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Summary

Description

Early 19th century end of terrace classical house altered and extended with 3-storey building in mid 19th century creating U-plan former chemical works comprised of E, N and W ranges around cobbled courtyard, open to S. Main entrance at No 17 Smith?s Place (W range), being end pavilion of classical palace frontage, originally matching that at W end (No 1). Sandstone ashlar frontage to Smith?s Place, coursed rubble walls to courtyard with droved ashlar base and eaves courses. Dressed margins at corners, projecting window sills. E elevation of E range, recent dry-dash finish at ground floor.

W RANGE: S elevation, 2 storeys over basement, 3-bay ashlar entrance facade to Smith?s Place, droved at basement and 1st floor, rubble E elevation with ashlar dressings. Band course at principal and 1st floor levels, rusticated masonry between, with voussoirs over openings. Cornice around gable pediment at eaves level. Timber entrance doorpiece, pilastered with capitals and bases. Architrave, frieze and pediment above. Entrance door lowered to pavement level, in 3rd bay. Lowered cills to principal floor windows, 1st floor windows architraved and corniced. E elevation, 2 small (infilled) square windows at ground and 1st floors.

N RANGE: 6-bay elevation. Single storey building set in re-entrant angle at 1st-3rd bays with rubble wall to S partially corniced with infilled margined and corniced doorway at bay 1. Cement rendered E wall with modern window openings.

E RANGE: 4-bay W elevation with cart-arch in 2nd bay, voussoirs over, infilled loading doors (now windows) above. Loading well below courtyard level in 3rd bay. 2-bay return at S end with door and window at ground floor of 1st and 2nd bays respectively, light well below courtyard level in 2nd bay. E elevation, 4 widely spaced bays, with additional windows at 1st floor to right of 3rd bay. Infilled doorways at ground floor in 1st and 4th bays.

12-pane timber sash and case windows to all openings except 8-pane timber sash and case bipartite windows with timber mullion over cart arch, altered windows at principal floor of entrance facade, basement windows with steel shutters. 2-leaf, 6-panel timber entrance door, vertically-boarded doors to arch. 2-leaf timber doors with glazed upper panels in loading well.

Grey slate, M-roof, piended at S end of E range, and behind entrance facade pediment. Modern, flat-roofed, cement-rendered addition projecting through roof at SE corner. Piended grey slate roof with large skylight to single storey building. Cast-iron hoist with pulley, and decorative wrought-iron infill and brackets at 3rd floor level to right of cart arch. Metal roller at head of arch. Iron bars at 1st floor window of N range in 1st-3rd bays, protective iron grilles over loading and light wells.

2 stone steps to entrance door at Smith?s Place, cast-iron boot scraper, cast-iron railings on stone cope with fleur-de-lys finials. Stone steps to basement area.

Statement of Special Interest

A-group with Nos 1-19 Smith?s place, 169-177 Leith Walk and 185-193 Leith Walk. This building was, until recently, the chemical works for Raimes Clark & Co (who still occupy No 19) and is currently (1994) due for conversion to flats. The timber doorpiece and lowered sills at

No 17 appear to be mid 19th century alterations contemporary with the factory addition. This building is an important part of the scheme laid out in 1814 by James Smith, merchant.

References

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