Description

1806. Probably designed by Hugh Cairncross (see Notes); built by John Aitchison. Classical tenement block; 3-storey attic and basement, 6-bay (5- bay to basement; 5-bay to rear) near-symmetrical elevation to Union Street. Smooth V-jointed rustication to ground floor, droved ashlar to upper floors (droved ashlar to basement; coursed rubble with dressed margins to rear). Dividing band between basement and ground floor and between ground and 1st floor; mutuled eaves cornice; blocking course. Slightly recessed stair bay to outer left; droved ashlar to ground floor; no band or cill courses. Regular fenestration.

SW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: to centre bay of rusticated section, platt overarching basement recess leading to timber-panelled door in round-arched opening with segmental umbrella glazed fanlight; pilastered doorpiece with narrow 5-pane margin lights. To outer left bay, steps to platt overarching basement recess, leading to timber-panelled and glazed door with 5-light letterbox fanlight. 2 tripartite dormer windows to roof.

NE (REAR) ELEVATION: 5-bay elevation; 3 bays to left form bowed section. Cast iron balconettes to several upper floor windows.

RAILINGS: to edge of basement recess and platts, stone copes (edging of basement only) surmounted by spear-head finialled cast iron railings.

BOUNDARY WALL: to rear, random rubble wall with flat concrete coping. Mitre-arched doorway with stugged jambs.

GLAZING etc: predominantly 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows (4-pane glazing to outer lights of tripartite dormers). Dormers have timber fascia and grey slate haffits and piend roofs. Pitched roof; graded grey slates; stone skews. 2 corniced droved ashlar stacks to left front pitch; 1 corniced rendered mutual ridge stack to left; 1 corniced rendered wallhead stack to rear; circular cans to all stacks.

Statement of Interest

This classically detailed double tenement block is a good example of early 19th century high quality tenement design in Edinburgh. It also has streetscape and historical value as an element of the Gayfield estate development. It may also have significance as one of the few extant buildings designed by Cairncross, formerly a pupil or assistant of Robert Adam, for whom he was clerk of works at several prestigious projects, including Culzean Castle and Old College, Edinburgh University. Cairncross is not specifically mentioned in contemporary documents in connection with Union Street. However, there is a very strong similarity of design between the tenements on the north side of Union Street and the tenements on the NE side of Gayfield Square, which were designed for Jollie by Cairncross in 1807.

17-19 Union Street forms part of the Gayfield Estate, so called because it stands on the former grounds of Gayfield House (East London Street; 1763-5, still extant; separately listed Category A). These lands were feued by the solicitor James Jollie from 1785. Building began on either side of the drive to the house; the building line on the SW of Gayfield Square follows the line of the drive. These developments began to establish the form of Gayfield Square, which forms the heart of the estate. The gardens at the core of the square were preserved from development as early as the 1790s; Sasines record that '..the area of Gayfield Place [is] to remain an open space for all time coming.' Union Street is on the boundary of these lands, the north side being Gayfield land, and the south side of the street built on land at the edge of the adjoining Picardy estate.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17800807

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

• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6