22 Belgrave Crescent, Edinburgh

This is a group of three-storey townhouses built in 1878 by John Chesser, with later additions to the rear. They form a terrace on Belgrave Crescent, with a return elevation to Belgrave Place. The corner house, number 22, is slightly forward of the others.

The townhouses are designed in a Free Renaissance style and are constructed from sandstone ashlar. They feature prominent, full-height canted bays and a basement and attic level. The entrance platts project over the basement area. The architectural details include a banded base course, a moulded cill course at second-floor level, and a corniced eaves course with console details. The roof is finished with rectangular dormers featuring large triangular sandstone pediments linked by balustrading, some of which is missing. Balustraded rectangular porches, with corniced doorpieces featuring paired console brackets, moulded architraves, rectangular fanlights, and sidelights are set in front of numbers 22 to 25. The windows are arranged in three-light bays, rectangular at ground floor level, canted at first and second floors. First-floor windows are bracketed and pedimented with moulded architraves, while the second-floor windows have bracketed cills.

The Belgrave Place elevation has four bays, with a full-height three-light canted bay to the right. The basement is painted. It also includes a banded base course, moulded cill courses at first and second floors, a corniced eaves course incorporating a balustrade and two tall wallhead stacks, and pedimented dormers. The fenestration is generally regular, with some blind windows. Ground floor windows have moulded architraves and bracketed cills, with a bipartite arrangement to the centre. The first floor features bracketed and pedimented windows, with a small window off-centre in the middle bay, and a similar arrangement is present on the second floor, but without the pediments.

The rear elevation is of coursed squared rubble with some dressed ashlar quoins, rybats, cills, and lintels. Fenestration is generally regular, with some paired windows at first and second floors.

The windows are timber sash and case, with plate glass, although some 20th-century glazing is present at second floor and attic level. Corniced ashlar ridge and gable end stacks rise from the roof, topped with octagonal clay cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods are integrated into the stonework, and cast-iron railings stand on an ashlar coping stone edging the basement area along the street.

The interiors are classically styled, with detailed plasterwork and grand entrance halls, some featuring intricate Corinthian pilasters. The front drawing rooms have bay windows and deep cornicing, principally with floreate and foliate patterns. Several houses feature large marble fireplaces. The stairs are ornate, with carved newel posts and topped by large glass cupolas with ornate decorative plasterwork. A large lift is located in the rear entrance hall of number 25.