Gladstone's Land, 481, 483, 485, 487 And 489 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh

Frontage 1621, 16th century rear wing and 18th century addition to NW; further 19th century alterations and additions; restored Frank C Mears 1934-6 and Robert Hurd and Partners, 1979-80. Narrow 5-storey, attic and cellar 3-bay L-plan tenement with 2 round-headed arches and circular pier forming open arcade to ground floor, curved stone forestair with iron railings to outer left, leading to door at 1st floor, and 2 tall narrow finialled (thistle to left, fleur-de lys to right) gabled dormerheads breaking eaves at 4th floor. Grey ashlar. Moulded cill courses at 1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th floors. Small windows lighting turnpike stair to outer left; single windows to left; paired windows to right. Important painted decoration to interior.

REAR (JAMES COURT) WING: 16th century, incorporating earlier fabric). Narrow 4-storey and attic wing, extending 3 bays into James Court. Grey harl.

E ELEVATION: small windows lighting stair to outer right; asymmetrical crowstepped gable. 2-storey plastered timber outshot with boarded timber extension to left; 2-bay plastered timber jettied storeys at 3rd and 4th floors above and paired gabled dormerheads breaking eaves to attic. 3-storey 2-bay rubble-built block adjoining to NE (see Notes).

N ELEVATION: pentice-roofed stair tower to left with timber boarded door in raised hoodmoulded surround and small windows lighting stair; curved corner to right. Half-gabled recessed blind bay to right with chequer-set machicolation to moulded corbel course at 2nd floor level. Remains of earlier construction visible.

W ELEVATION: 2 bays, regularly fenestrated (1st floor left window blocked); broad wallhead stack.

INTERIOR: timber shop-front set back behind arcade (see Notes). Painted decoration to timber ceilings and beams to rooms at 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors. 18th century panelling and bolection-moulded chimneypiece in room to rear.

Small-pane fixed leaded glazing above, timber shutters below; predominantly 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows to rear. Grey slates. Cowstepped stone skews (see Notes). Tall corniced stacks right with circular cans.