85, 86, 87 South Bridge, Edinburgh is a Grade B listed building in the City of Edinburgh local planning authority area, Scotland. First listed on 29 April 1977. 6 related planning applications.

85, 86, 87 South Bridge, Edinburgh

WRENN ID
dreaming-facade-sable
Grade
B
Local Planning Authority
City of Edinburgh
Constituency
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh MP: Chris Murray (Lab)
Country
Scotland
Date first listed
29 April 1977
Address
85, 86, 87 South Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1HN
OS grid reference
NT 259 735
Coordinates
55.94882, -3.1871
Source
Historic Environment Scotland listing

Also on this page: related consents · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

88, 89, 90, and 91 South Bridge in Edinburgh is a row of Classical tenements and shops, possibly designed by Robert Kay around 1790. The buildings are three and four storeys high, with the adjacent properties at Nos 93-95 being taller at six storeys and an attic due to the steeply sloping site. The exterior features painted ashlar and coursed rubble on the west side facing Blair Street, with ashlar margins. Architectural details include some band courses, raised cills, and cornices, as well as pedimented gables on the south side and at Nos 85-87 and 96-99. The outer sections of the row are slightly advanced, showcasing raised quoins and pediments with central lunettes.

On the west elevation, there are round and segmental-arched openings at the ground level, along with some Venetian windows on the upper floors. The south elevation consists of five bays with round-arched openings at the ground. The buildings predominantly feature 12-pane timber sash and case windows, with plate glass on the ground floor. The roofs are covered with grey slates, and there are cast iron rainwater goods.

Inside, the former Goldsmiths' Hall, now a flat located on the second storey of Nos 96-99, boasts a fine classical interior. It includes a compartmented, shallow oval domed ceiling, decorative plasterwork, and cornicing. Additionally, pairs of Ionic columns are positioned at the east and west ends of the hall.

Local climate

85, 86, 87 South Bridge, Edinburgh sits in a wetter-than-average part of the UK, with an average of 970 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 76% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 53% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 43 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 81% of listed buildings. Of these, 25 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • No EPC on record for this property
  • No sale records on file
  • Related listed building consents — 6 applications
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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