2 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh

2 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh

Number 1 and Number 2 Royal Terrace were built circa 1857, forming part of William Playfair's grand design conceived between 1820 and 1824. They are component units within an extremely long 121-bay palace front terrace of townhouses, representing a major work of early 19th-century Edinburgh architecture.

The principal composition features an arched and rusticated ground floor running the full length of the terrace. The central section consists of three storeys punctuated by three substantial three-storey and attic pavilions with Corinthian colonnades. Flanking this central portion are three-storey balustraded sections which lead in turn to three-storey sections fronted by three-storey and attic Ionic colonnaded pavilions. The outer left and right ends of the terrace are marked by two-storey balustraded sections. All houses have basements.

The material palette is varied by elevation: droved ashlar to the basement; V-chamfered rustication to the ground floor; polished ashlar to the upper floors; and predominantly coursed squared rubble with dressed margins to the rear elevations. All principal elevations are articulated with a base course, a dividing band between basement and ground floor, an impost course to the ground floor, a dividing band between ground and first floors, and to the first floor, a narrow band course interrupted by a window in each bay.

The North (Principal) Elevation of Numbers 1 and 2 forms a six-bay elevation (three bays to each original townhouse) with two storeys, basement and attic. The basement contains segmentally-headed windows to the 3rd and 6th bays from the right, timber doors with four-light fanlights in segmentally-headed openings to the 2nd and 5th bays, and to the 1st and 4th bays, areas under platts are blocked in with bipartite windows. A wall divides the basement areas between the 4th and 5th bays. The ground floor features steps and platts overarching basement recesses to the 1st and 4th bays, leading to timber-panelled doors with flanking margin lights and segmental fanlights; the remaining bays contain windows. Cast-iron balconettes are fitted to windows of the 4th, 5th and 6th bays from the right. An unbroken band course runs above the windows, with an eaves cornice and balustraded parapet completing the elevation. Dormer windows occupy the roof space above each bay.

The West (Side) Elevation is largely blank, with only a single window at ground level to the right. It displays a base course and band course, with an eaves cornice. At the right, the eaves level steps up by one storey.

The South (Rear) Elevation is a six-bay composition (three bays to each original house) with full-height advanced bays featuring chamfered corners to the 2nd and 5th bays from the right.

Glazing patterns vary by location and floor. The principal elevation features predominantly 12-pane glazing in the basement, plate-glass to the ground floor, and six-pane glazing (two-pane top sash, four-pane lower sash) to the first floor, all in timber sash and case windows. Attic windows are not visible from outside. The rear elevation predominantly carries six-pane glazing (two-pane top sash, four-pane lower sash) in timber sash and case windows; to the second (attic) floor, 12-pane glazing lights the 1st and 4th bays while 16-pane glazing serves the 3rd and 6th bays, all in timber sash and case windows.

The roof comprises an M-roof with central valleys, a piended section to the west side, and a mansard section to the front elevation, all covered in graded grey slate. To the centre and left stand mutual corniced ashlar ridge stacks surmounted by linked octagonal flues. The side elevation carries a wallhead stack. Chimneys are predominantly fitted with circular cans.

Boundary treatments include stone coping surmounted by cast-iron railings with dog bars, spear-head finials and a distinctive circled border, which edge the basement recesses and platts to the front. The rear boundary, forming the garden edge, comprises random rubble walling with flat coping. Railings once existed at the south end but are now missing.

Internally, slappings (temporary openings) exist in the dividing wall between Numbers 1 and 2 at ground floor level. Both ground-floor lobbies have compartmented ceilings with ornate plasterwork. A panelled, pilastered and corniced doorpiece separates the lobby from the inner hall in Number 2.

Number 1 retains, to the ground floor, a former dining room with good ornate cornice and black marble chimneypiece, plus two corniced doorpieces. The first-floor rear west room features good ornate cornicing and a classical grey marble chimneypiece. Number 2's ground floor contains a former dining room with good ornate cornicing. Both Numbers 1 and 2 feature ornate cast-iron balusters to their stairs.