26 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh

26 Royal Terrace is a townhouse constructed between 1823 and the early 1830s, designed by William Playfair as part of the exceptionally long 121-bay Royal Terrace in Edinburgh. It forms part of a grand terrace of townhouses, notable for its arched and rusticated ground floor and a central three-storey section punctuated by three-storey and attic Corinthian colonnaded pavilions. Flanking these pavilions are three-storey balustraded sections, leading to further three-storey sections with three-storey and attic Ionic colonnaded pavilions, and finally, two-storey balustraded sections on the outer left and right. Basement levels are present beneath all the houses.

The building is constructed of droved ashlar to the basement, V-chamfered rusticated ashlar to the ground floor, and polished ashlar to the upper floors. The rear elevation is predominantly of coursed squared rubble with dressed margins. A base course, dividing bands between the basement and ground floor, and between the ground and first floors are visible on the principal elevation, along with a narrow band course on the first floor. The fenestration is generally regular, with predominantly regular fenestration to the rear. Round-headed openings with round-headed overarches characterize the ground floor rear elevation.

The north (principal) elevation features a three-bay, three-storey, basement and attic design. The basement level has a segmentally-headed window to the left, a timber-panelled door with a sunburst segmental fanlight in the centre, and an area, originally under a platt, now blocked by a wall with a window and timber-panelled and glazed door to the right. A set of steps and a platt lead to a timber-panelled door with flanking margin lights and a sunburst segmental fanlight in the right-hand bay of the ground floor. The first floor incorporates cast-iron balconnettes to the windows, giant attached Corinthian columns supporting an entablature between the second floor and the attic, pilasters dividing bays to the attic floor, an eaves cornice, and a blocking course.

The south (rear) elevation is a two-bay, three-storey, basement and attic design, with a band course dividing the ground and first floors, a cornice and band course dividing the second and attic floors, and an eaves cornice.

The windows are predominantly fitted with 12-pane glazing; 17-pane glazing is found on the ground floor, and 15-pane glazing on the first floor of the principal elevation. These are largely in timber sash and case windows. The roof is M-pitched, covered in graded grey slate, and includes stone skews and skewputts. Gable-head and mutual corniced ridge stacks are present, incorporating predominantly circular cans.

The front of the property is bordered by stone copings surmounted by cast-iron railings with dog bars, spear-head finials, and a distinctive circled border, edging the basement recess and platt. A random rubble boundary wall with flat coping forms the rear garden boundary.

The ground floor interior retains some original features. The lobby has good plasterwork, a compartmented ceiling, and a cast-iron chimneypiece. It leads to an inner hall with a modern two-leaf glazed door and corniced doorpiece. The former dining room retains ornate plasterwork, a pilastered and corniced doorpiece, and timber panelling to the lower walls. A non-original chimneypiece with tiled cheeks – matching those at No. 27, possibly original – is also present. The remainder of the ground floor has been significantly altered.