Nelson's Monument, Calton Hill, Edinburgh

Robert Burn, 1807; completed by Thomas Bonnar, 1814-1816. Castellated building on elevated site; pentagonal single storey structure surrounding 5-stage circular tower with narrower 6th stage. To ground floor, 1 bay central sections to each side of pentagon, flanked to left and right by projecting, taller 3-bay canted sections. Droved ashlar. Chamfered base course; string course; single blind quatrefoil to each bay of corner sections; moulded band dividing 2nd and 3rd stage; moulded band dividing 3rd and 4th stage; moulded band dividing 4th and 5th stage; hatched frieze; machicolated, crenellated parapet; moulded band with quatrefoil frieze above; machicolated, crenellated parapet. To top of tower, compass mast and time ball. Predominantly regular fenestration; architraved tripartite round-headed windows to central sections to ground floor; arrow-slit windows to projecting sections; to tower, 4 openings to each stage, windows recessed into architraved round-headed over-arches (blind windows to NW, NE and SE of tower).

E (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: to centre, 2-leaf timber panelled door with flanking margin lights; intersecting tracery in segmental fanlight; all in architraved round-headed openings. Above, panel commemorating Nelson, surmounted by a sculpture of the stern of the San Joseph. Timber-boarded door with glazing above to NE side of tower to 6th stage.

GLAZING etc: predominantly 4-pane glazing to lower sashes and 5-pane Y-tracery glazing to upper sashes in timber sash and case windows to ground floor; predominantly 16-pane glazing (bottom 2 panes fixed) in timber casement windows to tower. Flat roof to ground floor.

INTERIOR: rectangular entrance lobby with interior glazed vestibule and secondary door; panels containing shallow relief ship sculptures to upper walls; reeded doorpieces with lions head detail to corners; petal style lampshade suspended from foliate ceiling rose; cast iron turnstile (see Notes) leading to spiral tower stair. Whitewashed rubble walls to stair. To outer ground floor rooms; apsidal ends to larger reception rooms; curved timber-panelled doors; predominantly reeded or architraved doorpieces; low level timber wall panelling and ornate ceiling cornices to most rooms; several smaller ancillary rooms.