edinburgh

Town: Edinburgh

Electoral Ward: City Centre

Traditional County: Midlothian

Tagged with: Tenement

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Description

Stewart Henbest Capper, 1892, incorporating earlier fabric. 5-storey and attic (6 storeys to rear) 9-bay symmetrical tenement with shops to ground floor; 3 3-bay blocks with 2-storey canted oriels on sculpted corbels (emblems of Arts, Sciences and Crafts) to 2nd and 3rd floors, oversailing 4th floor and wide gabled timber dormerheads with paired windows to attic. Coursed stugged grey sandstone with polished red sandstone dressings; pink harl to oriels and 4th and attic floors; painted to ground. Continuous terracotta-balustered balcony to 1st floor. Windows in tabbed surrounds. Flat-arched pend to outer right (entrance to Wardrop's Court) flanked by painted carved timber dragon brackets. Timber panelled door with small-pane glazed fanlight to flats at centre.

N (REAR) ELEVATION: cream harl with red sandstone dressings; broad eaves. 2-bay recessed block to left: flat-arched pend with metal lintel and painted carved timber dragon brackets to left; regularly fenestrated; tripartite dormer to attic. 2-bay slightly advanced block to centre: regularly fenestrated; corbelled corner to upper left. Advanced crowstep-gabled 2-bay block to right: irregularly fenestrated; chamfered corners, corbelled below gable; concrete access balconies with metal brackets and railings to re-entrant angle; older carved panel and modern plaque (see Notes) in wall to ground floor. Recessed block to outer right: 5-storey drum stair tower to centre with finialled bell-cast slated roof and timber boarded door with wrought-iron hinges in hood- and roll-moulded red sandstone surround.

Predominantly 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows. Grey slates. Corniced rubble stacks with tall circular cans.

Statement of Interest

Petition in the name of William Wilson, student residing in University Hall, Riddle's Court, to take down Nos 455-475 Lawnmarket, and build a double tenement of shops and dwelling houses; indicates the connection with Patrick Geddes and his policy of restoration through 'conservative surgery.'. Capper's design echoes that of its timber-gabled predecessor. The carved panel incorporated in the rear wall reads BLISSIT BE THE LORD IN HIS GIFTIS. The modern metal plaque reads 'Lawnmarket Housing Action Area 1988-91. Restored with Grants from the Secretary of State for Scotland and the City of Edinburgh District Council. Edinburgh Old Town Committee for Conservation and Renewal.' Wardrop's Court, to rear, was formed by the demolition in the 1890's of 2 smaller closes, Wardrop's to the NW and Paterson's to the SE.

External Links

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