New Register House, West Register Street, Edinburgh

Robert Matheson, 1856-62. Symmetrical 3-storey and basement 9-bay Italianate palazzo. Polished cream sandstone ashlar. Channelled rustication at ground; cill courses to 1st and 2nd floors; bracketed eaves cornice. Channelled quoin strips. Arcaded windows at ground; lugged architraved windows to upper floors.

S (FRONT - GABRIEL'S ROAD) ELEVATION: 9-bay. 1st floor windows with alternating segmental and triangular pediments. 2 tiers of steps to slightly advanced 3-bay centrepiece; channelled piers at ground divide keystoned arched openings; 2-leaf panelled door at centre; paired Corinthian columns and mutuled cornice at 1st floor; paired Roman Doric columns at 2nd floor.

E AND W ELEVATIONS: 7-bay. Slightly advanced outer bays with pedimented windows at 1st floor. Centre bays with corniced windows at 1st floor, plain cornice.

N (REAR) ELEVATION: plain 10-bay elevation with 4-bay centrepiece.

Timber sash and case 12-pane windows. Stone slabbed piend and platform roof; corniced ashlar stacks.

INTERIOR: similar plan to Register House; domed circular central reading hall with 5 tiers of balconied cast-iron book stacks.

BOUNDARY WALLS, GATEPIERS, GATES, RAILINGS AND LAMP STANDARDS: saddleback ashlar footings to cast-iron railings; decorative railings to front with pair of corniced ashlar gatepiers flanking hollow fretted cast-iron gatepiers with crown finials. Pair of cast-iron lamp standards with globe lights flank steps.