50 Spylaw Road, Edinburgh

This is a late 19th-century villa, likely dating from around 1875 to 1880, situated in Edinburgh. The building originally comprised a two-storey and attic, three-bay rectangular plan, with substantial additions to the rear. The front and southwest elevation are constructed from cream-coloured sandstone ashlar, while the rear and side elevations utilise squared and snecked stugged rubble with ashlar dressings. A base course, banded string course above the ground floor, eaves cornice and blocking course are prominent exterior features. Segmental-arched windows are found on the first floor, while the front elevation incorporates architraved windows at ground floor level, the mullions being lugged with inset nailhead detail, and supported by bracketted cills.

The southeast elevation, acting as the main entrance front, features a corniced recessed porch positioned in the open angle of the right-hand bay. This porch is supported by a square banded column and pilasters on panelled pedestals with fluted upper sections, incorporating a fleuron frieze and egg and dart cornice. A two-leaf panelled door sits within a round-arched, keystoned doorpiece, leading to a tiled vestibule. A single window is positioned above the entrance. The central bay is characterised by bipartite windows to both the ground and first floors, and a full-height canted window occupies the left-hand bay. Dormers with segmental arches are set into the roof space.

The southwest elevation, fronting Gillslans Road, is three bays wide. A rectangular consoled oriel window is centrally located on the first floor, featuring moulded aprons, while single windows are present in the outer bays. A door is positioned to the left of the centre, formerly a narrow window. Tall wallhead stacks with scroll-flanking cornices rise above.

The northeast elevation presents four bays. A recessed porch sits on the outer left side. The ground floor features two bipartite windows to the right-hand bays, a single window to the bay left of center, and windows lighting the hall with square leaded panes accompanied by smaller stained glass panels. Four single windows are situated on the first floor. Flanking a blind window are tall paired scroll-flanked corniced wallhead stacks.

The northwest, or rear, elevation is three bays wide, with the central bay of the main block projecting forward under a French pavilion roof. A pedimented dormer breaks the eaves and wallhead stacks, while a segmental-arched dormer is located to the right.

A detached service block, a large single-storey building with an attic and gabled dormers facing Gillsland Road, was constructed after 1947. A more recent, post-modern style two-storey and attic semi-detached house adjoins this section.

The building features timber sash and case windows with plate glass glazing, topped by a Scottish slate piend and platform roof with lead flashings. There are six wallhead stacks, with tall octagonal cans, and ornamental cast-iron gutterheads. The interiors were not inspected in 1992. The property is enclosed by a rubble boundary wall with semi-circular coping, and a cast-iron pedestrian gate marks the front entrance.