2 Clarendon Crescent, Edinburgh

John Tait, 1850-53 with some later alterations at attic. Concave stepped crescent of predominantly 3-storey, basement and attic, 2-bay townhouses in Italianate classical style, flanked by advanced 5-bay tenement pavilions; alternating recessed and advanced bays (arranged 5-10-5-9-9-9-5-10-5); on ground falling away to N. Sandstone ashlar. Entrance platts oversailing basement area recess to street. Banded base course; banded cill course at 1st floor; moulded cill course at 2nd floor; corniced and dentilled eaves course; balustraded parapet to some sections. Geometric cast-iron balconies at 1st floor on large foliate brackets. Moulded architraved openings, lugged architrave and apron panel to ground floor windows; segmental pediments to 1st floor windows of advanced bays; alternating corniced and pedimented windows to recessed bays; deep bracketed cills to 3rd floor windows. Predominantly timber 2-leaf, 6-panel doors and rectangular fanlights.

NW (OXFORD TERRACE) ELEVATION: 5 bays with 3-bay ashlar attic storey to centre. Triangular pediments to 1st floor windows, corniced to flanking bays. Balustrade flanking central attic storey.

SE (ETON TERRACE) ELEVATION: 3-bay. Entrance porch with raised channelled quoins; narrow window openings to returns; later greenhouse at 1st floor. Segmental pediments to 1st floor windows. Single storey, 3-bay screen wall to right: banded base course; corniced parapet; channelled piers dividing bays; round arched openings, that to left now glazed.

NE (REAR) ELEVATION: coursed squared rubble with some droved ashlar quoins, rybats, cills and lintels. Roughly regular fenestration. Some full-height 3-light canted bays. Original single-bay single-storey outbuilding to rear of No. 10. Some later single storey extensions.

Predominantly 8-pane glazing pattern plate glass in timber sash and case windows. Predominantly double-pitched roof; grey slates. Corniced ashlar ridge stacks with octagonal clay cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Cast-iron railings edging basement area recess to street.

INTERIOR: (selection of interiors seen 2010) classical decorative scheme, characterised by intricate plasterwork and large drawing rooms. Large entrance vestibules with cornicing, stone stairs with well-detailed cast iron balustrade and timber handrail, topped by large cupolas with decorative plasterwork beneath. Decorative plasterwork to principal rooms. Working window shutters. Some later conversion to flats.