2 Royal Circus, Edinburgh

2 Royal Circus, Edinburgh

Designed by W H Playfair and built between 1821 and 1823, this is a 43-bay crescent flanked by tangential terraces. The building is constructed in polished ashlar sandstone with V-jointed rustication at the principal floors and droved finish at the basements. A base course runs at the principal floors, while cill courses appear at the 1st and 2nd floors of the linking blocks and continue as cornices at the 2nd floors of the central and terminal pavilions, becoming the base course to the 3rd floor of St Vincent Street. Cornices and blocking courses mark the 3rd floors of the central and terminal pavilions. Ashlar steps and entrance platts overshall the basements.

The south (principal) elevation comprises a 43-bay front of 4 storeys and basement, featuring a 9-bay advanced central pavilion flanked by two 3-storey and basement, 12-bay linking blocks, which are themselves flanked by two 4-storey and basement, 5-bay advanced terminal pavilions. Doors occupy the 3rd and 4th bays from the left and the 3rd bay from the right at the principal floor of the central block; windows fill the remaining bays at this level, with regular fenestration to the floors above. The eastern linking block has doors to every 3rd bay from the central pavilion at the principal floor, with windows filling the remaining bays and regular fenestration above. The western linking block contains windows in 4 central bays at the principal floor, flanked by doors to left and right, further flanked by pairs of windows, with doors to the outer left and right; regular fenestration continues above. The terminal pavilions to the left and right vary: the left pavilion has doors in 3 central bays with plate glass rectangular fanlights, flanked by windows; the right pavilion has doors flanking a central bay with decorative rectangular fanlights and windows in the remaining bays. Roman Doric pilasters flank 5 bays at the centre of the central pavilion at the 1st and 2nd floors, and flank bays at the 1st and 2nd floors of the terminal pavilions. Panelled pilasters flank the same 5 bays at the 3rd floor of the central pavilion and the flanking bays at the 3rd floors of the terminal pavilions. Window guards protect the 1st floor windows; further guards appear at selected 2nd floor windows of the right terminal pavilion and 3rd floor windows of the left terminal pavilion. The basement features a flagged area with predominantly vertically boarded timber doors to cellars. A metal plaque at No 24 commemorates Sir Henry Duncan Littlejohn MD LLD FRCS Ed (1828–1914), the first Medical Officer of Health of Edinburgh from 1862 to 1908, who lived here from 1866 to 1914.

The south-west elevation (1–10 North West Circus Place) is a 13-bay front comprising a 4-storey, 7-bay linking block flanked by two advanced 5-storey and 5-storey and basement, 3-bay terminal pavilions. The linking block contains 4 three-bay pilastraded shop fronts with varied doors flanked by pairs of plate glass windows at the principal floor; a 6-panel common stair door with rectangular fanlight appears to the outer left. The terminal pavilions feature shop fronts at the principal floors: No 9 has a 7-bay pilastraded shop front with a part-glazed 2-leaf door decorated with wrought-iron grills and a plate glass fanlight with decorative bracketed lamp, multi-pane windows in the remaining bays, and narrow lights at the outer bays; Nos 1 and 2 share a 7-bay pilastraded shop front with a 2-leaf glazed timber door in the 3rd bay from the right, plate glass windows in the remaining bays, and narrow lights at the outer bays. Regular fenestration extends to the floors above and to the basement. Roman Doric pilasters flank bays at the 2nd and 3rd floors of the terminal pavilions; panelled pilasters flank bays at the 4th floors. Lowered cills appear at the 3rd floor of Nos 5 and 6 and the 3rd floor of the left terminal pavilion; box dormers project from No 3. Window guards protect selected 2nd and 3rd floor windows of the terminal pavilions and 4th floor windows of the right terminal pavilion. Windows are centred at all floors to the north (Circus Lane). The basement is flagged.

The south-east elevation (North East Circus Place) is an 11-bay front comprising a 3-storey and basement, 5-bay linking block flanked by two 4-storey and basement, 3-bay terminal pavilions. The linking block has a 6-panel door with a decorative rectangular fanlight centred at the principal floor, flanked by windows; regular fenestration continues above. Roman Doric pilasters flank bays at the 1st and 2nd floors of the terminal pavilions; panelled pilasters flank bays at the 3rd floor. A polygonal piended dormer projects from No 4. Window guards protect selected 1st and 2nd floor windows and the 3rd floor windows of the right terminal pavilion. The basement is flagged with predominantly vertically boarded timber doors to cellars.

The east elevation (1–3A St Vincent Street) is a 4-storey and double basement, 4-bay front with a 6-panel door with a blind fanlight in the penultimate bay to the left at the principal floor; windows fill the remaining bays at this level, and regular fenestration continues above, with blind windows to the outer left at the 1st and 2nd floors. The basement comprises a window in one bay to the left and a pilastered shop front to the right, with a 2-leaf timber door in the penultimate bay from the right and a multi-pane window in the outer right bay. The north elevation is obscured by the adjoining terrace at No 5 St Vincent Street.

The windows are predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case. The roofs are grey slate with M-profile. Cast-iron rainwater goods are fitted throughout. Ridge and gablehead stacks are a variety of broached and polished ashlar, coped with circular cans.

The interiors, not fully inspected in 1997, show evidence of working panelled shutters in some locations. Pendentive entrance halls serve Nos 6–12; No 14 has a compartment ceiling with a central rose; No 28 features a fluted Doric screen.

The railings and lamps are of particular note. Ashlar copes are surmounted by cast-iron railings with predominantly fleur-de-lis balusters and pineapple finials; quasi-Maltese cross finials ornament Nos 6–10 and No 22, while decorative finials mark Nos 12 and 14. Steel railings with regularly spaced foliate wrought-iron panels appear at No 9 North West Circus Place. Cast-iron railing-mounted lamps with glass globes provide lighting.