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Summary

Description

1791; additions to rear and alterations Peddie & Kinnear, 1865; further alterations subsequently; refurbished circa 1985. Mirrored pair of 3-storey basement and attic, 3-bay former classical houses (No 66 slightly wider). Polished Craigleith sandstone ashlar; channelled rustication at ground with flat long and short quoins. Outer bays with tripartite doorpieces; columns and pediment with fluted frieze framing 2-leaf panelled door and plate glass fanlight, with pilastered wings, stylised capitals (door replaced by fixed 8- pane window at No 67 - steps and platt remain but railed off). 1st floor windows architraved with blind balustraded aprons and cornices. 2nd floor windows with cill course, swagged aprons, and pilaster architraves, supporting full width blank frieze and mutuled cornice. Row of 5 Velux windows with single timber tripartite piend-roofed dormer to far right. Near symmetrical coursed rubble 4-bay rear elevation; advanced 4-storey outer bays, inner bays 3-storey and attic with tripartite windows at ground and 1st floors; tripartite piend-roofed dormers. Single storey flat-roofed office range (1865) built over gardens and adjoining mews buildings (see below), with light well to rear of houses.

Timber sash and case 12-pane windows. Ashlar coped mutual skews, rendered stacks (reduced to east). Roof height changes to accommodate substantial stair cupolas; grey slates.

INTERIOR: both of very fine quality, with considerable but generally well thought out alterations carried out over the course of over 100 years of legal use, including interconnecting corridors at all floors; identical circular stair cupolas with cove decorated with wheat ears and delicate scrolls. NO 66: broader width allows for exceptional open Entrance Hall with inner porch, corniced stone chimneypiece and single fluted Cornithian pillar supporting landing above; lobby with enriched ceiling (octagon within oval with 4 wheatsheafs and central rose); straight longitudinal stair with alternate cast-iron banisters rises to 2nd floor with landing at attic; swagged frieze and 2nd floor and scrolled foliate frieze below cupola. At ground front room with elaborate carved timber chimneypiece with pilasters, urns and grained gesso enrichments, veined grey marble slips with inner bead and 19th century castiron arched register grate; grained dado. Rear room divided to create corridor to No 67; panelled dado, plaster panelled walls, similar chimneypiece to above, painted white, with marble slips etc (perhaps former Dining Room). At 1st floor, former Drawing Room subdivided to give passage and small room (with plain stone chimneypiece); panelled dado, later fitted shelves and bookcases, very fine fluted white marble chimneypiece with rosettes, central tablet with urn and veined orange marble slips, grate as above (directly comparable with that at ground in No 64 Queen St). Rear room subdivided to create passage, swagged frieze to cornice, dado, painted carved chimneypiece with fluted Cornithian pilasters and frieze, central trophy panel, brown marble slips. Lined closet to rear with marble fittings and thunderbox.

NO 67: redundant Entrance Hall with simple enriched ceiling with draped husks and rose. Stair as above; plain frieze at 2nd floor; attic landing splayed at corners, swagged frieze to cupola. Former apsidal-ended Dining Room, now divided to create corridor, with plaster panelled walls, panelled dado and painted carved timber chimneypiece with urns, rinceau frieze and grey marble slips. Rear left room with simple moulded white marble chimneypiece with orange marble slips; right light of tripartite window removed to allow door to rear offices. At 1st floor, former Drawing Room had been subdivided, restored 1982 but brackets and N wall betray alterations; fine enriched ceiling with interlaced plasterwork within ovals, dado, painted carved timber chimneypiece with fluted frieze, figures and central fox and hounds tableau (installed 1982) with veined orange marble slips; swagged corniced overdoor (installed 1982 and probably from the rear ground room of No 66). Rear room subdivided to provide corridor with painted swagged timber chimneypiece.

RAILINGS AND LAMP STANDARDS: cast-iron spearhead railings and 2 original wrought-iron lamp standards.

Statement of Special Interest

The houses were built for General Sir Ralph Abercromby of Tullibody and Mr William Tait by the masons John and James Williamson. John Williamson went to America in 1794 to work as a chief stonemason on the White House. No 66 may be the 'house for General Abercromby' credited to Thomas Harrison in the APSD. Abercromby was commander-in-chief of the Scottish forces, and died of wounds inflicted at Aboukir Bay, near Alexandria, a battle of which he was the victor. The military motifs throughout No 66 reflect his profession. The houses are a significant surviving part of the original fabric of Edinburgh's New Town, one of the most important and best preserved examples of urban planning in Britain; Queen Street was built to take advantage of the northern views, and has survived remarkably unaltered to this day. In August of 1822 No 66 was rented by the Glasgow City Council, at which time it had stabling for 18 horses. The offices to the rear of the property are known as the Horseboxes, and must be part of Peddie & Kinnear's alterations; this name may reflect Abercromby's original extensive stabling (which can be made out on Kirkwood's Map). The mews facade to No 67 is the finest surviving example in the first New Town, many houses not actually having their own stabling. Tods Murray acquired No 66 in 1856 (they were then Tods Murray & Jamieson) and were there up to 2005. The ashlar has acquired a remarkably beautiful grained patina.

Statutory address and listed building record updated in 2015 when the former mews buildings, 33 and 35 Young Street Lane North, were removed from the list. Previously listed as '66 and 67 Queen Street, with 33 and 35 Young Street Lane, Railing and Lamp Standards'.

References

Bibliography

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