Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

James Gillespie Graham, 1830. 4-storey, 5-bay classical tenement with later 19th century shop premises at ground floor, advanced over basements; doorway to No. 18 to far left. Sandstone ashlar; timber and plate glass shop fronts; with narrow pilasters and Dentilled cornice. Banded cill courses at 2nd and 3rd floors, corniced eaves course. Architraved and corniced surrounds at 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors; corniced at 1st floor.

Plate glass in timber shop fronts. Predominantly 12-pane in timber sash and case windows above. Blind windows to penultimate left-hand bays at 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors. Corniced ashlar ridge and parapet stacks; modern clay cans. Cast iron rainwater goods.

Statement of Special Interest

A well detailed tenement design providing a good example of late Georgian domestic architecture. The block, part of the second phase of design of Queensferry Street, was designed by James Gillespie Graham as part of his wider design for the Erskine Estate, which included Alva Street (see separate listing). The block represents the changing emphasis on design in the area in contrast to the townhouses designed by Tait to the S (see separate listing). The addition of later shop fronts at the ground floor illustrates the way that the street relatively quickly abandoned its residential function and became a busy commercial thoroughfare, as at Shandwick Place. This process was accelerated after the building of the Dean Bridge (see separate listing) over the Water of Leith, making Queensferry Street a main route into the city.

James Gillespie Graham was best known for designing country houses and churches, most notably Blythswood Castle. The strong neo-classical features of Blythswood are a recurrent theme in his urban designs for Edinburgh. His work on the Erskine and Walker estates is a good example of the lively compositions that were a feature of his approach to classical planning and design.

(List description revised 2009 as part of re-survey.)

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.