39 Buckingham Terrace, Edinburgh

39 Buckingham Terrace is a terrace of six townhouses built in 1876 by John Chesser, with later additions to the attic level. The terrace comprises three-storey and basement townhouses, each two bays wide, designed in a Free Renaissance style. Each townhouse features a prominent, full-height, four-light canted bay. The exterior is constructed of sandstone ashlar, with entrance platts that project over the basement levels. A banded base course is present, along with a banded cill course at the first floor level, moulded at the second floor (also moulded to the canted bays); a moulded string course sits above the second floor. A deeply moulded eaves course with a balustraded parapet between rectangular dormers, topped with triangular sandstone ashlar pediments, completes the roofline. The doorways have moulded architraves, with rectangular fanlights above and narrow sidelights, all topped with consoled cornices. The windows within the canted bays also have moulded architraves, as do the first and second floor windows, with the first floor detailing including cornices and brackets.

The east-facing elevation has three bays and three storeys, with a full-height canted bay on the left (south) side, and an additional single-storey block with a corniced facade to the left (south). A balustraded parapet integrates with a prominent wallhead stack on the right (north) side, along with rectangular dormers topped with triangular sandstone ashlar pediments. The ground and first floor windows on this elevation have moulded architraves with cornices and brackets, while those on the right (north) are blind. The second floor windows are similarly framed with moulded architraves. A tripartite window is located within the dormer on the left (south) side.

The south (rear) elevation is five storeys high and built of coursed squared rubble with some droved ashlar quoins, rybats, cills and lintels. The window arrangement is generally regular, with some paired windows on the first and second floors. Boundary walls at the rear incorporate later garages located within Belgrave Mews.

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

The interior showcases a decorative classical scheme, notable for its intricate plasterwork and large drawing rooms. The entrance vestibules are decorative, with cornices and pilasters, while the predominantly timber staircases feature carved newel posts leading up to large cupolas with decorative plasterwork beneath. Highly decorative plasterwork and substantial marble fire surrounds are found in the ground and first floor drawing rooms.