22, 24, 26 Castle Street, Edinburgh

22, 24, 26 Castle Street in Edinburgh is a former pair of classical houses built between 1792 and 1794, with later 19th century additions and alterations. This three-storey building with a basement and attic features seven bays and is situated on a corner site. The exterior is made of droved cream sandstone ashlar with polished dressings. The ground floor has V-jointed rustication, and each house is framed by long and short quoins. There is a band course above the first floor and an eaves cornice.

The entrance includes a nine-panel common stair door with a radiating fanlight, while the doorway to the left (No 22) features an arched design with pilasters and a radiating fanlight. Notable architectural elements include a pair of elegant early 19th century bowed dormers, one of which is tripartite. The three right bays (No 26) have a canted shopfront at ground level, complete with a cornice and blocking course. Above this, there is a similar canted timber window at the centre of the first floor, flanked by architraved windows. The building has a late 19th century mansard roof with a tripartite box dormer.

The windows are timber sash and case, with 12-pane windows in the four southern bays and 4-pane windows in the northern bays, while the dormers feature plate glass. The building has ashlar coped skews, a stone stack to the south, and a rebuilt brick stack to the north, all covered with grey slates.

The interior was last seen in 1995 when it was vacant, but it is noted for interesting plasterwork and a top-lit saloon in the shop that dates back to the 19th century alterations. No 22 contains a finely enriched ceiling in the former Dining and Drawing Room, featuring concentric ovals, although the original chimneypieces have been stolen.

Additionally, there are cast-iron spearhead railings and a pair of original wrought-iron lamp standards at No 22.