Description

Later 18th century. 3-storey and attic, 3-bay tenement with projecting, flat-roofed single storey altered shops to ground and distinctive decorative full width iron balconies to 2nd and attic storeys. Droved ashlar with painted margins, rubble to rear. Cill course, deep, dentilled cornice. Steps to right lead to timber panelled entrance door with fanlight above with fan glazing pattern. Central pedimented dormer with flanking curved slated dormers.

Mixture of glazing patterns. Some 6-pane over plate glass timber sash and case windows to 1st storey, 8-pane timber French windows to 2nd storey. Grey slates. Coped gable and wallhead stacks.

Statement of Interest

This tenement is an integral part of an early Classical planned square which has retained its decorative 2nd storey iron balcony. These balconies are an increasingly rare feature of Edinburgh tenements and this one is an unusual survivor. The building is also notable for the two curved dormers, which add significantly to the streetscape value of the building. The planned square with tenements surrounding a communal garden was a particular feature of developing Edinburgh in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and remain an important characteristic of the townscape.

Projecting single storey shop fronts evolved during the 19th century and arose from a desire for shops to have more space, light and a better area for displaying goods. They utilise the space between the building and the pavement, often where a garden or access to a basement has been. They are found throughout Scotland, although are particularly prevalent in Edinburgh. The Ordnance Survey Map of 1893-4 depicts this tenement with platts and steps over a basement and these shop fronts are likely to be 20th century in date.

The development of Nicolson Square dates from 1765 when the city was beginning to expand to the South and the land here was feued from the Estate of Lady Nicolson. This tenement forms part of a row of tenements which still survive on the N side of the Square.

List description revised as part of Edinburgh Holyrood Ward resurvey 2007-08.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17799287

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

• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)