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Summary

Description

Robert Matheson, 1861-65, with later additions, W W Robertson, 1891-2 and W T Oldrieve, 1907-10. 3-storey, 11 x 15-bay Italian High Renaissance office building on critical city centre junction site with 4-storey, 3-bay, slightly advanced corner pavilions, and stepped 26-bay elevation to S, with further lower storeys. Ashlar, chamfered rustication to ground. Base course, band course, blind balustraded parapets to 1st and 2nd storeys, dentilled cornice to 2nd storey, balustraded parapet with pedestaled urns to corner pavilions.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: N, S and W elevations with Corinthian order dividing bays; 1st storey window openings with pilasters, engaged and clasping columns; moulded architraves and alternate segmental and triangular pediments. 2nd storey with engaged columns and clasping pilasters, some paired. Deep-set round-arched window openings to ground and 2nd storey.

Main (entrance) elevation to N (Waterloo Place): symmetrical. Central 5-bays to ground with ashlar, round-arched arcaded entrance atrium.

Predominantly 4- and 8-pane timber sash and case windows. Circa 2000 recessed flat-roofed attic storey. Other areas now with roof gardens.

INTERIOR: believed to be comprehensively altered (2000). Office space created within façade retention.

WALL AND LAMP STANDARDS: to W. Broad, ashlar wall with base course and broad, flat coping. Surmounted at 2 entrances by 4 tall, tapered, cast iron square-plan decorative lamp standards with curved feet and hexagonal lanterns.

Statement of Special Interest

A Group with Nos 6-20 Waterloo Place, Nos 1-29 Waterloo Place, Regent Bridge, Register House, Balmoral Hotel and 5-43 Leith Street.

This strategically placed, former General Post Office is situated on an important and crucial city centre junction, and it has important cityscape presence. The stepped rear (South) elevation overlooks the Waverley Valley and is a dominant feature in the skyline of Edinburgh. The building has well-detailed Classical decoration.

Initially built in 1861-5 as a Post Office on the site of the Old Theatre Royal, this building was originally a single block of 2-storeys with 3-storey corner towers. It was built to replace the old Post Office of 1821 at 16-20 Waterloo Place (see separate listing). The foundation stone was laid by Prince Albert. By 1890, the original building was proving inadequate as the Post Office business was booming and W W Robertson extended the Southern elevation with an extra 7-bays. In 1908-9, the building was extended again by W T Oldreive with an additional 12 bays to the Southern elevation, and with an entrance to Calton Road, close to an entrance to Waverley Station (see separate listing). The original building was also heightened by an extra storey to each elevation. The interior of the building was removed in 2000 and replaced with a modern office space.

Robert Matheson (c 1807-1877) was the Clerk of Works for Scotland. Using the High Renaissance style, he worked on buildings throughout Scotland, although mainly focussing on Edinburgh and the East. His other works include New Register House in Edinburgh (1869) (see separate listing).

Both Walter Wood Robertson (1845-1907) and William Thomas Oldrieve ( 1853-1922) became Principal Architects of Scotland.

List description revised as part of the Edinburgh Holyrood Ward resurvey 2007-08.

References

Bibliography

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