2 Lockharton Gardens, Edinburgh

James Gowans, circa 1880. 2-storey and attic irregular-plan idiosyncratic double villa; cream sandstone, ashlar front and sides, coursed and squared rubble rear with ashlar dressings; chamfered reveals; ashlar mullions; indented diamond frieze at eaves level; pedimented ashlar dormer-and gableheads (No 1 with pen-nib carving) and cast-iron ball finials. SW (FRONT) ELEVATION: 4-bay; mirrored about centre; 2-storey tripartite bow windows to inner bays each with pierced ashlar balustrade, steeply pitched gabled dormer with tripartite window above; stylised incised petal motif in gableheads; entrance doors of 10 equal panels in outer bays, semi-circular fanlight and sideleights (later stained glass border to No 2), ornamental carved brackets supporting cornice with frieze of pen-nib carving rising as semi-circled hood above door; single window at 1st floor; dormer above.

SE ELEVATION: advanced 2-storey bay to right with half-piend roof and dormer, 3 windows at ground floor, 1 at 1st floor, 1 window on return of bay; narrow single storey projection in re-entrant angle with side entrance and 4 widnows under eaves; bowed ashlar oriel above with indented diamond frieze, fish-scale half-conical roof and stylised elongated pen-nib motif on corbel; small bipartite stair windows in central bay, upper window with moulded block capitals; tripartite window in gablehead with indented diamond frieze and cornice.

NW ELEVATION: as SE elevation; lower timber lean-to conservatory with cast-iron ornamental brackets encasing single storey projection.

NE (REAR) ELEVATION: mirrored about centre, each 3-bay; tripartite windows with narrow outer lights at ground and 1st floor of inner bays; dormers above; each projecting central bay with tripartite window at ground and 1st floor, flanked by narrow single windows; ashlar dormers above; narrow windows on return; single windows at ground floor to recessed outer bays; 3 single storey garages at No 1 (built 1954). Mostly plate glass timber sash and case windows, some 2-pane upper sashes and 2-pane lower sashes to rear and sides; green slate roof, lead flashings; 3 grooved ridge stacks, corniced with dentilled frieze and ornamental serrated cans; moulded eaves gutter.

INTERIOR: not seen 1992.

GATEPIERS AND RAILINGS: high rubble boundary wall to NW, gatepier with large cast-iron sputnik ball finial to NW; low wall with saddleback coping to SW and SE, distinctive cast-iron railings to SE; tapering ashlar pedestrian gatepiers, chamfered corners, pyramidal copes and bands of stylised petal motifs.