Description

Robert Brown, built 1825-35. Extensive Classical terrace, comprising unified façade of 2- and 3-storey attic and basement townhouses with main-door and common stair flats behind; with later attic additions, including additional ashlar attic storey to no. 27, box dormers to 26, 29. 5-bay corner blocks slightly advanced to N and S. Basement area to street including some vaulted cellars and retaining walls. Sandstone ashlar, droved at basement, channelled at ground floor. Entrance platts oversailing basement. Banded base course. Banded cill course at 1st and 2nd floors. Corniced eaves course. Stepped and balustraded parapet to corner blocks. Timber 6-panel doors with plain doorpieces to centre section and rectangular fanlight over. Round-arched doorways to corner blocks with narrow sidelights and plain fanlights. Round arched recessed windows at ground floor to corner blocks. Moulded architraved 1st floor windows; architraved and corniced to corner blocks (architraved, pedimented and bracketed to centre bay of corner blocks). Cast-iron balconies on scrolled brackets at 1st floor windows. Later pedimented dormers to Nos. 25 and 29.

W (REAR) ELEVATION: 2- and 3-storey with some advanced bays. Coursed squared rubble with ashlar cills, lintels and rybats; some ashlar quoin stones. Roughly regular fenestration with some tri-partite windows.

Predominantly 6- over 9-pane and 12-pane in timber sash and case windows with some plate glass in timber sash and case. Double pitch M-section roof, grey slates. Corniced ashlar wallhead and ridge stacks, with modern clay cans. Cast-iron railings on sandstone coping stone edging basement recess to street. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: interiors typified by plain classical detailing. Some cornicing, with mainly floreate designs. Fire surrounds with broken pediments. Some oval internal rooms with detailed plasterwork door surrounds and cornicing.

Statement of Interest

Manor Place is a well-proportioned and detailed classical terrace, forming an important component of the Walker Estate and the Western New Town. The townhouses are a well-ordered and largely well-preserved example of the urban planning of Robert Brown for the former Walker estate, built from 1825 onwards. The design is a variation of his designs for Walker Street and formed the template for the composition and design of the later phases of Manor Place by John Lessels (see separate listings).

Robert Brown was an experienced architect, and by the time he was involved with the deigns for the Walker Estate he had already designed several other urban schemes, including between 1810 and 1830 laying out streets in Portobello on land belonging to the Marques of Abercorn. His other notable works include Newington and St. Leonard's church (now The Queen's Hall) and the rearrangement of the interiors for Yester House on behalf of the Marques of Tweeddale. Robert Brown worked on a number of smaller projects in the New Town but the cohesive planning of the Walker estate is amongst one of the best examples of his work. He was especially competent in the design of corner pavilions and parades of shops, as can be seen in his work at North West Circus Place (see separate listing).

Notes and references from previous list description: Lord Cockburn lived at No.3 and then No. 2. Sir Wm Hamilton lived at No. 21 between 1829 and 39. William Chambers lived at No. 25 (formerly No. 13) in 1862.

(List description revised 2009 as part of re-survey.)

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata IDs Q17575561 Q17575595

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

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