Description

Circa 1790. 4-storey and attic, 5-bay tenement with projecting single-storey, altered shops to ground and remains of later (1903) 2-storey harled former cinema extension to rear with roof-top drying green. Droved ashlar, rubble to rear and side gable to N. Central 3-window pedimented wallhead gable with apex stack.. Later, 6-light timber canted bay windows to outer bays to 1st storey. Raised cills, cornice. Central 2-leaf, 4-panel timber entrance door to former cinema (see Notes) with rectangular fanlight above with multi-pane glazing pattern; stair entrance to left. Central 2-window pedimented wallhead gable with stack at apex to rear. To rear, later metal walkway leads from 3rd storey of tenement to drying area.

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows to upper storeys, plate glass to shops. Grey slates. Coped, gable stacks, raised skews.

Statement of Interest

This late 18th century tenement has significant streetscape value and little alteration to the upper storeys. The pedimented wallhead gable is typical of tenement building at the time and particularly characteristic of this part of Edinburgh. The projecting single storey shops to the ground were most likely added in the late 19th century and are a familiar addition to Edinburgh tenements. The tenement is an important component of the expansion of the city to the South.

This section of Nicolson Street dates from late 18th century and was built on land feued from Lady Nicolson, whose house formerly stood just to the North of this tenement.

The cinema to the rear was opened in 1903 as the North British Electric Theatre and renamed later as the Cinema House. The cinema was closed in 1930 and became the Salvation Army Hall. Much of the cinema was demolished in 2004, but the drying green area has been retained.

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

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17799633

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

• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)