14 Ainslie Place, Edinburgh

14 Ainslie Place, Edinburgh

A 47-bay classical palace block designed by James Gillespie Graham in 1822. The building is three storeys high with an attic and basement, stepping down towards the east. Its curved frontage comprises a 9-bay advanced central pavilion flanked by 15-bay linking terraces on either side, which are in turn flanked by 4-bay advanced terminal pavilions.

The building is constructed in polished ashlar sandstone with V-jointed rustication at the principal floor. A base course runs across the facade, with band courses between the first and second floors, and cill courses at the second floors. Cornices sit above the second floor and again at the third floor, topped with a blocking course. The terminal pavilions feature a corniced frieze at impost level. Ashlar steps and entrance platts oversail the basement.

The south-east principal elevation presents a sophisticated architectural composition. The central pavilion comprises three 3-bay houses with the central three bays slightly advanced. Doric pilasters divide the bays at the first and second floors, with panelled pilasters at the third floor. Entrance doors with four panels and semicircular fanlights sit in round-arched recesses in the left bays at principal floor level. No 7 features a radial semicircular fanlight, while Nos 8 and 9 have plate glass fanlights. Windows in round-arched recesses occupy the remaining principal floor bays, with regular fenestration above and in the basement.

The linking terraces comprise pairs of 3-bay houses with panelled timber doors and rectangular plate glass fanlights positioned variously at principal floor: in the left bay of No 2, in the right bays of Nos 2 to 6, in the left bays of Nos 10 to 13, and in the right bay of No 14. Windows fill the remaining principal floor bays, with architraved windows and cornices at the first floor and architraved windows at the second floor. A flagged basement area fronts this section.

The terminal pavilions feature Doric pilasters at the first and second floors and panelled pilasters at the third. The right terminal pavilion (No 1) has a four-panel timber door with a radial semicircular fanlight in a round-arched recess positioned to the right of centre at principal floor, with windows in round-arched recesses in the remaining bays. The left terminal pavilion (No 15) similarly features a four-panel timber door with glazed upper panels and a radial semicircular fanlight in a round-arched recess positioned to the left of centre. Both pavilions have regular fenestration above and to the basement, with flagged basement areas.

The returns to Great Stuart Street form separate listed entries: the northern return becomes No 5 Great Stuart Street and the southern return becomes No 7 Great Stuart Street, both of which are 4-bay compositions.

Windows are predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case. Anthemion and palmette window guards ornament the first-floor bays except at No 14, and the central bays of No 7 Great Stuart Street. The building is roofed in grey slate with M-profiles. Cast-iron rainwater goods drain the roof, and a variety of broached ashlar ridge and gablehead stacks with circular cans rise above.

Ashlar copes surmounted by cast-iron railings with fleur-de-lis balusters and finials protect the frontage. Evidence of working panelled shutters exists internally, though the rear elevation and full interiors were not inspected at the time of listing assessment.