70, 72, 74, 76 Dublin Street, Edinburgh

A classical palace block terrace on Dublin Street, Edinburgh, designed by Robert Reid and William Sibbald in 1804, with design alterations by Thomas Bonnar in 1817–18. The building comprises 31 bays arranged as a 4-storey and basement 5-bay central pavilion, mirrored pairs of 4-storey and basement 3-bay terminal pavilions, and mirrored pairs of 3-storey and basement 10-bay linking blocks. The structure is executed in polished ashlar sandstone with V-jointed rustication at principal floor level and rock-faced rustication to the basement. Base courses mark the principal and first floors, cill courses the first and second floors, and cornices articulate the second floor, returned and terminated at corners with blocking courses to the linking blocks. Cornices and blocking courses also appear at the third floor of the terminal pavilions. A corniced frieze is set at impost level to the central and terminal pavilions. Ashlar steps and entrance platts oversail the basement. A mews building stands to the rear in Dublin Meuse.

On the principal (north) elevation, the central pavilion contains recessed doorpieces with radial semicircular fanlights in the centre bay and penultimate bay from the right at principal floor level. Windows are set in segmental arched recesses to the left of centre and at the outer left and right at principal floor; regular fenestration fills the floors above and basement. Ionic pilasters divide bays at the first and second floors. Blind balustered aprons to the first floor windows (with balusters now removed as of 1997) are a notable feature. Panelled pilasters separate bays at the third floor. A flagged basement area with rubble walls and predominantly vertically boarded timber doors completes the composition.

The linking blocks on either side of the central pavilion are 3-storey and basement structures of 10 bays each. They feature pairs of windows with doors in bays radiating from the central pavilion, with single windows to the outer left and right at principal floor level; regular fenestration occupies the floors above and basement. An Art Nouveau door at No. 4 bears a metal plaque commemorating William McTaggart, painter (1903–1981), and his wife Fanny Aavatsmark, a Norwegian patriot and journalist, who lived there. Flagged basement areas with rubble walls and predominantly vertically boarded timber doors to cellars run beneath.

The terminal pavilions mirror one another, each comprising a 4-storey and basement 3-bay block. They feature windows set in segmental arched recesses at the centre and outer left and right at principal floor level. Windows at the first floor centre bay are pedimented with consoles, whilst those in flanking bays are corniced with consoles. Regular fenestration rises through the floors above and basement; lunette windows are centred at the third floors. Central wallhead tablets with swag decoration crown each pavilion. Blind balustered aprons adorn the first floor windows. Lowered cills mark the central and left windows at the second floor of the eastern terminal pavilion. Flagged basement areas with rubble walls and predominantly vertically boarded timber doors to cellars complete these features.

The Dublin Street return to the eastern terminal pavilion forms a 4-storey, attic and basement 6-bay block (becoming 70–76 Dublin Street), comprising a 4-storey, attic and basement 4-bay gable to the right and a 3-storey and attic 2-bay terrace (70 Dublin Street) set back to the left. A 2-bay shop front occupies the left of centre at principal floor, with a 2-leaf timber door in the penultimate bay to the left and a plate-glass shop window in the third bay from the left. A common stair door stands at the outer left. Regular fenestration fills the right section and upper floors, with blind windows in the penultimate bay from the right and outer right at all floors; projecting cills enhance the fenestration. A dormer window appears in the penultimate bay from the left, and a window in the third bay from the right marks the attic storey. A flagged basement area with rubble walls and vertically boarded timber doors to cellars underlies the structure. The south elevation is obscured by the adjoining terrace at 64–66 Dublin Street.

The Nelson Street return to the western terminal pavilion is a 4-storey and basement 6-bay terrace (becoming 31 and 31A Nelson Street). A common stair door with steps and entrance platt oversailing the basement occupies the third bay from the left at principal floor level, with regular fenestration in the third bay from the left, third bay from the right, and outer right; blind windows infill the bays to the outer left, penultimate bay from the left, and penultimate bay from the right at all floors. A corniced shop front at basement level serves the outer left. A flagged basement area with rubble walls and vertically boarded timber doors to cellars completes this elevation. The south elevation is obscured by the adjoining terrace at 25–29 Nelson Street.

Throughout the building, fenestration is predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows, with some plate glass sash and case windows. Window guards protect the third floor windows at the western terminal block. Basement doors are predominantly 6-panel flush-beaded. A grey slate mansard roof crowns the structure. Piend-roofed slate-hung canted timber dormers with 4-pane timber sash and case windows mark No. 7; a tripartite box dormer rises over the bay at the outer right of the eastern linking block. Cast-iron rainwater goods serve throughout. Ridge stacks are of varied broached ashlar and harled finishes; a broached gable head stack marks the Dublin Street return, whilst a large shouldered wallhead stack is centred to the Nelson Street return. All are coped with circular cans.

The interiors have not been fully inspected since 1997, though some evidence of working panelled shutters survives. An Adamesque entrance hall serves No. 1; the interior of No. 4 was recast by architect Robert S Lorimer. A single surviving room of Roman style painting at No. 9 was executed for Charles Scott, advocate.

Ashlar copes surmounted by cast-iron railings with spear-headed balusters and urn finials run along the frontage. Cast-iron railing-mounted lamps with glass globes provide illumination.

The mews building in Dublin Meuse dates to the early 19th century and is arranged in a U-plan block. It is predominantly coursed rubble with droved ashlar dressings.

The north block of the mews comprises a modern rendered house adjoining a blank south gable to the right. The south and west elevations, facing the courtyard, feature modern doors with concave shouldered fanlights and windows to openings, a 2-leaf vertically boarded timber garage door with stone lintel, and a door and window to an infilled former carriage door with stone lintel. Timber sash and case windows of traditional character are predominantly employed. Grey slate roofs cover the structure. Cast-iron rainwater goods are fitted throughout. Rendered ridge stacks, coped with circular cans, and coped skews complete the mews building.