5 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh

William Playfair, designed 1825, built 1826-1833. Part of long terrace of 34 classical 3-bay townhouses; originally 2-storey, basement and attic elevations (many have additional later 3rd storeys) punctuated by 2 18-bay, 3-storey pavilions with 3-bay advanced sections to each end (Nos 11-16 and 23-28) and with 12-bay, 3-storey section to the western end (Nos 1-4); terrace stepped down at intervals to follow slope of road. Droved ashlar to basement; polished ashlar to upper floors; predominantly coursed squared rubble with dressed margins to rear elevation. To principal elevation: base course; dividing band between basement and ground floor; dividing band and cornice between ground and 1st floors; to 1st floor, continuous cast-iron trellis balcony with Greek key border; band course dividing 1st and 2nd floors; 2nd floor cill course; eaves cornice; blocking course. Doorpiece of fluted attached Greek Doric columns. Regular fenestration to principal elevation; architraved windows to ground, 1st and 2nd floors; panelled aprons to ground floor windows; predominantly regular fenestration to rear elevation.

SE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: 3-storey and basement elevation; painted basement and ground floor. To basement, to centre bay, timber panelled door with 4-light fanlight; window to left bay, to right, area beneath platt blocked by wall with bipartite window. To ground floor, to right bay, steps and platt overarching basement recess leading to 2-leaf timber-panelled door with letterbox fanlight.

NW (REAR) ELEVATION: 3-bay elevation with 1 ½-storey piend-roofed extension to centre (with additional single storey ground floor extension) centre. Eaves course.

GLAZING etc: predominantly plate glass; 12-pane glazing to basement to front elevation and to left bay to rear elevation; glazing predominantly in timber sash and case windows. M-roof with central valley; graded grey slate; stone skews and skewputts. To E and W, rendered corniced mutual ridge stacks; to rear, small wallhead stack; predominantly circular cans.

RAILINGS AND BOUNDARY WALLS: to front, edging basement recess and platt, stone coping surmounted by cast-iron railings with dog bars, spear-head finials and distinctive circled border. To rear, forming boundary of garden, random rubble walls with predominantly flat coping.

INTERIOR: To ground floor: to lobby, ornate encaustic tiled floor compartmented ceiling, excellent plasterwork, screen of polished granite Ionic columns and pilasters with timber and glazed screen behind, painted stone chimney piece with inset marble panels, overmantel mirror; to former dining room, good plasterwork, corniced and pilastered doorpieces, classical black marble chimneypiece; double folding doors leading through to rear room with good plasterwork. Stone cantilevered stairs with ornate cast-iron balusters; oval cupola in compartmented ceiling; good plasterwork to landings; geometric and encaustic tiles to floor to ground floor inner hall.