2 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh

William Playfair, designed 1825 (redesigned 1831; see Notes), built 1831-1833. Part of long terrace of 34 classical 3-bay (4-bay to basement) townhouses; originally 2-storey, basement and attic elevations (many have additional later 3rd storeys; the 3rd storey to 2 Regent Terrace was an element of Playfair's 1831 design) punctuated by 2 18-bay, 3-storey pavilions with 3-bay advanced sections to each end (Nos 11-16 and 23-28) and with 12-bay, 3-storey section to the western end (Nos 1-4); terrace stepped down at intervals to follow slope of road. Droved ashlar to basement; polished ashlar to upper floors; predominantly coursed squared rubble with dressed margins to rear elevation. To principal elevation: base course; dividing band between basement and ground floor; dividing band and cornice between ground and 1st floors; to 1st floor, continuous cast-iron trellis balcony with Greek key border; band above 1st floor windows (excluding pavilions); main cornice dividing 1st and 2nd floors; eaves cornice; blocking course. Doorpieces of fluted attached Greek Doric columns. Regular fenestration to principal elevation; architraved windows to ground, 1st and 2nd floors; panelled aprons to ground floor windows; predominantly regular fenestration to rear elevation.

SE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: 3-storey and basement elevation. To basement, area beneath platt blocked by wall with window and door; to 2nd bay from left, timber panelled door with 4-light fanlight; windows to remaining bays. To ground floor, to left bay, steps and platt overarching basement recess leading to timber-panelled door with letterbox fanlight with triple circle glazing. Cast-iron balconnettes to 2nd floor windows.

NW (REAR) ELEVATION: 2-bay elevation with 2-storey piend-roofed mutual (with No1) outshoot to left bay. Eaves course.

GLAZING etc: predominantly 12-pane glazing; 15-pane glazing to 1st floor; glazing predominantly in timber sash and case windows. M-roof with central valley; graded grey slate; stone skews and skewputts. To E and W, rendered corniced mutual ridge stacks; to rear, rendered wallhead stack; predominantly circular cans.

RAILINGS AND BOUNDARY WALLS: to front, edging basement recess and platt, stone coping surmounted by cast-iron railings with dog bars, spear-head finials and distinctive circled border; to right of platt, wrought-iron lamp standard. To rear, forming boundary of garden, random rubble walls with predominantly flat coping. To front elevation, cast-iron down-pipe with ornamental hopper.

INTERIOR: to ground floor: to lobby, compartmented ceiling, good plasterwork, 2 Ionic granite columns to far end; to former dining room, pilastered and corniced doorpieces, good plasterwork, classical black stone chimneypiece; to rear room (E), good plasterwork. Stone cantilevered stairs with ornate cast-iron balusters.