Description

Sir James Gowans, 1868-70. 3-storey attic and basement 5-bay mansard-roofed symmetrical tenement block with idiosyncratic details. Polished ashlar. String courses dividing floors; stone bracketed eaves. Decorative bracketed surrounds to windows. Steeply-pitched gabled dormers with stone bracketed eaves to 3 centre bays (date-1870- architect's name and heraldic device in gables); small hooded dormers to outer bays. Stone steps and platts over-arching basement area to centre and outer bays to left and right; timber panelled door in hooded Serliana to centre; timber panelled doors with round-arched fanlights in round-arched glazed doorpieces with flanking side-lights within recesses with serrated carved decoration in spandrels to outer bays. Tripartite windows with decorative stone mullions at ground, 1st and 2nd floors in intervening bays; shoulder-arched windows to 1st floor with serrated Moorish carving; round-arched windows to 2nd floor push up bracketed eaves below dormers.

Plate glass in timber sash and case windows. Graded grey slates. Moulded stone ridge. Fluted ashlar stalks with scalloped, bracketed cornices; decorative octagonal cans with serrated tops.

BOUNDARY WALL AND RAILINGS: decorative cast-iron railings on low ashlar boundary wall with stone piers marking entrances.

Statement of Interest

Part of a larger ensemble designed by Gowans: with characteristically logical planning, idiosyncratic detailing and exemplary execution. Design based on multiples of 2 ft and angles of 22.5, 45 and 67.5 degrees. 'The Builder' admires Gowans' plan, with 'the water closets all ventilated from the outside,' and 'dark bedrooms at the centre of corner blocks got rid of,' but not the 'geometric details,' considering them to have 'novelty value only,' and 'more suited for execution in wood,' while admitting 'the general effect' to be 'striking and picturesque.' The A Group comprises 11-15 Cornwall Street, 25 Castle Terrace and 17 Cornwall Street, 26-28 Castle Terrace, 29 Castle Terrace, 30, 31 and 32 Castle Terrace, 33, 34 and 35 Castle Terrace and 36 Castle Terrace.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17567497

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

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  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
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  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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