19-25 Great King Street, Edinburgh

19-25 Great King Street, Edinburgh

A classical palace block terrace designed by Robert Reid and William Sibbald between 1814 and 1823. The building comprises three storeys with basement, arranged as a 59-bay composition: a 9-bay central pavilion flanked by 18-bay blocks on either side, with 7-bay terminal pavilions at each end. The central and terminal pavilions rise to include an attic storey. The scheme contains double main door tenements to the central and terminal pavilions, with single houses between.

The principal elevation employs sandstone ashlar throughout. The principal floor displays polished V-jointed rustication, while the upper floors are finished in broached ashlar and the basement in rock-faced rustication. A continuous cornice runs across the facade, returned and terminated at corners, with blocking courses and wallhead panels at the central and terminal pavilions. Cill courses mark the first and second floors. Ashlar steps and entrance platforms overhang the basement.

The central pavilion's 9-bay front features an advanced 3-bay centrepiece with Ionic pilasters between bays at the first and second floors. The outer left and right bays are also advanced and flanked by Ionic pilasters at these levels. Blind balustraded aprons ornament the centrepiece and outer bays at first floor. Ground floor windows sit within round-arched panels. Flush panelled doors occupy the right bay of the centrepiece and the outer left and right bays, each with semicircular fanlights (plate glass to centre and left, radial to the right). First floor windows at the centre are pedimented with consoles; those flanking it are corniced with consoles. A semicircular window is centred at attic level. The basement features a flagged area with rubble walls and predominantly vertically boarded timber cellar doors.

The two linking blocks flanking the central pavilion each comprise six 3-bay houses mirrored on either side. Flush panelled doors with varied rectangular fanlights give access at ground floor. To the east of the central pavilion one door is positioned in the left bay of its group; to the west, one door is in the right bay. Regular fenestration rises to the upper floors, with window guards present at some second floor positions. Flagged basement areas with rubble walls and vertically boarded cellar doors match the central pavilion.

The terminal pavilions form a near-mirrored pair, each 7-bay. Each comprises a 3-bay centrepiece with Ionic pilasters dividing bays at first and second floors, blind balustraded aprons at first floor, and first floor windows that are pedimented with consoles in the centre bay and corniced with consoles in the flanking bays. Flush panelled doors with plate glass and radial semicircular fanlights provide principal access. Ionic pilasters flank the central three bays at first and second floors.

The left terminal pavilion features a common stair door centred at principal floor, flanked by a door to the right and a former door (now converted to a window) to the left. Regular fenestration fills the remainder, though painted blind windows occupy the penultimate and outer left bays at principal and first floors.

The right terminal pavilion mirrors this arrangement with a central common stair door at principal floor, flanked by a door to the left and a former door (now a blind window) to the right.

The west terminal pavilion returns along Dundas Street for 5 bays, forming 39-43 Dundas Street. This section comprises three 3-bay shop fronts with glazed 2-leaf doors in the centre bays and rectangular fanlights. Blind windows occupy the penultimate and outer left bays; regular fenestration appears in the right bays at principal and upper floors. A large modern shouldered wallhead stack rises to the left of centre.

The east terminal pavilion returns along Drummond Place for 5 bays (becoming 15 Drummond Place) in a symmetrical composition. A flush panelled door with plate glass semicircular fanlight is centred at principal floor, flanked by windows in round-arched panels. Ionic pilasters flank the bays at first and second floors, with panelled pilasters dividing bays at attic level.

The windows throughout are predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case, with some plate glass and 4-pane examples. The roof is grey slate, pitched. Cast-iron rainwater goods drain the facade. Chimney stacks are predominantly broached ashlar, with several restored stacks and some rendered examples, coped with circular cans. Ashlar skew copes finish the gables.

Interiors were not inspected during the 1997 survey, though some evidence suggests working panelled shutters survive.

Cast-iron railings with spear-headed balusters and urn finials surmount ashlar copes at ground level. Cast-iron railing-mounted lamps with glass globes provide illumination.