28 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh

This is a significant example of a townhouse designed by William Playfair between 1825 and 1833, and part of a long terrace of 34 classical townhouses in Edinburgh. The terrace is stepped to follow the slope of Regent Terrace, and features a 12-bay, 3-storey section at the western end (number 1-4), a central section with two 18-bay, 3-storey pavilions with 3-bay advanced sections at each end (number 11-16 and 23-28), and originally 2-storey, attic and basement elevations – though many now have an additional 3rd storey.

The exterior is constructed with painted droved ashlar to the basement, polished ashlar to the upper floors, and predominantly coursed squared rubble with dressed margins to the rear. The principal elevation includes a base course, dividing bands between the basement and ground floor, and between the ground and first floors. A continuous cast-iron trellis balcony with a Greek key border runs along the first floor, and there’s an eaves cornice and blocking course. The doorpiece features fluted attached Greek Doric columns. Fenestration is regular, with architraved windows to the ground and first floors and panelled aprons to the ground floor windows. The rear elevation has predominantly regular fenestration.

On the southeast (principal) elevation, the advanced section includes a basement level with a timber-panelled door and fanlight. The ground floor features steps leading to a two-leaf timber-panelled door with a letterbox fanlight. The northwest (rear) elevation is a three-bay design with an eaves course.

The windows largely use plate glass, with 16-pane glazing to the first floor of the rear elevation’s centre and right bays, and 12-pane glazing to the remainder of the rear elevation and basement front elevation. The glazing is generally in timber sash and case windows. The roof is an M-roof with a central valley, covered in graded grey slate with stone skews and skewputts. Corniced mutual ridge stacks are positioned to the east and west, with octagonal flues and predominantly circular cans.

To the front, stone coping surmounted by cast-iron railings with dog bars, spear-head finials, and a distinctive circled border defines the basement recess and platt. A random rubble boundary wall with flat coping forms the rear garden boundary.

The interior includes, on the ground floor, a lobby with a round-headed niche, excellent plasterwork, a pilastered timber and glazed screen, and a pair of doors. The first floor features classical white marble chimneypieces and good plasterwork in the former drawing room and rear room. A stone cantilevered staircase with ornate cast-iron balusters leads to a rectangular cupola with good plasterwork to the stairwell ceiling and landings.