15, 22 Shaw's Street, Edinburgh

These four blocks of terraced houses and flatted cottages at 20 and 27 Shaw’s Street, Edinburgh, were built between 1849 and 1862 for the Pilrig Model Dwellings Company, designed by Patrick Wilson. The buildings consist of predominantly two-bay houses with double fronts, and flats accessed from an opposite side. The northeast and southwest blocks were built first, followed by the southeast and northwest blocks (dated 1862).

The buildings are constructed from squared and snecked sandstone rubble with ashlar margins, incorporating projecting cills and a cill band at the first floor level. The northeast elevation (1-7 Shaw’s Street) is approximately 18 bays, with architraved doorpieces featuring fanlights. Nos 1 and 2, and 6 and 7 have pedimented gable fronts with stone-mullioned bipartites in the dividing bays at each floor. The southwest elevation (8-14 Shaw’s Street) has entrances with fanlights, flanking windows, and regular upper floor fenestration.

The southwest block's northeast elevation (15-21 Shaw’s Street) mirrors the northeast block’s appearance with entrances, fanlights, flanking windows, and some stone-mullioned bipartites. The southwest block’s southwest elevation (22-28 Shaw’s Street) is similarly designed.

The northwest block’s southeast elevation (1-9 Shaw’s Terrace) has architraved doorpieces with fanlights, flanking windows, and a pend entrance leading to Nos 10-18. The northwest block’s northwest elevation (10-18 Shaw’s Terrace) features entrances with fanlights, flanking windows, and regular fenestration, with a keystoned segmental-arched pend entrance dated 1862 on both sides. A pedimented gablehead with a lintel band course and a large round-arched blind window is visible on the northeast side elevation.

The southeast block’s northwest elevation (9 and 10 Shaw’s Place and the rears of 1-8 to the centre) has architraved entrances with fanlights, and a paired door to the right of No 9. Its southeast elevation (1-8 Shaw’s Place) features entrances with fanlights and regular fenestration. A single-storey shop addition of a later date is on the northeast side elevation, featuring a base course, fascia band, eaves cornice, a pediment above the door, pilasters dividing bays, a lintel band course, and a large round-arched niche.

Most windows are timber sash and case, with varying glazing patterns, although a few are tilt and turn or UPVC, particularly on the first floor. The roofs are predominantly grey slates, with two houses using concrete tiles. Ridge and gablehead stacks are topped with terracotta cans and skews, and there are four dormers. The site features whinchip pavements and a surface to the carriage pend. The interior was not inspected in 1998.