Description
Robert Reid and William Sibbald, 1804, with design alterations by Thomas Bonnar, 1817-18. 22-bay symmetrical terrace, with curved frontage; comprising pair of 4-storey and basement, 5-bay bay terminal pavilions, linked by 3-storey and basement, 12-bay terrace. Polished ashlar sandstone; V-jointed rustication at principal floor; rock-faced at basement. Base course at principal and 1st floors; cill course at 1st and 2nd floors; cornice and blocking course at 2nd floor of linking terrace, continued as cornice at 2nd floor of terminal pavilions, returned and terminated to Dublin Street and London Street elevations; cornice and blocking course at 3rd floor of terminal pavilions. Ashlar steps and entrance platts oversailing basement. Mews to rear in Dublin Street Lane North, see below.
NW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION, LINKING TERRACE: 3-storey and basement, 12-bay linking terrace, comprising 4 3-bay houses; doors in bays to left, windows in bays to centre and right, at principal floor. Predominantly 4-panel timber doors with variety of decorative rectangular fanlights. Flagged basement area with predominantly vertically boarded timber doors to cellars.
TERMINAL PAVILIONS: mirrored pair of 4-storey and basement, 5-bay terminal pavilions; comprising advanced bays to outer left and right; Ionic pilasters dividing central bays at 1st and 2nd floors, semi-engaged to outer left and right, with patera above capitals. Round-arched doorpieces at centre at principal floor, with 4-panel timber doors and semicircular fanlights, radial to No 37, plate glass to No 42; flanked by windows in round-arched recesses; regular fenestration to floors above, with windows corniced with consoles in centre 3 bays, flanked by windows pedimented with consoles to outer bays; lunette windows centred at 3rd floors; wallhead panels centred at blocking courses. Blind balustered aprons to 1st floor windows. Flagged basement area with vertically boarded timber doors to cellars.
LONDON STREET RETURN TO E TERMINAL PAVILION: 4-storey and basement, 5-bay elevation, becoming 1-3A London Street (Odd Nos), comprising advanced bays to outer left and right; pair of round-arched doorpieces flanking central bay, at principal floor, with 4-panel timber doors, radial semicircular fanlights; windows in round-arched recesses in remaining bays; regular fenestration to floors above, windows corniced with consoles in centre 3 bays at 1st floor, flanked by windows pedimented with consoles to outer bays; lunette window centred at 3rd floor. Flagged basement area with vertically boarded timber doors to cellars. E elevation obscured by adjoining terrace (Nos 5 and 7 London Street, see separate listing).
DUBLIN STREET RETURN TO W TERMINAL PAVILION: 4-storey and basement, 3-bay elevation, becoming 77 Dublin Street; comprising round-arched doorpiece in bay to left at principal floor, with 4-panel common stair door, radial semicircular fanlight; window in round-arched recess at centre, blind window in round-arched recess at left. Windows in bays to right at all floors, blind windows in bays at centre and left at all floors. Flagged basement area with vertically boarded timber doors. E elevation obscured by adjoining terrace (Nos 73 and 75 Dublin Street, see separate listing).
Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Predominantly 6-panel, flush-beaded doors to basement. Grey slate M-roof. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Variety of broached and rendered ridge, wallhead and gablehead stacks; shouldered wallhead stacks centred at London Street return of E terminal Pavilion and Dublin Street return of W terminal pavilion; coped with circular cans.
INTERIORS: not seen, 1997, but some evidence of working panelled shutters.
RAILINGS AND LAMPS: ashlar copes surmounted by cast-iron railings with spear-headed balusters and urn finials. Cast-iron railing-mounted lamps with glass globes.
MEWS:
2 AND 3 DUBLIN STREET LANE NORTH: to centre, comprising paired 2-storey former coach houses, roofline stepping down to E. No 2 with modern timber door and plate glass fanlight centred at ground, flanked by modern bowed window to left, 2-leaf vertically boarded timber garage doors to right; windows to left and right at 1st floor, in piend-roofed dormers with stone lintels breaking eaves. No 3 with timber door centred at ground, 2-leaf vertically boarded timber garage doors at left; windows to left and right at 1st floor.
Statement of Special Interest
Part of the Second New Town A Group, a significant surviving part of one of the most important and best preserved examples of urban planning in Britain.
Drummond Place, feued by the magistrates, was part of the 1st extension of the New Town by Reid and Sibbald in 1802. The elevations, designed by Robert Reid, were partly revised for execution by Thomas Bonnar in 1817-18. Building in Drummond Place had started in 1806 but only the Dublin Street corner was built, and did not start again until after the Bonnar revision. At first Thomas Pringle and Thomas Caldwell builders took most of the feus, but sections of it were relinquished to other builders. It was finished in 1823. 37-42 Drummond Place was built by Charles Black and Thomas Ponton, after Thomas Bonnar's revision of Reid's elevation, dated 31 December 1817. The curved frontage of the principal elevation mirrors Nos 31-36A Drummond Place, and together they create a semicircular E end to the square. Lord Provost Adam Black, of Encyclopaedia Britannica fame, lived at No 38.