131 George Street, Edinburgh

The building at 133 and 133A George Street, Edinburgh, comprises a pair of former classical houses dating from the 1780s and 1790s, with later alterations made in 1883 by John Bryce. The buildings are three storeys high with attics, and each has three bays. They are constructed of cream-coloured sandstone ashlar, with polished dressings. The ground floor fronts are framed with polished granite, with a recessed entrance to the former bank on the right (133) and a simple plate glass front with a further door to the upper floors on the left (133A). Rusticated quoins define each house. The first-floor windows have architraves adorned with cornices. A cornice runs along the building, topped by two pairs of later 19th-century dormers with piend roofs; these are bipartite on the right and canted on the left.

Significant additions have been made to the rear of both properties, particularly at No 133. The windows are timber sash and case, with plate glass. The roof features ashlar coped skews and stone stacks, the western ones rendered, with a recessed downpipe at the centre, all covered by grey slates.

The interiors of both properties have undergone substantial alteration and are now interconnected on all upper floors. At No 131, the ground and first-floor staircases have been removed, but a simple flight now connects the front room of the bank to the former Drawing Room. A veined orange marble chimneypiece with egg and dart mouldings was previously located in the Drawing Room, but was removed and stolen in 1995. A pair of doors with curious panelled frames lead to a central corridor created by a later addition. A rear room features a similar chimneypiece, also stolen in 1995, and a view to a conservatory. Earlier 19th century cornices are retained en suite. A surviving staircase has alternate decorative cast-iron banisters and an oval rooflight supported on a cove. A doorway connects the former Drawing Room to an adjoining room in No 133. This room retains some panelled dado, replacement panelled doors, and a tripartite window with fluted pilasters to the rear room. A cantilevered stone staircase has matching banisters. The stairwell contains plaster panels, a swagged frieze, and a coved lantern with a Vitruvian scrolled frieze and foliate papier mache decoration; security bars have been added between opposing flights. Access is provided to No 135 in the attic (listed separately). No 133 has a large saloon to the rear at ground level, where some original cornice remains above a suspended ceiling.