Description

James Gillespie Graham, designed, 1822. 55-bay symmetrical classical palace block with 5-part in-canted frontage, comprising 4-storey and basement, 11-bay central pavilion flanked by pair of 3-storey, attic and basement, 18-bay 3-part in-canted linking terraces, flanked in turn by pair of 4-storey and basement 4-bay terminal pavilions. Polished ashlar sandstone; V-jointed rustication at principal floor. Base course; band course between basement and principal floor; cill course at 1st floor; cornice at 2nd floor; string course at 2nd floor of linking blocks; cornice and blocking course at 3rd floor. Corniced frieze at impost level at central pavilion, and central pavilions of linking blocks. Ashlar steps and entrance platts oversailing basement.

SE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION, CENTRAL PAVILION: advanced 4-storey 11-bay central pavilion, central 5 bays advanced again; engaged Doric columns flanking central 5 bays at 1st and 2nd floors, Doric pilasters flanking remaining bays at 1st and 2nd floors, panelled pilasters flanking bays at 3rd floor. Panelled timber door centred at principal floor, 4-panel timber door in 4th bay from left, panelled timber door with metal studs in bay to outer left, with radial semicircular fanlights; 4-panel timber door with plate glass semicircular fanlights, in bays to outer right. Windows in round-arched recesses in remaining bays at principal floor; regular fenestration to floors above. Flagged basement area.

N LINKING TERRACE: splayed 3-part 18-bay in-canted linking terrace (Nos 21-26), bays arranged, 3, 9, 6. central 9 bays advanced as pavilion, with central 3 bays and outer bays advanced again, central 3 bays surmounted by blank pediment; engaged Doric columns flanking central 3 bays and outer bays at 1st and 2nd floors. 4-panel timber door with radial semicircular fanlight (No 23) in bay to right of centre, 4-panel timber door with umbrella semicircular fanlight (No 22) in bay to outer right, 4-panel timber door with plate glass semicircular fanlight (No 24) in bay to outer left. Windows in round-arched recesses in bays to centre and left of centre at principal floor; regular fenestration to remaining bays at principal floor and to floors above, with blank central bay at 3rd floor. 3-bay house to right of central pavilion (No 21), comprising 4-panel timber door with rectilinear design rectangular fanlight in bay to left at principal floor. Windows in remaining bays at principal floor; regular fenestration to floors above. Pair of 3-bay house to left of central pavilion, comprising 4-panel timber doors in bays to right at principal floor, with plate glass rectangular fanlights. Windows in remaining bays at principal floor; regular fenestration to floors above. 1st floor windows architraved with cornices; 2nd floor windows architraved, at Nos 21, 25 and 26. Nos 21, 25, 26 raised to 4-storey. Flagged basement area.

S LINKING TERRACES: splayed 3-part 18-bay in-canted linking terrace (Nos 31-36), bays arranged 6, 9, 3. Central 9 bays advanced as pavilion, with central 3 bays and outer bays advanced again, central 3 bays surmounted by blank pediment; engaged Doric columns flanking central 3 bays and outer bays at 1st and 2nd floors. 4-panel timber door (No 34) with plate glass semicircular fanlight (No 34) in bay to right of centre at principal floor; 4-panel timber doors with plate glass semicircular fanlights, in bays to outer left and right at principal floor; windows in round-arched recesses in bays at centre and left of centre; regular fenestration to remaining bays at principal floor and to floors above, with blank central bay at 3rd floor. Pair of 3-bay houses to right of central pavilion (Nos 31 and 32), comprising 4-panel timber doors in bays to left at principal floor, with plate glass rectangular fanlight at No 31, rectilinear design rectangular fanlight to No 32; regular fenestration to remaining bays at principal floor, and to floors above. 3-bay house to left of central pavilion (No 36), comprising 4-panel timber door with plate glass rectangular fanlight, in bay to right at principal floor; regular fenestration to remaining bays at principal floor, and to floors above. No 36 raised to 4-storey. Flagged basement area.

N (NO 20) TERMINAL PAVILION: 4-bay terminal pavilion with Doric pilasters flanking bays at 1st and 2nd floors, panelled pilasters flanking bays at 3rd floor. 4-panel timber door with radial semicircular fanlight in bay to right of centre at principal floor; windows in round-arched recesses in remaining bays at principal floor; regular fenestration to floors above. 5-bay E return, becoming 19 Moray Place, comprising 6-panel timber door with blind semicircular fanlight centred at principal floor. Windows in round-arched recesses in remaining bays at principal floor, with blind window in bay to outer left, and part-blind window in penultimate bay from left. Regular fenestration to floors above and basement, radial-design glazing to window in penultimate bay from left at 1st floor; blind windows in bay to outer left at 1st floor, and penultimate bay from left at 3rd floor, with 3-pane light addition. Flagged basement area.

S TERMINAL PAVILION: 4-bay terminal pavilion with Doric pilasters flanking bays at 1st and 2nd floors; panelled pilasters flanking bays at 3rd floor. 4-panel timber door with radial semicircular fanlight in bay to right of centre. Windows in round-arched recesses in remaining bays at principal floor; regular fenestration to floors above. Flagged basement area.

GREAT STUART STREET RETURN TO S TERMINAL PAVILION: 4-bay, becoming 1 Great Stuart Street (see separate listing).

Variety of timber sash and case windows. Grey slate M-roofs. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Anthemion and palmettes window guards in bays at 1st floor at Nos 19, except at centre, 20, 22-25, 33-37, and in penultimate bay from right at No 1 Great Stuart Street. Decorative iron window guards spanning 3 bays, at 1st floor of No 26. Variety of wallhead, gablehead and ridge stacks; some with cornice, coped with circular cans.

INTERIORS: not seen, 1998. No 28 with late 17th century stair balustrade.

RAILINGS AND LAMPS: ashlar copes surmounted by cast-iron railings with fleur-de-lis balusters and some urn finials. Cast-iron railing-mounted lamps with glass globes.

Statement of Interest

Part of the Edinburgh New Town A Group, a significant surviving part of one of the most important and best preserved examples of urban planning in Britain. The Moray Estate was designed for the 10th Earl of Moray (1771-1848). He inherited the 13 acre site from his father, after it was acquired from the Heriot Trust in 1782, and decided to feu the property for development in 1822. The complicated plan, with the crescent, oval and polygon of Randolph Crescent, Ainslie Place and Moray Place respectively, conjoins the New Town with the Second New Town. Building was completed in 1830-31.

The Earl of Moray lived at No 28.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17576128

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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