History in Structure

19, 20, 21 Royal Crescent, Edinburgh

A Category A Listed Building in Edinburgh, Edinburgh

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Coordinates

Latitude: 55.9594 / 55°57'33"N

Longitude: -3.1979 / 3°11'52"W

OS Eastings: 325308

OS Northings: 674693

OS Grid: NT253746

Mapcode National: GBR 8MC.Q6

Mapcode Global: WH6SL.VGCS

Plus Code: 9C7RXR52+QR

Entry Name: 19, 20, 21 Royal Crescent, Edinburgh

Listing Name: 15-23A (Inclusive Nos) Royal Crescent, and 15 Dundonald Street, Including Railings and Lamps

Listing Date: 22 September 1965

Category: A

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 369923

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB29680

Building Class: Cultural

Also known as: Edinburgh, 19, 20, 21 Royal Crescent

ID on this website: 200369923

Location: Edinburgh

County: Edinburgh

Town: Edinburgh

Electoral Ward: City Centre

Traditional County: Midlothian

Tagged with: Architectural structure

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Description

Thomas Brown, 1825; completed 1884-8, James Lessels. 4-storey and basement 22-bay terraced tenement stepping down at centre, comprising 12-bay central block flanked by 5-bay terminal pavilions. Polished ashlar sandstone, V-jointed rustication at principal floor of terminal pavilions, channelled at E elevation. Greek Doric doorpieces to central block. Band courses between basement and principal floor, principal and 1st floor, 1st and 2nd floor; continuous cornice to 2nd floor; cornice and blocking course at 3rd floor. Raised margins to principal floor windows; panelled aprons at 1st floor. Ashlar and entrance platts oversailing basement.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: advanced and corniced doorpieces to central block, with Greek Doric columns supporting entablatures; regular fenestration to all floors. Terminal pavilions with round-arched recesses in central 3 bays at principal floor; 6-panel timber door with plate glass semicircular fanlight centred at E terminal pavilion, 4-panel timber door with radial semicircular fanlight centred at W pavilion, 6-panel timber door with infilled rectangular fanlight to outer right at W terminal pavilion, regular fenestration to floors above, and to basement. Ionic pilasters between bays at 1st and 2nd floors, panelled pilasters between bays at 3rd floor.

E (DUNDONALD STREET) ELEVATION: 4-bay elevation; 6-panel timber door with plate glass rectangular fanlight to right at principal floor; windows in remaining bays, regular fenestration to floors above and to basement.

W ELEVATION: adjoining terrace, see separate listing (1-12 Fettes Row).

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slate M-roof. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Variety of wallhead and ridge stacks; coped, with circular cans.

INTERIORS: not seen, 1997, but some evidence of working panelled shutters.

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

Statement of Interest

Part of the Second New Town A Group, a significant surviving part of one of the most important and best preserved examples of urban planning in Britain, Royal Crescent was part of the first extension of the New Town, planned by Reid and Sibbald in 1802. Feued by the Magistrates. Building began in 1825 and was discontinued about 1829. The original scheme was for 3 segments with a detached building in the middle of Nos 15-23. This did not materialise and following upon the construction of the Scotland Street tunnel in 1847 the eastern segment had to be omitted. The western segments were finally completed in 1888 according to a scheme prepared by James Lessels, architect to the City Improvement Trust, in 1884.

External Links

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