Description

R Thornton Shiells and Thomson, 1880. 4-storey Scots Baronial corner tenement block with roofline display and shops at ground floor. Squared and snecked sandstone with polished ashlar dressings. Corniced shopfronts; string course above 2nd floor; chamfered reveals.

N (WARRENDER PARK ROAD) ELEVATION: 4-bay above shops with chamfered angle bay to outer right; replacement shopfront to outer left; original shopfront with glazed ingo to inner left; 3 replacement windows to public house in remaining ground floor bays; entrance to public house at chamfered angle. Bipartite windows in bay to outer left; 4th floor window breaking eaves in stone finialled and crowstepped dormerhead. Bipartite windows at 1st and 2nd floors to chamfered angle bay; advanced tripartite window at 3rd floor with machicolations below, and breaking eaves in thistle finialled pedimented dormerhead; blank tablet with hoodmould set in pediment. Single window in remaining bays; 4th floor windows breaking eaves in differing finialled dormerheads, pedimented, crowstepped, and stylized (comprising 3 semi-circles) from left to right.

W (MARCHMONT CRESCENT) ELEVATION: 5-bay above altered shopfronts, and chamfered angle bay (described above) to outer left. 2 single windows at 1st floor in bay to outer right; corbelled canted window above, with cornice, faceted French roof, and cast-iron finial. Bipartite windows in bays to inner left and right; 4th floor windows breaking eaves in finialled crowstepped dormerheads. Single windows in remaining bays; 4th floor windows breaking eaves in pedimented dormerhead at centre and stylized dormerhead (as above) to outer left.

Plate glass sash and case windows. Grey slate roof; lead flashing; 1 machicolated and 2 corbelled wallhead stacks; some moulded octagonal cans.

Statement of Interest

Forms continuous irregular terrace with 2-24 (even nos) Warrender Park Road. Built for William Gray & Sons, joiners.

The period between 1860 and 1900 saw significant residential expansion in the city of Edinburgh with construction of a number of residential tenement suburbs.

The tenement suburb of Marchmont developed between circa 1876 and 1914

following the feuing of the Warrender family estate (land south of the Meadows).

Marchmont's development can be viewed in two distinct phases, with the first phase, prior to 1900, largely following the plan laid out by David Bryce of 1869. This phase, which saw the construction of streets in the north and east of the site, is characterised by the individual nature of the work by builders and architects who frequently developed only one or two feus at a time. These tenements were built predominantly in the baronial style following guidelines set down in the 1869 feu charter. In the second phase, after 1900, the baronial style recedes and elevations become more uniform.

Architects Robert Thornton Shiells (1833-1902) and James M Thomson (circa 1850-1922) entered into partnership circa 1877 practising predominantly in Edinburgh. The practice designed two tenement blocks in Marchmont between 1878 and 1880.

Listed building record and statutory address updated (2015). Previously listed as '26-30 (even nos) Warrender Park Road and 22-30 (even nos) Marchmont Crescent'.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17803711

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

• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)