Convent And Presbytery, St Mary Star Of The Sea, 106A Constitution Street, Leith, Edinburgh

The Convent and Presbytery of St Mary Star of the Sea, located at 106A Constitution Street in Leith, Edinburgh, was built in 1860. This three-storey, six-bay building features a rectangular plan in a domestic Gothic style. It is constructed from cream sandstone, with squared and snecked stugged rubble, and has cill and impost banding made of polished ashlar on the southeast and northeast elevations, along with stugged ashlar dressings. The building showcases segmental-arched shouldered openings with relieving arches above and deeply chamfered reveals, topped by a deep cavetto eaves cornice.

On the northeast (entrance) elevation, there are three bays, with the center bay slightly off-center to the right. It features a pointed-arch doorway with a round fanlight and a distinctively panelled door. Above, there are French windows with plain cast-iron balconies on the first and second floors. The right bay has single windows, while the left bay is mostly blank except for a blind lancet window on the first floor that includes a commemorative inscription.

The southeast elevation consists of six bays, each with single windows on every floor. The outer right bay is advanced and gabled, featuring an apex stack and a blocked oculus with a cross symbol in the gablehead. There is a separate pointed-arched entry to the convent on the outer left.

The northwest (rear) elevation also has six bays, with a gabled bay on the outer left and irregularly sized and positioned windows. The southwest elevation has three bays, with segmental-arched bipartite windows in the center and right bays, and small paired segmental-arched windows off-center to the right in the left bay. There is a multifoil oculus in the gablehead that is now blocked with a small inserted window.

The building features timber sash and case windows, mostly with four panes and plate glass glazing on the southwest side. The roof is covered with black slate and has lead flashings, with one apex stack and four part-shouldered rendered stacks, along with moulded eaves gutters.

Inside, there is an open timber staircase and a ground floor hall with exposed timber beams. The interior includes wooden panelling throughout, featuring a distinctive pattern similar to that of the doorway, and a library with original shelving.