11A Rothesay Place, Edinburgh

Probably designed by John Lessels between 1870 and 1874, 55 Manor Place is an extensive classical terrace of unified townhouses. The terrace comprises three-storey buildings with attics and basement levels, arranged with main-door properties and common stair entries behind. A later ashlar attic storey has been added to number 47a. The terrace is divided into a slightly projecting four-bay central section and a three-bay angled block to the north, with a similar three-bay return visible on Rothesay Place – the southern block of which is a separate listed building. The basement level includes vaulted cellars and retaining walls.

The buildings are constructed of sandstone ashlar, with droved ashlar at basement level and channelled ashlar to the ground floor. The entrance platts project over the basement. Architectural details include a base course, a banded cill course at the first floor, a string course between the windows to the corner blocks, a further banded cill course to the second floor, brackets beneath the first-floor windows in the central section, and a corniced eaves course. A stepped and balustraded parapet is topped by rectangular corniced dormers on the north corner block (number 61). Timber four-panel doors are set within corniced, consoled, round-arched surrounds, each with a plain fanlight. Round-arched, keystoned doorways with narrow sidelights are found to the north corner block. Moulded architraved surrounds feature on pedimented tripartite windows on the first floor, with bipartite windows to the second floor – some windows on the north corner block are blind. Cast-iron balconies are supported by scrolled brackets at the ground floor windows. Later rectangular dormers have been added to number 61.

Predominantly, the windows contain plate glass in timber sash and case style. Corniced ashlar gable ridge and parapet stacks are fitted with modern clay cans. The roof is a double-pitch M-section, covered in grey slates. Cast-iron railings stand on sandstone coping stones that edge the basement recess to the street, and cast-iron rainwater goods are present throughout.

The interiors are characterized by a well-developed classical style, featuring large and intricate cornicing. Number 49 features highly detailed cornices in its ground and first-floor rooms, with some console brackets at the corners. Several original fireplaces retain open, pedimented surrounds. A cantilevered dog-leg staircase is topped by a large glass cupola, incorporating a highly detailed cornice and decorative roundel panels to the entablature. A marble plaque commemorates "THOSE TRAVELLERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES BY ENEMY ACTION IN THE WORLD WARS.”