4 St Colme Street, Edinburgh

4 St Colme Street, Edinburgh

A Grade-A listed building designed by James Gillespie Graham in 1822. This is a near-symmetrical classical palace block composed of a 3-storey and basement advanced central pavilion with 9 bays, its central 3 bays advanced further, flanked on either side by 2 pairs of predominantly 3-storey and basement, 3-bay houses. These linking terraces are themselves flanked by a pair of 4-storey and basement, 4-bay terminal pavilions. The entire structure is built in polished ashlar sandstone with channelled V-jointed rustication at principal floor level.

Horizontal stone detailing includes a base course, a band course between basement and principal floor, corniced friezes at impost level at the terminal pavilions, cill courses at the 1st and 2nd floors, and cornices at the 2nd floor of the linking blocks and terminal pavilions. A cornice and blocking course runs across the top of these sections. Ashlar steps and entrance platts overhang the basement level.

The principal south elevation of the central pavilion features the most elaborate treatment. The 9-bay block contains 4-panel timber doors with plate glass semicircular fanlights at Nos 5 and 6, and radial semicircular fanlights at further bays. Remaining bays at principal floor have windows set within round-arched recesses, with regular fenestration above. The central 3 bays contain 4 windows at 2nd floor level. A flagged basement area runs across the front.

The linking terraces on the south elevation comprise two pairs of 3-bay houses (except No 4, which remains 2-storey). These contain 4-panel timber doors with plate glass or radial semicircular fanlights at ground floor, round-arched recessed windows in remaining bays at principal floor, and regular fenestration above. Flagged basement areas are present throughout.

The eastern terminal pavilion occupies a corner site with a 5-bay bowed angle flanked by two advanced pavilions: a 4-bay section to the west (serving 1 and 2 St Colme Street) and a 3-bay section to the north (2 Forres Street, listed separately). Semi-engaged Doric columns flank the central 3 bays of the bowed angle, with Doric pilasters at the outer edges. The advanced pavilion with an east elevation has Doric pilasters flanking bays at the 1st and 2nd floors, and panelled pilasters at 3rd floor. Its south-facing aspect contains a 2-leaf timber door with radial semicircular fanlight in the centre bay at principal floor, an infilled former door with radial semicircular fanlight, and windows in round-arched recesses elsewhere at principal floor. The floors above have regular fenestration with architraved windows with cornices at 1st floor and architraved windows at 2nd and 3rd floors.

The western terminal pavilion is a 4-bay section with a 4-panel timber door featuring a plate glass semicircular fanlight, positioned left of centre at principal floor. The remaining bays have round-arched recessed windows at principal floor, regular fenestration above, architraved windows with cornices at 1st floor, and architraved windows at 2nd floor.

The southwest return to the western terminal pavilion is an advanced 4-bay elevation with Doric pilasters flanking bays at 1st and 2nd floors and panelled pilasters at 3rd floor. It features a 4-panel timber door with plate glass semicircular fanlight right of centre at principal floor, round-arched recessed windows in remaining bays, and regular fenestration above.

The Ainslie Place return to the western terminal pavilion is a 4-bay section that becomes 21 Ainslie Place (listed separately).

A variety of timber sash and case windows is employed throughout. Cast-iron balconies spanning 3 bays run across the 1st floors of Nos 1-8 and at 2 Forres Street. Grey slate M-roofs and pavilion roofs cover the structure, with a pair of box dormers at No 4. Cast-iron rainwater goods and broached ashlar rendered ridge and wallhead stacks with cornices (some coped with circular cans) complete the external detailing.

The interiors were not inspected during the 1998 survey, though evidence of working panelled shutters was noted. The boundary is defined by ashlar copes surmounted by cast-iron railings featuring fleur-de-lis and other decorative finials.