1-1A Dundas Street, Edinburgh

1-1A Dundas Street, Edinburgh

A large palace block designed by Robert Reid and William Sibbald between 1806 and 1819, with a porch addition by David Bryce in 1857. The building comprises 44 bays arranged in a near-symmetrical composition with a curved frontage. The main structure is 3 storeys with basement, with a 4-bay section rising to 3 storeys at the outer left, flanked by 5-bay terminal pavilions of 4 storeys and basement.

The external walls are constructed in polished ashlar sandstone. At the principal floor, V-jointed rustication is used, while the basement features rock-faced rustication. Band courses run between the basement and principal floor, and between the principal floor and first floor. Cill courses mark the first and second floors. A cornice and blocking course sits at the second floor level, continuing as a cornice at the terminal pavilions, with a further cornice and blocking course at the third floor of those pavilions. Ashlar steps and entrance platforms project over the basement. Some lowered first-floor cills occur to the central curved section.

The south-east (principal) elevation displays predominantly panelled timber doors with plate glass rectangular fanlights appearing every third bay, with regular fenestration across all floors. No 30, The Royal Scots Club, occupies 7 bays and features a porch by David Bryce centred at principal floor level. This porch is channelled with windows in rectangular recesses at the returns, a doorpiece with a consoled cornice, and is flanked by metal plaques reading "The Royal Scots Club (The Royal Regiment) War Memorial Club" beneath a balustraded parapet. No 32, The Caledonian Club, is a 4-storey and basement structure of 4 bays with a tripartite doorpiece featuring a glazed door surmounted by a broken pediment and a plate glass rectangular fanlight in the penultimate bay from the left. The advanced east terminal pavilion comprises a round-arched doorpiece centred at principal floor, containing a 4-panel timber door and radial semicircular fanlight, flanked by windows in round-arched recesses. Regular fenestration continues to the floors above, with windows at the centre and outer left and right positions at first floor displaying consoled cornices and blind balustered aprons. Regular fenestration continues to the basement, and a wallhead tablet is centred at the third floor.

The south elevation features an advanced west terminal pavilion comprising a round-arched doorpiece centred at principal floor with a 4-panel timber door and radial semicircular fanlight. Windows in round-arched recesses occupy the remaining bays at principal floor, with regular fenestration to the floors above. At first floor, windows at the centre and outer left and right positions display consoled cornices and blind balustered aprons. Regular fenestration continues to the basement, and a wallhead tablet is centred at the third floor.

The west elevation is 4 storeys and basement, comprising 6 bays. A 6-panel timber common stair door with a 6-pane rectangular fanlight is located in the third bay from the left at principal floor level. Regular fenestration fills the remaining bays at principal floor and all floors above, with blind windows in the second and third bays from the right at all floor levels. Blind windows also occur in bays at the outer right of the basement, where a panelled timber door is positioned in the third bay from the right. Blind aprons are fitted to first floor windows. A terrace adjoins to the north (see separate listing for 3-7 Dundas Street).

The east elevation is 4 storeys and basement, comprising 4 bays, and forms the boundary with 2 Nelson Street. A 9-panel timber common stair door with a plate glass rectangular fanlight is located to the right at principal floor level. Regular fenestration occupies the remaining bays at principal floor, and all floors above and basement, though blind windows appear in bays at principal floor, three bays to the left at first floor, central bays at second and third floors, and in bays at basement. Blind aprons are fitted to first floor windows. A terrace adjoins to the north (see separate listing for 4-8 Nelson Street).

Windows throughout are predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case. Window guards appear in bays at the outer left at first floor of the south elevation, spanning 3 bays at Nos 23, 24, 25, 30 and 31 at first floor, and spanning 4 bays at No 32 at first floor. Leaded lower panes to principal floor windows at Nos 30 and 31 feature stained glass thistles and saltire/St Andrew motifs. Roofs are covered in grey slate. Cast-iron rainwater goods are fitted throughout. A variety of stacks, coped with circular cans, serves the building.

Interiors have not been fully documented, though evidence of working panelled shutters was observed as of 1997.

A coach house of 2 storeys and 3 bays stands to the rear of Nos 22-23 (now Basil Paterson College). It is constructed in random rubble with droved long and short quoins. Irregular fenestration is present, with later windows replacing former carriage door openings on the north side.

Ashlar copes surmounted by cast-iron railings with spear-headed balusters and urn finials enclose the site. Cast-iron railing-mounted lamps with glass globes are fitted.

Mews buildings occupy Northumberland Street South East Lane, dating to the early 19th century. These comprise single storey and attic structures and 2-storey mews buildings, with a raised wallhead to No 14. Construction is in coursed rubble with polished ashlar dressings at No 14, featuring long and short quoins.

The north (principal) elevation of the mews displays two single storey and attic buildings to the left, with slappings at ground level including two 2-leaf vertically-boarded timber sliding garage doors in the penultimate bay to the left, fitted with timber runners. Windows at first floor predominantly occupy piended dormerheads, breaking the eaves.

No 14 is an institutional hall-style building with a recessed 2-leaf 4-panel timber door in a quasi-Gibbsian doorpiece centred at ground level. A window is centred at first floor. A blind frieze and continuous cornice run across the elevation, with a blank wallhead tablet spanning the full width.

No 6 features a 6-panel modern timber door to the right at ground level and a modern garage door with stone lintel to the left. A window with projecting cill appears at first floor, together with a Velux window.

Mews windows are predominantly timber sash and case. Grey slate roofs and cast-iron rainwater goods are fitted. Coped skews finish the roof edges.