The Villas Building, The Royal Observatory, Observatory Road, Edinburgh

W W Robertson of HM Office of Works, 1892-94. Pair of two storey, 4-bay, symmetrical, gabled and semi-detached former villas (converted to offices), with Greek and Italian detailing, set on ground sloping down slightly to the east and within the larger walled compound of the Edinburgh Royal Observatory on Blackford Hill. In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: the flat and pitched roof later 20th century additions to west elevation.

They are built in coursed sandstone rubble with smooth sandstone quoins, window dressings and moulded window cills. There are deep decorative timber bracketed eaves and carved timber panel details with finials to the gable apexes. There are paired canted bay windows at the ground floor of the south elevation with carved stone balustrading forming small balconies above at the first floor level.

The villas have console bracketed door canopies linked by a first floor cill course to the north (entrance) elevation with timber panelled bi-fold entrance doors. There are corniced ridge stacks, the rainwater goods are cast iron with decorative hoppers and star shaped detail support downpipe brackets. The buildings have timber sash and case windows.

The interiors were seen in 2015 and the layout remains largely as it was designed in the late 19th century. Later alterations have linked the two buildings internally at both levels and they now form a suite of small room office accommodation. There are plain turned timber bannisters to the staircases, timber panelling to the bay windows and some simple dentil cornicing to the principal rooms. The panelled timber doors to the entrance lobbies have a margined glazing pattern.