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Summary

Description

1790-1800. 4- bay terraced double house block with later alterations; 2-storey, basement and attic elevation to Gayfield Square. Droved ashlar (coursed rubble with droved margins to basement (partially painted) and rear). Dividing band between basement and ground floor; eaves cornice. Predominantly regular fenestration.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: to central 2 bays, steps and platt overarching basement recess; to inner left bay, later architraved and corniced shouldered double doorway with central trumeau separating a timber-panelled door to left, flush timber door to right, both with asymmetrical fanlights (see Notes); to inner right bay, timber-panelled door with architraved and corniced doorpiece. Tripartite windows flanking doorways at outer right and left bays. 3 dormer windows to roof (bipartite to left).

SW (REAR) ELEVATION: 4-bay elevation; bays to left obscured to basement and ground floor by adjoining warehouse (not listed); later additional storey to bays to right (see Notes). To basement, glazed door with letterbox fanlight to inner right bay. Tripartite window to outer left and outer right bay to 1st floor. Eaves course to left, becoming dividing band between 1st and 2nd floor to right.

GLAZING etc: 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows to basement, centre light of tripartite windows to rear and to left tripartite to front; 8-pane glazing in timber sash and case to inner right bay to rear; 4-pane glazing to centre and right dormer; remainder predominantly plate glass in timber sash and case (no opening lights to tripartite to right of front elevation). Timber fascias, lead haffits and barrel roof to dormers. To front elevation, 2 rooflights to right. Pitched roof; graded grey slate. Corniced, rendered ridge stack to NW. Cast iron downpipes with trefoil fixing brackets to front elevation.

RAILINGS: spear-head and urn finialled cast iron railings, set in ashlar coping, edging basement recess, steps and platt to front. Plain replacement railings and stone coping to rear.

Statement of Special Interest

The simple elegance of this small house emphasises its importance as an early example of a terraced suburban villa in Edinburgh. It also has streetscape and historical value as an element of the Gayfield estate development.

The shouldered doorway to No.8 and 8A is an alteration resulting from a later 19th century subdivision of No. 8; it is likely that these alterations included the construction of the additional storey to the rear to provide additional accommodation. The cornice and lintel of the altered doorpiece match that of the original doorpiece of No.9, indicating that when the doorway was altered to form two separate entrances, the original cornice and lintel were retained. The unusual shouldered form of the doorpiece facilitated the combination of the newly widened opening and the narrower original features.

8-9 Gayfield Square 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 1783. 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. It was part of Jollie's plan from the beginning that this should be so; in January 1783, he advertised that the Gayfield grounds were to be feued for building purposes 'according to a plan' His advertisement promised prospective feuars 'remarkably pleasant' rustic situation and 'uncommonly beautiful views' in addition to 'the privilege of the area of the square'. Sasines record that '..the area of Gayfield Place [is] to remain an open space for all time coming.'

References

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