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Summary

Description

John Young, probably after scheme by William Chambers, 1775; alterations at ground, 1845 (No21); alterations at ground by David Bryce, Peddie & Kinnear, 1848 & 1854 (No22); restored and adapted by Covell Matthews Partnership, 1976-80; further modernised McGurn Logan Duncan & Opher, 1992. Formerly 2 identical 3-storey basement and attic classical houses (No 21 flatted later). Coursed sandstone rubble (formerly rendered), with polished ashlar dressings; droved ashlar to North St David Street. Long and short quoins at corner; channelled pilaster strips between blocks; moulded eaves. Moulded architraves and 1st floor cill course to St Andrews Square (original to upper floors).

ST ANDREW SQUARE ELEVATION: each house 4-bay, with broader inner bay (much broader to No 22). No 21 refaced at ground with polished ashlar, Roman Doric triglyph frieze and entablature, steps to corresponding columned porch at centre right bay (with flag pole) with 2-leaf panelled door; architraves continue to base course, framing panelled aprons; panelled door with blind fanlight to right bay. No 22 with similar later architraves and aprons at ground; left bay with fluted Corinthian columned porch with 2-leaf panelled door; elaborate frieze and pediment with carved tympanum; further window to outer left.

NORTH ST DAVID STREET ELEVATION: 5-bay gable with 2-bay wing to left;2 right bays of gable with blind windows, 2 windows in gablehead; partly raised basement of wing to left with early 19th century corniced ashlar shopfront composed of 2 2-bay shops, each with large window and elaborate 2-leaf panelled cast-iron doors; steps down flanked by cast-iron SHOTTS pedestals with urn finials. 2 3-storey basement and and attic former tenement facades step down to N, respectively 5- and 4-bay; corniced doorpiece at centre (centre right); piend-roofed dormers to each bay.

NORTH ST ANDREWS LANE ELEVATION: cleaned rubble gable to right, with irregular fenestration. Modern 5-storey block to left receding at each storey, with ashlar and window bands; vehicular access at ground to courtyard within.

Timber sash and case 12-pane windows. Ashlar coped skews; rebuilt mutual ashlar stacks (rendered between Nos 22/23); grey slates.

INTERIOR: all much altered for office use, but some cornices and detailing survives; 2 N blocks now merely facades for modern offices. No 21 with elegant plate glass inner porch, going directly into front room with fluted Corinthian columned screen and corniced doors with clasping pilasters; compartmented ceiling; similar ceiling in room beyond. At 1st floor front room with panelled dado. Stair occupies right bay at front. No 22 with 19th century stair at centre rear leading to 1st floor only, barleytwist banisters; apsidal-ended room at 2nd floor. Basement to North St David Street (former shops) with remarkable doorcase and cast-iron ranges and chimneypieces.

RAILINGS: cast-iron; spearhead to North St David Street, 19th century balusters to No 21, elaborate to No 22.

Statement of Special Interest

No 21 was formerly a main door flat with separate stair to flat above; the whole is now a single office. Henry Brougham was born here on 19th September 1778, as commemorated by the cartouche on the front elevation. The remarkable shop may have been a Shotts showroom. The houses formed part of the remarkably stylistically consisent N side of St Andrew Square, following the lead of William Chambers at Nos 23-25. A Group with Nos 23-26 St Andrew Square as a significant surviving part of the original fabric of Edinburgh's New Town, one of the most important and best preserved examples of urban planning in Britain.

References

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