Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Early 17th century core, rebuilt much later. 2-storey 3-bay crowstepped gabled hosue, with single bay house to N.

Harled, raised margins.

E ELEVATION: 2-storey 3-bay house to S, window to each floor and bay; door to left of central window. Plaque in lintel of central 1st floor window. Single bay house to N; bipartite windows to each floor, door to left.

S ELEVATION: gabled and elevation with single window to both floors at outer left. 2 corbel stones just above eaves level. Gablehead stack.

W ELEVATION: to N, single storey with bipartite window, harled; mutual gable and stack to right. 3 bays to S, 2 left bays harled with door to left and window to right; right bay blank rubble, with basement.

4-pane timber sash and case windows (plate glass to No 2). Grey slates; small roof-lights; coped stacks. Crowsteps, moulded skewputts (N missing); figure of squatting man stands on NE skewputt (apparently the piper).INTERIOR: not seen 1992.1st floor flat and ground floor stores.

Statement of Special Interest

Built by Adam Ainslie at the beginning of the 17th century. His initials and those of his wife IA (Janet Ainslie) can be seen over the lintel of the central window on the 1st floor, as well as the date 1605. This window is in the place of a door, originally approached by a stone forestair, which was however taken down shortly before 1730. A further carved lintel bearing inscriptions of Adam Ainslie was found during building work in 1896. The house was sold in 1726 by Janet Ainslie, again in 1730 for 500 merks, and a last time in 1780, to William Rutherford, merchant for $40. It remained in this family until Alexander Scott, the owner of Queen Mary's House, bought it in 1894 for $120. One of gables is reputedly four feet thick. Robin Hastie, the last town piper, is supposed to have occupied a portion of the house; his family, according to Sir Walter Scott, had occupied the post for 3 centuries. By the time of his death in the early 19th century, according to Scott "old age had rendered Robin a wretched performer but he knew several old songs and tunes, which have probably died with him"

The house originally terminated the Canongate, the adjoining house being demolished to make way for the by-pass in 1972. It also had 3 dormers at that time. The projecting corbes on the S wall are a puzzle. Group with 1,2 and 3 Duck Row and the Canongate Bridge (see separate listings).

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.