33 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh

This is a substantial townhouse built between 1826 and 1833, designed by William Playfair as part of a long terrace of 34 classical townhouses. The terrace is located at Regent Terrace, Edinburgh. Originally two storeys with a basement and attic, many have subsequently been extended upwards with a third storey. The terrace is punctuated by two larger three-storey pavilions with projecting three-bay sections at each end (numbers 11-16 and 23-28), and a twelve-bay, three-storey section at the western end (numbers 1-4). The terrace steps downwards at intervals to follow the slope of the road.

The exterior is constructed of droved ashlar to the basement, polished ashlar to the upper floors, with the rear elevation featuring predominantly coursed squared rubble with dressed margins. The main facade features a base course, dividing bands between the basement and ground floor, and between the ground and first floors; a continuous cast-iron trellis balcony with a Greek key border to the first floor; an eaves cornice; and a blocking course. A doorpiece comprises fluted, attached Greek Doric columns. The fenestration is regular, with architraved windows on the ground, first, and second floors. The ground floor windows have panelled aprons and wrought iron holders for window boxes. The rear elevation has predominantly regular fenestration.

The principal (south-east) elevation is three storeys and basement. The basement’s centre bay features a timber-panelled door with a six-light fanlight; a window is located in the left bay, and an area to the right has been blocked by a wall with two windows. The ground floor has steps leading to a two-leaf timber-panelled door with a rectangular fanlight.

The rear (north-west) elevation is three bays wide, with a two-storey rendered extension with a leaded half-ogee roof. There is an eaves course.

The windows are predominantly sash and case, with plate glass; on the principal elevation, the first and second floors have plate glass top panes with paired casements below. All windows are timber. The front has a flat roof, while the rear has a pitched roof with a central valley, covered with graded grey slate. Stone skewbacks and skewputts are present. The rear features corniced rendered mutual ridge stacks to the left and right, topped with predominantly circular cans. Some cast-iron rainwater goods exist, including a large monogrammed hopper on the left side of the principal elevation.

At the front, stone coping topped with cast-iron railings featuring dog bars, spear-head finials, and a distinctive circled border edges the basement recess and platt. A random rubble wall with predominantly flat coping forms the boundary of the rear garden.