7, 9, 11, 13 Cumberland Street, Edinburgh

This is a group of four, 37-bay, early 19th-century terraced tenements on Cumberland Street, Edinburgh, built in 1822 and completed in 1850 by Thomas Brown. The tenements are composed of a 27-bay central block flanked by slightly projecting 5-bay end blocks. The facades are constructed from broached ashlar sandstone, with the principal floor channelled to create a textured appearance. Architectural details include a band course at the principal and 1st floors, a cill course at the 2nd floor, and a cornice and blocking course at the eaves. Cement steps and projecting entrance platts extend over the basement level.

The north (principal) elevation features a variety of six-panel, flush-beaded timber doors, most paired, and a range of decorative and plate glass rectangular fanlights. The advanced end block on the outer left has a two-leaf, vertically boarded timber door to the extreme left, flanked by plate glass shop windows. A common stair door and a plate glass shop window paired with a six-panel, two-leaf timber door are centrally positioned, while a plate glass shop window paired with a six-panel, two-leaf timber door is located at the outer right. The advanced block to the outer right features a central door flanked by windows, a window to the right and a door to the left. The central section has an irregular arrangement of doors and windows, with regular fenestration above, and bipartite windows in the 5th bay from the left on all upper floors. Some basement sections are cement rendered with varying doors and windows.

The east and west elevations are constructed with coursed random rubble stone, incorporating droved ashlar dressings, with windows centred on each floor. The south elevation was not inspected in 1997.

Most windows are 12-pane timber sash and case, though some plate glass timber sash and case windows are found at the central section. The roof is covered with grey slate and includes cast-iron rainwater goods. Chimneys are constructed of a mix of harled and dressed ashlar, with some features like a droved, shouldered wallhead stack topped with circular cans, coped skews, and decorative pineapple finials.

Interior details were not inspected in 1997, but evidence suggests the presence of working panelled shutters. External railings consist of ashlar copes topped with cast-iron railings featuring fleur-de-lis balusters and some pineapple finials.