Description

James Gillespie Graham, 1830. 4-storey, 5-bay classical tenement with later 19th century shop premises at ground floor, advanced over basements; doorway to No. 18 to far left. Sandstone ashlar; timber and plate glass shop fronts; with narrow pilasters and Dentilled cornice. Banded cill courses at 2nd and 3rd floors, corniced eaves course. Architraved and corniced surrounds at 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors; corniced at 1st floor.

Plate glass in timber shop fronts. Predominantly 12-pane in timber sash and case windows above. Blind windows to penultimate left-hand bays at 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors. Corniced ashlar ridge and parapet stacks; modern clay cans. Cast iron rainwater goods.

Statement of Interest

A well detailed tenement design providing a good example of late Georgian domestic architecture. The block, part of the second phase of design of Queensferry Street, was designed by James Gillespie Graham as part of his wider design for the Erskine Estate, which included Alva Street (see separate listing). The block represents the changing emphasis on design in the area in contrast to the townhouses designed by Tait to the S (see separate listing). The addition of later shop fronts at the ground floor illustrates the way that the street relatively quickly abandoned its residential function and became a busy commercial thoroughfare, as at Shandwick Place. This process was accelerated after the building of the Dean Bridge (see separate listing) over the Water of Leith, making Queensferry Street a main route into the city.

James Gillespie Graham was best known for designing country houses and churches, most notably Blythswood Castle. The strong neo-classical features of Blythswood are a recurrent theme in his urban designs for Edinburgh. His work on the Erskine and Walker estates is a good example of the lively compositions that were a feature of his approach to classical planning and design.

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

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17804587

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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