Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Robert Brown and John Lessels 1827-67. Extensive classical terrace comprising unified façade of 2- and 3-storey attic and basement townhouses with main-door and common stair flats behind; later attic additions, including an additional attic storey to Nos. 37-45. 5-bay corner blocks slightly advanced to N and S. Basement area to street including some vaulted cellars and retaining walls. Sandstone ashlar, droved ashlar to basement, channelled ashlar at ground floor. Entrance platts oversailing basement. Banded base course. Banded cill course at 1st and 2nd floor. String course between windows at 1st floor to corner blocks. Corniced eaves course. Stepped and balustraded parapet to corner blocks. Balustraded parapet to later additions to centre section. Timber 6-panel doors with plain doorpieces to centre and rectangular fanlight over. Round-arched doorways to corner blocks with narrow sidelights and plain fanlights. Round-arched recessed windows at ground floor to corner blocks. Moulded architraved surrounds at 1st floor windows. Architraved and corniced 1st floor windows to corner blocks (pedimented and bracketed surround to centre at 1st floor of corner blocks). Moulded architraved surrounds to windows of additional attic storey. Cast-iron balconies on scrolled brackets at 1st floor windows. Later rectangular lead roofed dormers to Nos. 33 and 35.

REAR ELEVATION: Roughly 2- and 3-storey with some advanced bays. Coursed squared rubble with ashlar lintels cills and rybats. Roughly regular fenestration with some tripartite windows.

Predominantly 6 over 9-pane and 12-pane in timber sash and case windows with some plate glass in timber sash and case. Double pitch M-section roof; grey slates. Corniced ashlar wallhead and ridge stacks with modern clay cans. Cast-iron railings on sandstone coping stone edging basement recess to street. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: interiors typified by plain classical detailing. Some cornicing, with mainly floreate designs. Fire surrounds with broken pediments. Some oval internal rooms with detailed plasterwork door surrounds and cornicing.

Statement of Special Interest

Manor Place is a well-proportioned and detailed classical terrace, forming an important component of the Walker Estate and the Western New Town. The townhouses are a largely well-preserved example of the urban planning of Robert Brown for the former Walker estate. The initial phase of building was begun in 1822 and then completed by John Lessels in a second phase from 1864 onwards. Manor Place is a variation of the Brown design for Walker Street (and is additionally a good example of the transition between Georgian and early Victorian urban design). As a result of the slow feuing in the area the original design was also carried out very slowly and the later, northern parts of the street were built using the Brown design adapted by John Lessels leading to a gradual transition away from the Brown design the further N the street goes. The northernmost part of Manor Place (see separate listing) was not completed until 1892 and demonstrates a different approach to the design of the classical terrace from Brown's with pedimented tripartite 1st floor windows being most characteristic.

Robert Brown was an experienced architect, and by the time he was involved with the deigns for the Walker Estate he had already designed several other urban schemes, including between 1810 and 1830 laying out streets in Portobello on land belonging to the Marques of Abercorn. His other notable works include Newington and St. Leonard's church (now The Queen's Hall) and the rearrangement of the interiors for Yester House on behalf of the Marques of Tweeddale. Robert Brown worked on a number of smaller projects in the New Town but the cohesive planning of the Walker estate is amongst one of the best examples of his work. He was especially competent in the design of corner pavilions and parades of shops, as can be seen in his work at North West Circus Place (see separate listing).

John Lessels (1809 - 1883) was engaged in a number of urban design schemes throughout his career, and took over responsibility for the Walker Estate relatively early in his career. He often worked to designs originally by Robert Brown adapting them to suit changing taste as he went. He later went on to work for the City Improvement Trust in Edinburgh, and gained a wide experience of residential design with further designs in both the old and new towns of Edinburgh as well as some large commissions such as significant alterations to George Watson's Hospital.

(List description revised 2009 as part of re-survey.)

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.