Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Early 19th century. 2-storey, 11-bay, terrace of classical houses, with later additions to rear forming near square-plan block. Painted harl; ashlar dressings. Squared and snecked sandstone; red sandstone ashlar dressings to extension on Hailes Street elevation. Architraved windows; projecting cills.

N (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: 2 3-bay houses flank central 5-bay house. Doorpiece to central 5-bay; recessed 2-leaf panelled timber entrance door; single windows flanking; tripartite window at 1st floor; raised wallhead; single windows to 2 bays flanking. Pilastered doorpieces to bays to outer left and right; panelled timber doors; flanking single windows; regular fenestration at 1st floor; central 1st floor window to outer left extended.

E (HAILES STREET) ELEVATION: M-gabled. Plain gabled section of original building to outer right. Adjoining 5-bay gabled extension dated 1911. Segmental-arched doorway at central bay; hood mould; 2-leaf boarded door; flanking channelled giant pilasters rising above roofline; dentilled cornice; corniced castellation; recessed blind panels to flanking bays; banded eaves course; blind arrow slits to outer bays; dentilled to castellated cornice; flanking channelled giant pilasters.

12-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slate piended roof with skylights. Coped wallhead, and mutual stacks with corniced cans. Skews.

INTERIOR: not seen 1997.

BOUNDARY WALLS: Coped, coursed rubble boundary walls to street; modern railings.

Statement of Special Interest

33 Gilmore Place is the former residence of the African American author and freedom fighter, Frederick Douglass (1818-1895). Born into chattel slavery in Maryland, USA, Douglass escaped in 1838 and went on to become a world-renowned author, public speaker, activist and statesman as he worked alongside his family members not only to end slavery, but support all campaigns for human rights and social justice. He came to Edinburgh in 1846, and it was at 33 Gilmore Place where he once lived as Scotland's anti-slavery agent, organising campaigns and corresponding with abolitionists. In 2018, on the 200th anniversary of his birth, Frederick Douglass was the first black person recognised through the Historic Environment Scotland Commemorative Plaque scheme.

Statement of Special Interest revised in 2019

References

Bibliography

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.