4 Blenheim Place, Edinburgh

The Royal Bank of Scotland building at 1, 2, 3 Blenheim Place, Edinburgh, is a substantial classical tenement block designed by William Henry Playfair and built by William Cullen in 1825, dating from 1821. It stands three storeys high with a basement and attic, presenting six bays to Blenheim Place, five bays to Leith Walk, and five bays to the east elevation. The building is characterised by a curved corner and a two-storey tetrastyle Ionic portico facing east; a two-storey quadrant colonnade fronts Leith Walk.

The exterior is primarily polished ashlar, with droved ashlar to the basement, painted to the ground floor, and coursed squared rubble to the rear. Architectural detailing includes a dividing band between the ground and first floors, a dividing band course and dentilled main cornice between the second floor and attic, an eaves cornice, and a blocking cornice. Giant pilasters divide the bays on the first floor, and pilaster strips divide the bays on the attic floor. Round-arched openings are found on the ground floor, with regular fenestration above.

The north-west (Leith Walk) elevation is slightly recessed and curved, with polished ashlar to the ground floor. Steps lead to a two-leaf timber-panelled door with a segmental fanlight, flanked by windows on either side. Giant Ionic columns mark the bays at the first floor. An advanced section extends to the far right, featuring a ground floor door. The north elevation incorporates an additional bay to the basement and ground floors, with steps leading to two platts overarching the basement recess. Two doors, each with a segmental teardrop fanlight, are flanked by windows with similar fanlights. The east elevation has a two-bay section to the left, and a three-bay section to the right (the ground floor of which is obscured by an adjoining building). The ground floor section features giant Ionic columns supporting a pediment, with blind windows in the center bay. A blank wall rises behind the pediment to the attic floor. Three cast-iron balconnettes are located in front of the second-floor windows. The south (rear) elevation is three bays wide, with the fourth bay recessed to the basement and ground floors only. Blind windows are located on the second and attic floors of the right bay, while some basement and ground floor windows have been altered or blocked.

The majority of windows retain 12-pane timber sash and case glazing, with plate-glass in timber sash and case windows in the attic. The ground floor glazing is predominantly modern. The roof is double-piended and curved to the north, covered in graded grey slates. A corniced rendered ridge stack with circular cans is located to the right of the north elevation, while a stone wallhead stack with circular cans is present on the east elevation. Two corniced rubble wallhead stacks are situated on the rear. Cast iron railings, gates, and a balcony surround the basement area on the north elevation, displaying a circular design with spear-headed dog bars.