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Summary

Description

Robert Brown, 1825, with alterations by Reid and Forbes, 1933. 4-storey and basement, 18-bay terraced tenement, stepping down at centre. Broached ashlar sandstone. Cill course at 1st floor; projecting cills at 2nd floor; cill course at 3rd floor; cornice and blocking course at 3rd floor. Ashlar entrance platts and steps oversailing basement to Nos 17-22.

SW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: 9-bay terrace to right comprising advanced 3-bay polished granite and black granite shop front with stepped wallhead panel, at ground to left, with recessed doorpieces flanking tripartite window with multi-pane lights, and carved stone mullions with Art Deco motifs, 2-leaf 10-panel timber door to left, 5-panel timber common stair door to right, with rectangular fanlights and wrought-iron screens, deep step becoming terrace, at street; advanced 3-bay ashlar sandstone and polished black granite shop front, to right, comprising recessed doorpiece in bay to left, with glazed timber door, and carved stone armorial panel centred above door at street, multi-pane plate glass windows in remaining bays. 9-bay terrace to left comprising pilastraded shop fronts with continuous cornice; 6-panel timber common stair door with rectangular fanlight to right of centre, 3-bay shop front to left, with 2-leaf 6-panel timber door and plate glass rectangular fanlight, 2-bay shop front to right, with glazed door and rectangular fanlight, 2-bay shop front to outer left with 2-leaf 6-panel timber door, 3-pane plate glass window, 2-bay shop front to outer right, with glazed door, plate glass rectangular fanlight, plate glass window. Variety of 2-leaf 6-panel timber doors, with plate glass rectangular fanlights plate glass windows. Steps to basement at Nos 17, 18 and 22; window in bay to outer left at basement of No 22. Regular fenestration to floors above.

SE ELEVATION: coursed rubble, long and short quoins, with windows centred at all floors, including polished ashlar sandstone to left at ground, with window.

NW ELEVATION: adjoining terrace, see separate listing (2-18 St Stephen Street).

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slate M-roof. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Coursed rubble wallhead stack, with broached ashlar quoins, broached ashlar ridge stacks; coped, with circular cans.

INTERIORS: predominantly not seen, 1997, but some evidence of working panelled shutters; No 15, former bank, with Art Deco Classical interior, comprising banking hall with manager's office to left at rear; including Egyptianesque columns, marble floor, sarcophagus above door to manager's office, consoles to pilastered doorpiece, engraved frosted glazing, wall benches flanking radiator covers, with brass chevron patterned grilles, ornate entrance door handles with thistle motifs, contrasting veneers to dado.

RAILINGS: ashlar copes surmounted by coped cast-iron railings.

Statement of Special 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. Nos 11-22 North West Circus Place is a continuation of Brown's St Stephen Street development, linking with Playfair's scheme. The original pilastraded ground floor continued Playfair's parade of shops at 1-10 North West Circus (see separate listing), surviving at Nos. 17-22 with some later alteration. The feu charter for the site was given by James Peddie to a builder, Walter Stewart Binn, on the 29th October 1822. The earliest instrument of saisine to an occupier followed a year later in November 1823. The alterations to No. 15 to form a Bank of Scotland branch date from 1933 and were the work of Reid amd Forbes. No. 12 was altered in 1936 to form a branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland by the companies own engineer. In both cases the basement areas and cellars were paved over at street level. The original 1930s glazing at No. 12 has been later altered to accommodate the insertion of a cash machine. The former Bank of Scotland branch at No. 15 was sold in 1996 and is now (2009) in use as a café. For mews to rear, see separate listing (Circus Lane).

References

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