34 Drummond Place, Edinburgh

34 Drummond Place, Edinburgh

A grand residential terrace designed by Robert Reid and William Sibbald in 1804, with design alterations by Thomas Bonnar in 1817-18. The building comprises a 22-bay symmetrical terrace with a curved frontage, consisting of a pair of 4-storey and basement terminal pavilions with 5 bays each, linked by a 3-storey and basement central section of 12 bays. These terminal pavilions and linking terrace together form four 3-bay houses within the central section.

The exterior is constructed in polished ashlar sandstone with V-jointed rustication at the principal floor and rock-faced treatment at the basement. Base courses run at principal and first floors, with cill courses at first and second floors. The linking terrace is topped with a cornice and blocking course at the second floor, continued as a cornice at the second floor of the terminal pavilions, whilst the terminal pavilions themselves have a cornice and blocking course at the third floor. A corniced frieze runs at impost level to the terminal pavilions. Ashlar steps and entrance platts overhang the basements. Grey slate pitched roofs cover the structure, with cast-iron rainwater goods and various broached and rendered ridge, gablehead and wallhead stacks; the London Street return of the east terminal pavilion has a shouldered wallhead stack coped with circular cans.

The principal south-west elevation of the linking terrace comprises 12 bays arranged as four 3-bay houses, with doors positioned in the bays to the right and windows in the centre and left bays at principal floor level. The basement features flagged areas with vertically boarded timber cellar doors. The doorways are predominantly 4-panel timber doors with a variety of decorative rectangular fanlights.

The mirrored pair of terminal pavilions at each end each comprise 5 bays with advanced bays to the outer left and right. Ionic pilasters divide the central bays at first and second floors, semi-engaged at the outer left and right bays, with patera ornaments above the capitals. Round-arched doorpieces occupy the centre at principal floor level, featuring 4-panel timber doors and plate-glass semicircular fanlights, flanked by windows set in round-arched recesses. Regular fenestration continues to the floors above, with windows corniced with consoles in the centre three bays at first floor, flanked by windows with pediments and consoles to the outer bays. Lunette windows are centred at the third floors, with wallhead panels centred at the blocking courses. Blind balustered aprons run across the first floor windows; at No 36, the balusters have been removed and cills lowered at the centre, left, and outer left bays. The basement areas are flagged with vertically boarded timber cellar doors.

The Scotland Street return to the west terminal pavilion presents a 4-storey and basement, 6-bay elevation (forming Nos 1-3A Scotland Street). A pair of round-arched doorpieces are centred at principal floor, each with 4-panel timber doors and radial semicircular fanlights. Windows occupy bays to the left, whilst blind windows appear in bays to the right; one fanlight to the right is also blind. Regular fenestration continues above, with blind windows in the outer right and penultimate bay from right on all floors. The basement is flagged with vertically boarded timber cellar doors featuring droved dressings. The north elevation is obscured by the adjoining terrace at 5 and 7 Scotland Street.

The London Street return to the east terminal pavilion forms a 4-storey and basement, 5-bay elevation (Nos 2 and 4 London Street). Advanced bays occupy the outer left and right positions. Round-arched doorpieces appear in the centre and outer right bays at principal floor, fitted with 4-panel timber doors and radial semicircular fanlights, whilst the remaining bays contain windows set in round-arched recesses. Regular fenestration extends above. At first floor, windows in the central three bays are corniced with consoles, whilst those in the outer left and right are pedimented with consoles. Blind balustered aprons extend across all bays at first floor. A blind window occupies the outer left at third floor, with a centred lunette window at third floor. The basement is flagged with vertically boarded timber cellar doors. The east elevation is obscured by the adjoining terrace at 8 and 10 London Street.

Throughout the building, the windows are predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case. Window guards appear at first floor of the east terminal pavilion and at the outer right and penultimate bay from right at second floor of the London Street return of the east terminal pavilion. The basement doors are predominantly 6-panel flush-beaded timber. The interiors have not been fully inspected as of 1997, though some evidence of working panelled shutters exists. Groin vaults are present in the entrance halls at Nos 33-36.

The railings are composed of ashlar copes surmounted by cast-iron railings with spear-headed balusters and urn finials. Cast-iron railing-mounted lamps with glass globes provide illumination.