Description

James Milne, 1824. Crescented terrace of 2-storey and basement, 3-bay townhouses in plain Greek classical style, with prominent fluted Greek Doric colonnade at ground floor. Sandstone ashlar. Entrance platts oversailing basement area recess to street. Banded base course. Continuous colonnade of fluted Greek Doric columns in antis at ground floor with plain frieze and moulded cornice with continuous cast iron balconies above; corniced eaves course with balustraded parapet. Inset doorways with boarded timber 4-panel doors and rectangular fanlights (various geometric glazing patterns). Tall rectangular moulded architraved and corniced 1st floor windows. Some later piended dormers to No.4.

S (REAR) ELEVATION: some coursed squared rubble, some random rubble, droved ashlar rybats, cills and lintels. Roughly regular fenestration. Some cast iron balconies at 1st floor.

Predominantly 12-pane glazing pattern in timber sash and case windows, predominantly 4- over 12-lying pane glazing at 1st floor. Double-pitched roof; grey slates. Corniced ashlar ridge stacks with some clay cans. Cast-iron railings edging basement area recess to street, incorporating some decorative lamp standards with large bowl shades.

INTERIOR: (selection of interiors seen 2010) classical decorative scheme, characterised by intricate plasterwork and large drawing rooms. Large entrance vestibules with cornicing, stone stairs with well-detailed cast iron balustrade and timber handrail, topped by large cupolas with decorative plasterwork beneath. Large ground and 1st floor drawing rooms to front contains highly decorative plasterwork and some large marble fireplaces. Decorative plasterwork detailing continues throughout. Working window shutters. Some later conversion to flats.

Statement of Interest

4-10A St Bernard's Crescent is a prominent and finely detailed terrace forming part of an outstanding example of early nineteenth century urban planning with a classical design scheme by prominent architect James Milne. The design is well proportioned, with simple classical detailing including the use of Greek sources for the colonnade which forms a continuous theme on both sides of the terrace. The terrace was designed as a key part of the development of the land of Sir Henry Raeburn. The design uses a crescented northern side and slightly inclined corner blocks to create a lozenge shaped urban crescent with a small garden ground provided to the centre. There is an emphasis on the horizontal in the designs with the use of the colonnade and a long horizontal glazing pattern, particularly evident in the 1st floor windows of Nos. 4 and 6. This terrace is an integral part of Edinburgh's New Town, which is an outstanding example of classical urban planning that was influential throughout Britain and Europe.

The design of a double crescent was suggested by Sir David Wilkie in order to preserve a portion of the avenue of elms that had led to Deanhaugh House. The crescent was quickly acknowledged as one of the grandest in Edinburgh, especially for the centrepiece of the northern side. Although the design for the whole area was not completed by Milne, later additions have interpreted his original design scheme and do not dilute the clarity of the plain Greek classical facades.

Henry Raeburn was born in Stockbridge and acquired the house and grounds of Deanhaugh through marriage, before adding adjacent land at St Bernard's. He occupied St Bernard's House until his death in 1823 when it was demolished to accommodate the growing residential development of the estate, making space for the eastern side of Carlton Street. James Milne is likely to have been involved in designs for a number of the streets, including Ann Street (see separate listing) and the development is characterised by his use of simple classical detailing and Greek sources for his designs.

James Milne was an architect and mason working in Edinburgh between 1809 and 1834 (when he moved to Newcastle). His other works in Edinburgh also include Lynedoch Place and Saxe-Coburg Place (see separate listings). Milne was also the author of The Elements of Architecture only the 1st volume of which was published in Edinburgh in 1812.

(List description updated at re-survey 2012).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17568280

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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