26, 28 London Street, Edinburgh

26, 28 London Street, Edinburgh (Grade A)

A monumental palace block designed by Robert Reid and begun in 1807, comprising 50 bays arranged as a near-symmetrical composition. The building consists of a 4-storey and basement central pavilion of 9 bays, flanked on each side by 3-storey and basement linking terraces (15 bays to the left, 16 bays to the right), with 4-storey and basement terminal pavilions of 5 bays at each end.

The exterior is constructed in polished ashlar sandstone with V-jointed rustication at the principal floor level and broached ashlar sandstone at basement. A base course runs throughout, with band courses positioned between basement and principal floor, and between principal and first floors. A corniced frieze appears at impost level in the outer bays at principal floor of the central pavilion and in bays at principal floor of the terminal pavilions. Cill courses mark the first and second floors, while cornices and blocking courses appear at the second floor of the linking terraces and at the second floor of the central and terminal pavilions. Additional cornices and blocking courses sit at the third floor of the central and terminal pavilions. Windows to the first floor of the pavilions are architraved and corniced. Ashlar steps and entrance platts oversail the basement throughout.

The principal elevation facing south of the central pavilion comprises 9 bays with 3 bays at the centre and outer bays on left and right advanced. Four-panel timber doors with fanlights occupy three bays at the centre at principal floor level: No 20 features a plate glass semicircular fanlight, No 22 (common stair) has a blind radial semicircular fanlight, and No 24 has a radial semicircular fanlight. The remaining principal floor bays contain windows set within round-arched recesses in the outer left and right bays. Regular fenestration extends to the floors above, with architraved windows at first floor featuring pediments with consoles in the outer left and right bays and cornices with consoles in the remaining bays, all with blind balustered aprons. A lunette window is centred at the third floor. A blank wallhead tablet spans the central bay. A flagged basement area extends across the front.

The south elevation of the left linking terrace (15 bays, Nos 8-18) contains nine-panel timber doors in penultimate bay from left (No 8, common stair door) with glazed upper panels and blind radial rectangular fanlight; in the 3rd bay from left (No 10) with radial rectangular fanlight; in the 6th bay from left (No 12) with plate glass rectangular fanlight; in the 5th bay from right (No 14) with radial rectangular fanlight; in the 4th bay from right (No 16) with 3-pane rectangular fanlight; and in the 3rd bay from right (No 18, common stair door) with plate glass rectangular fanlight. Windows occupy the remaining principal floor bays, with regular fenestration continuing to the floors above and basement. The third floor cills are lowered at specific points. A flagged basement area extends across the front.

The south elevation of the right linking terrace (16 bays, Nos 26-34) similarly contains nine-panel timber doors positioned in the 3rd bay from left (No 26) with plate glass rectangular fanlight; in the 6th bay from left (No 28) with 6-pane rectangular fanlight; in the 9th bay from left (No 30) and 3rd bay from right (No 32) with plate glass rectangular fanlights; and in the penultimate bay from right (No 34) with glazed upper panels and blind rectangular fanlight. Windows fill the remaining principal floor bays, with regular fenestration to the floors above and basement, and lowered third floor cills at Nos 32 and 34. A flagged basement area extends across the front.

The west terminal pavilion presents 3 bays at centre recessed. A four-panel timber common stair door with glazed upper panels and radial semicircular fanlight is centred at principal floor; a four-panel timber door with radial semicircular fanlight appears in the outer right bay at principal floor. Windows in round-arched recesses occupy the remaining principal floor bays. Regular fenestration extends to the floors above, with architraved windows at first floor corniced with consoles in the centre bay and corniced in the bays flanking centre, and pedimented with consoles in the outer left and right bays. A lunette window is centred at the third floor, and a blind window appears in the outer left bay at third floor. A flagged basement area extends across the front.

The east terminal pavilion also has 3 bays at centre recessed. A nine-panel timber door with umbrella semicircular fanlight is centred at principal floor. Windows in round-arched recesses occupy the remaining principal floor bays, with regular fenestration to the floors above and basement. At first floor, architraved windows corniced with consoles appear in the 3 centre bays, whilst the outer left and right bays have architraved windows with consoled pediments. A multi-pane thermal window is centred at the third floor. Blind windows appear in the bay to right of centre at principal floor, in bays at centre and right of centre at first floor, and in bays at centre, right of centre and outer right at second floor. Blind balustered aprons sit in the bays at first floor. A flagged basement area extends across the front.

The Drummond Place return to the west terminal pavilion comprises 5 bays with curved frontage, becoming 36, 36A Drummond Place (listed separately). The Mansfield Place return to the east terminal pavilion comprises 5 bays, becoming 1-3 Mansfield Place (listed separately).

Throughout the building, windows are predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Decorative window guards appear in bays to the right of centre at second floor of the west terminal pavilion and in bays at first floor of the Drummond Place return. Grey slate roofs cover the structure. Recessed polygonal piended slate-hung dormers are positioned at Nos 14, 18, 28, 32 (a pair), and 34. Cast-iron rainwater goods run throughout. A variety of broached ashlar ridge and wallhead stacks rise from the roof, including a shouldered wallhead stack spanning the centre bay at the west terminal pavilion and another spanning the centre bay at the east terminal pavilion. Shouldered wallhead stacks sit to the side elevations of the central pavilion. The stacks are coped, some with cornices, and fitted with circular cans.

The interiors were not examined in 1998.

Ashlar copes surmounted by cast-iron railings with decorative finials front the building. Cast-iron railing-mounted lamps with glass globes provide illumination.