12 Buckingham Terrace, Edinburgh

10 Buckingham Terrace is a substantial terrace of townhouses built in 1860 by John Chesser, with alterations in 1893 by Robert Lorimer and later additions to the attic. The terrace, which curves at numbers 11 to 20, comprises alternating pairs of projecting and recessed blocks, each containing three storeys and a basement. It presents as a row of townhouses in a Free Renaissance style.

The front of the terrace is characterised by prominent, two-storey, four-light canted bays with balustraded parapets, positioned centrally on the recessed pairs and flanking the advanced pairs. The buildings are constructed from sandstone ashlar, with an overhanging entrance platts at basement level. A banded base course runs along the front, with further banding at the first-floor cill and a moulded string course above. A moulded eaves course sits beneath a balustraded parapet, although some of the original parapets are now missing. The doorpieces are moulded with architraves, featuring rectangular fanlights and narrow sidelights. Above each doorway is a consoled balcony with cast-iron railings. The windows of the canted bays are similarly framed with moulded architraves, while the first-floor windows have moulded architraves, fielded panels, and bracketed cornices. The second-floor windows are similarly detailed, with tripartite windows above the canted bays. Later dormers have been added to the attic, along with some later ashlar attic storeys.

The south-facing end elevation has three bays, with a two-storey canted bay on the right-hand side featuring a balustraded parapet. A prominent wallhead stack is centrally positioned, incorporating a balustraded parapet. The ground-floor windows are moulded with consoled balconies and cast iron railings, while the first-floor windows have bracketed, pedimented surrounds. The second-floor windows are similarly framed, with a further rectangular window to the right of the centre. A moulded window is set into the centre of the wallhead stack, above a stepped string course.

The rear elevation, facing southwest, is five storeys high and constructed from coursed squared rubble with some dressed ashlar quoins, rybats, cills, and lintels. The fenestration is regularly placed, with paired windows on the first and second floors. Boundary walls run along the rear, integrated with two-storey mews buildings and some later garages fronting onto Belgrave Crescent Lane.

The windows are timber sash and case windows fitted with plate glass. The ridge and wallhead stacks are of ashlar, topped with octagonal clay cans. Cast-iron railings are set upon ashlar coping stones along the basement area facing the street, and cast-iron rainwater goods are present.

The interior retains a classical decorative scheme, with intricate plasterwork and large drawing rooms. The entrance vestibules are corniced and feature pilasters, with timber staircases, carved newel posts, and large cupolas with decorative plasterwork. Highly decorative plasterwork and marble fire surrounds are found in the ground floor and first-floor drawing rooms. Robert Lorimer carried out alterations to number 8 in 1893 for Lady Chalmers. The building has been converted into flats (in 2009).