2 Cranston Street, Edinburgh

Robert Paterson and Son, 1877-8. Scots Baronial 2-storey L-plan building; treated as 2 blocks stepped to slope. Crowstepped gables to W, S and N. Squared and snecked bull-faced cream sandstone; polished ashlar margins; stop-chamfered openings; long and short quoins. Predominantly stone mullioned and transomed windows; 1st floor cill course; ground floor string course crowstepped to N.

W (CRANSTON STREET) ELEVATION: symmetrical 3-bay; central gable with tripartite stone window within pointed-arched recess; small oculus above. 2 flanking triangular-pedimented gables, blank shields within; bipartite windows.

S ELEVATION: asymmetrical 2-bay; iron framed stair and deck access with railings to recessed entrance bay at elevated ground right; cinquefoil above shouldered doorway. Advanced left gable; large tripartite window within hoodmoulded pointed-arched recess; carved shield above reads 'Canongate Christian Institute 1878'. 2 glazed timber doors (modern) to lower ground level.

N ELEVATION: asymmetrical 9-bay. Lower 5-bay E block: outer left 2-bay gable, central 2-bay section with triangular-pedimented gablets; single-bay gable to right. 4-bay W block: 2 triangular-pedimented gablets to left; 2-bay gable to right; small hoodmoulded attic opening.

E ELEVATION: symmetrical 5-bay; transomed single windows.

GATEPIERS: cornice-capped, square-section piers to Cranston Street, later walls and railings.

Late 20th century timber-framed glazing throughout. Grey slate pitched roofs; rebuilt coped apex stacks with circular clay cans; conical-roofed ridge vent. Cast-iron hoppers and downpipes.