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Summary

Description

1792. 3-storey basement and attic, 8-bay former pair of classical houses with flats above, on corner site. Droved cream sandstone ashlar with polished dressings. Rusticated at ground; long and short rusticated quoins; channelled pilaster strip at centre; eaves cornice. At 1st floor, windows with architraves, cornices and blind balustraded aprons; at 2nd floor, windows to S block with margins and cill course. Bays slightly irregularly spaced. Each block with tripartite pilastered doorpieces with fluted friezes to inner centre bay; former plain common stair doorway in inner bay of S block now filled as window (but stair remains). Each block with pair of canted piend-roofed dormers.

Rubble gable with new stone dressings to windows at centre.

Irregular coursed rubble 6-bay 4-storey rear elevation, 2 bays to right stepping forward, with 2-storey stone extension. Single storey pitched roofed stugged and snecked sandstone block to lane.

12-pane timber sash and case windows. Ashlar coped skews; corniced rendered stack to S, rendered stacks at centre; rebuilt stone stack to N; grey slates.

INTERIOR: No 48 extended to rear at basement, ground and 1st floors. No 48 with enriched ceiling in entrance Hall; glazed arch to central stair with lift in well, square iron banisters; stair continues to attic (extended?). Slapping into former Dining Room; large carved chimneypiece with grained gesso enrichments and fluted frieze, pilasters, urns and marble slips; panelled dado. At 1st floor, former Drawing Room subdivided with swagged frieze and white marble Grecian chimneypiece with laurel wreaths. Common stair remains for secondary access. No 52 with rooms flanking entrance Hall; hall with plate glass door, enriched ceiling and archway to inner hall with fluted corniced overdoors; straight stair on axis to 1st floor with alternate cast-iron banisters; plaster panelled walls; scrolled frieze at 1st floor level; very fine enriched ceiling with scrolled foliage; further scrolled frieze at lintel level of landing doors; shaped corniced overdoors with tableau of gambolling figures. Former Dining Room with decorative plaster panelled walls, panelled dado, carved and fluted corniced overdoors, grey slate earlier 19th century chimneypiece and later beams (cornices run along). At 1st floor 2-bay NE room with panelled pilaster frames to doors and windows, carved and swagged chimneypiece; swagged frieze to NW room, simple chimneypieces to remaining rooms; at centre S, shallow archway with fluted piers and Corinthian capitals leads to steps connecting with No 48; at rear access to extension and also No 48. 2nd floor (former flat) accessed from former common stair and No 48; arched hallway; elegant central stair with plain square banisters to attic; NE room with arched and pilastered sideboard recess, panelled dado and good large carved and pilastered chimneypiece with marble slips; 2 rear rooms (possibly subdivided) with carved chimneypieces; swagged frieze and tripartite window to NW. Access to No 54.

RAILINGS: cast-iron spearhead railings.

Statement of Special Interest

Built for Thomas Cranstoun and Capt Brown by John and James Williamson and Alexander Crawford. Now united as single office. Interconnects with No 54 (see separate listing). 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

Bibliography

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