47, 49 Frederick Street, Edinburgh

The building at 47 and 49 Frederick Street dates from 1786 to 1792, with later additions and alterations in 1823 and the mid-19th century. It comprises two classical blocks of four and five bays respectively. The four-bay block to the south is four storeys high, with a platt above the basement. The five-bay block to the north is three storeys high with an attic, and sits on a raised basement. The building is constructed from droved cream ashlar sandstone with polished dressings (cleaned to the south), and has a rubble basement.

The southern block features a six-bay colonnaded shopfront at ground level, with fluted Greek Ionic columns and a full entablature. The upper floors have three bays displaced to the right. A string course marks the original eaves, with a cornice and blocking course to the extra storey.

The northern block has an architraved and corniced doorway leading to a common stair, with a panelled door and plate glass fanlight above. To the left is a four-bay shopfront with large architraved plate glass windows and steps leading to a similar doorway with two-leaf panelled doors and a plate glass fanlight, all framed by pilasters. A basement bar is located here with architraved windows and a doorpiece. A broad slate-hung box dormer sits over the four northern bays, featuring three canted windows. There is an irregular three-bay rubble gable.

A saloon is located at the rear, visible at the corner of Thistle Street Lane, and is expressed by an L-plan pilastered building with incised Greek detailing.

The windows are timber sash and case with plate glass, featuring 12-pane glazing to the attic and fourth storey. Corniced stacks, ashlar coped skews, and a piended slate roof in grey are also present on the south (four-storey) block.

The interior of the shop at ground level in No. 43 includes columns and a top-lit saloon to the rear. The common stair in No. 45 provides access to flats on the first and second floors. The double upper storey to the south, with its full fourth storey, is decorated with eleven framed painted panels depicting figures in pastoral landscapes, in a Watteauesque style by D R Hay, dating from around 1835-40. It also features a foliate cast-iron balustrade to the stair and a Greek key cornice. A former two-bay Dining Room has been displaced laterally at the front, with an apse, sideboard recess on the south wall flanked by presses, and a 19th-century Greek cornice. A fine carved chimneypiece is present in the southeast room. The northern double upper features turned and block timber banisters, and a painted carved chimneypiece in the front room.

Cast-iron railings are located at the northern block.