Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

1-8 (INCLUSIVE NOS) BAXTER'S PLACE INCLUDING RAILINGSLB28279

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
A
Date Added
14/12/1970
Supplementary Information Updated
19/03/2003
Local Authority
Edinburgh
Planning Authority
Edinburgh
Burgh
Edinburgh
NGR
NT 26125 74439
Coordinates
326125, 674439

Description

John Baxter, circa 1800. Classical tenement block, 3-storey basement and attic, 19-bay elevation to Baxter's Place. Shops built out to front of N section of block. Smooth chamfered rustication to ground floor, polished ashlar to upper floors (droved / rockfaced to basement; predominantly coursed squared rubble with polished margins to side and rear). Dividing band between ground and 1st floor, and between 1st and second floor; mutuled eaves cornice; blocking course. Architraved doorpieces with consoles supporting cornices above; giant pilasters, surmounted by triglyph blocks, dividing bays to 1st floors of advanced pavilions. Regular fenestration.

W (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: advanced pavilions of 6 bays to outer left and right. 2 timber-panelled doors with letterbox fanlights to centre of N pavilion, approached by steps between shops; windows to right 3 bays to 1st floor have dropped cills and cast iron balconettes. 3rd and 6th bay to centre section have steps to platt overarching basement recess, leading to timber-panelled door with letterbox fanlight (segmental design to fanlight to right). 2nd bay from right to S pavilion has steps and overarching platt to timber-panelled door with letterbox fanlight of segmental design. Dormers to roof to central 4 bays of pavilions and all but 2nd left bay of centre section.

E (REAR) ELEVATION: large modern office block extension to left. To centre, 2 bowed sections (tripartite windows to bow to left, 3-bay bow to right). Remains of later extensions and alterations extant at lower sections to right end of block. Dormers to roof to right.

S (GREENSIDE LANE) ELEVATION: 4-bay elevation; all windows blind or blocked up except those to outer left bay. To inner right bay, fluted Doric pilastered doorway (blocked up).

GLAZING etc: predominantly 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows. Pitched roof, with piend detail to outer pavilions; grey slates; stone skews and skewputts. 4 corniced droved ashlar ridge stacks; 1 corniced rendered ridge stack to centre of block; rubble gablehead stack with ashlar quoins to S elevation, rubble, ashlar quoins; rubble wallhead to E elevation; circular cans to all stacks.

RAILINGS: spearhead and fir-cone finialled cast iron railings set in ashlar coping to edge of basement recesses, steps and platts; wrought iron lamp standards flanking platts to No 3 and No.1.

Statement of Special Interest

Baxter's Place is linked to the north by a quadrant colonnade to Blenheim Place, one of the most important elements in Playfair's Eastern New Town scheme; continuity of building line and quality classical architecture are valuable streetscape elements which 1-8 Baxter's Place contributes to this important corner location. It is a good example of early high quality tenement building in this area of the city. No 1 Baxter's Place was the home of Robert Stevenson, the renowned engineer (also the grandfather of Robert Louis Stevenson). He died there in 1850.

Baxter's Place is built on land feued by the City to John Baxter, who began dispositions in 1800. However, the land on which the building stand is marked as 'Baxter's Feu' by Kincaid in 1784. Baxter was a builder from Portobello, whose son, John Baxter junior, became an architect well regarded enough to have been asked to be one of the judges of the competition for laying out the grounds of Calton Hill in 1813. Either separately or in partnership, father and son appear to have been involved in several building projects in the Greenside/Leith Street area in the early 19th century.

The shops built out at ground floor were an early addition; in 1830 plans were drawn up to construct shops in front of No 3, but it appears that these particular plans were not carried out. The O.S map of 1852 shows shops in front of Nos 8-4, and by 1877 shops had also been built out in front of Nos 1-2. There was also alteration to the rear, with most of the N end of the block having been extended considerably by 1896. In the 20th century the ground floor of Nos 4-5 was further extended at the rear to house the Salon Cinema. Most of these extensions to the rear have now been fully or partly demolished.

In 1976-8 the south section was refurbished by Robert Hurd and Partners; the shops were removed along with a later mansard roof at the front. To the rear a linked extension was built and the buildings are now government offices.

The building now has a mixed use as shops, a public house, residential flats and office accommodation.

References

Bibliography

Sasines, S.R.O. Kincaid's Map, 1784. John Ainsie's Map, 1804. O.S. Map, 1853, 1877. Gifford, McWilliam and Walker, THE BUILDINGS OF EDINBURGH 1991 p448. H Colvin DICTIONARY OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS (1995). RCAHMS Inventory.

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.

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Printed: 28/03/2024 20:47