40-41-42 Heriot Row, Edinburgh

Robert Reid and William Sibbald designed this monumental residential terrace between 1802 and 1808. The composition forms a 65-bay palace-fronted block arranged in near-symmetrical fashion along Heriot Row, with a commanding four-storey central pavilion flanked by lower linking blocks and terminal pavilions at either end. The building is constructed of polished ashlar sandstone with V-jointed rustication at the principal floor level and rock-faced rustication at basement level.

The architectural arrangement consists of a nine-bay central pavilion rising to four storeys above basement, flanked on each side by 21-bay linking blocks of three storeys and basement, with seven-bay terminal pavilions at each end rising three storeys above basement (with attic space in some sections). Band courses run below the principal floor, with sill courses at first and second floor levels of the central and terminal pavilions. Cornices mark the second floor of the central pavilion, with additional cornices and blocking courses throughout. Windows at first floor level are corniced, with particular elaboration in the terminal pavilions where the three central bays receive cornices with consoles. The central window of the central pavilion's first floor is pedimented with consoles, flanked by windows with corniced consoles, which are in turn flanked by windows with pedimented consoles. Both central and terminal pavilions project forward from the main façade. Ashlar steps and entrance platforms oversail the basement areas. Mews buildings survive to the rear in Jamaica Street South Lane.

The south principal elevation of the central pavilion comprises the four-storey house at number 31 occupying the centre three bays, with the three-storey number 30 to the right and four-storey number 32 to the left, each spanning three bays. Round-arched doorpieces appear in the third bay from left, the fourth bay, and third bay from right, fitted with six-panel doors featuring plate glass and radial semicircular fanlights. The remaining bays at principal floor contain windows, with round-arched window recesses in the centre and left-of-centre bays. Regular fenestration continues to the floors above, with a window on the west return at third floor level. The third floor windows of number 32 have lowered sills. The third bay from the right projects forward and carries a wallhead panel at third floor; the third bay from left also advances with a later wallhead panel at second floor. Number 31 and certain bays of number 32 feature blind balustraded parapets with panelled dies. Flagged basement areas front predominantly vertically boarded timber cellar doors, with a room beneath the entrance platform at number 32.

The 24-bay linking block to the right of the central pavilion contains seven houses, predominantly of three storeys and basement spanning three bays each. Doors occupy bays to the right at principal floor level, with windows filling remaining bays and regular fenestration above. Numbers 23 and 25 are two storeys and basement; number 24 rises three storeys with attic and basement. The 21-bay linking block to the left of the central pavilion similarly comprises seven predominantly three-storey and basement houses of three bays each. Doors are positioned in bays to the left at principal floor, with an additional door in the right bay of number 35. Windows occupy remaining principal floor bays with regular fenestration above. Numbers 33, 36 and 37 are two storeys and basement. Flagged basement areas front predominantly vertically boarded timber cellar doors, with a room beneath the entrance platform at number 36.

The near-symmetrical terminal pavilions are predominantly three storeys above basement and sub-basement, spanning seven bays each. Round-arched doorpieces occupy the advanced central three bays, fitted with predominantly six-panel doors and radial semicircular fanlights; number 22 has a glazed doorpiece flanking a two-leaf door. Windows fill the remaining principal floor bays with regular fenestration above. Blind balustraded aprons originally fronted the central three bays at first floor level; some balusters have been removed from the third bay from left of the east terminal pavilion, while aprons have been entirely removed and sills lowered in the fourth bay from right of the east pavilion and third bay from left of the west pavilion. Blank wallhead panels flanked by blind balustraded parapets and panelled dies span the advanced central three bays of both terminal pavilions. Flagged basement areas front predominantly vertically boarded timber cellar doors, with half-turn stairs accessing the sub-basement level and rooms beneath the entrance platforms at numbers 20 and 22.

The east elevation facing Howe Street (number 2 Howe Street) rises three storeys with attic and basement across six bays. Regular fenestration appears at all floors, though blind windows occur in the penultimate bay from left and third bay from left at principal, first and second floors, and in the outer left bay at second floor. The outer right window at second floor carries a cornice. Three windows are regularly spaced at attic level with projecting sills. The basement level features broached ashlar with a central glazed door set within a three-bay shop front flanked by plate glass windows. The wallhead stack coping is depressed in the outer right bay.

The west elevation becoming 1-3 India Street rises three storeys with attic and basement across five bays, also constructed of polished ashlar sandstone. Windows are irregularly spaced with blind windows in the fourth bay from left at principal and first floors, third bay from left at first, second and attic floors, and an infilled window at outer right of the first floor. First floor and attic windows have projecting sills. The basement comprises a six-bay shop front to the left with a two-leaf door in the fourth bay from left and windows in remaining bays, plus a blind window in the outer right bay. A flagged basement area fronts this elevation.

Windows throughout are predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case. Pairs of box dormers appear at numbers 20 and 23; number 24 has a pair of polygonal piended dormers with number 40 having a single example; numbers 25, 36 and 37 feature pairs of lead-roofed rectangular dormers; number 33 has a pair of rectangular dormers. Grey slate M-roofs cover most of the terrace, with a Mansard roof at the right of the east terminal pavilion. Cast-iron rainwater goods serve the roofs. Window guards protect first floor windows at numbers 20, 22, 30, 31, 35, 36, 38, 40, 41 and 42, and second floor windows in the three outer left bays at number 42, as well as the outer left first floor window and second floor windows of the east elevation and second floor windows of the west elevation. Balconies span first floor windows at numbers 24, 26, 27, 29, 33, 37 and 39, with bracketed examples at numbers 33 and 37. A variety of polished, broached and rendered ridge, wallhead and gablehead stacks appear throughout, coped with circular cans.

The interiors were not inspected in 1997, though evidence suggests working panelled shutters survive in some houses. Number 26 has a columnar entrance hall; number 32 has a pendentived entrance hall.

Ashlar copes surmounted by cast-iron railings with spear-headed balusters and urn finials run along the front of the terrace. Cast-iron lamps with glass globes provide illumination.

Jamaica Street South Lane contains a row of earlier 19th century two-storey mews buildings with an isolated mews building to the west, constructed of coursed rubble with droved and polished ashlar dressings. This listing excludes the flat-roofed garages forming numbers 25, 27 and 29.

The north principal elevation of the mews presents a variety of vertically boarded timber garage doors including two-leaf, multi-leaf folding and sliding types, some with glazed upper panels, set beneath timber and stone lintels. A single-storey coach house stands to the left of number 9. Number 11 shows a door and window inserted into an infilled former carriage door opening. Windows at attic level include a pair of stone dormerheads breaking the eaves at number 21 and a single stone gabled dormerhead at number 31. Modern slapping with timber gate and screen fronts the ground floor at number 51. A pair of vertically boarded timber loading doors occupies the gable of number 55.

Number 59 is a two-storey mews building with its principal elevation facing east, comprising a modern door and window inserted into a former carriage door opening at left ground level, a bipartite window with stone mullion at right ground level, and a bipartite window set within a stone gabled dormerhead breaking the eaves at right. A modern garage block adjoins the mews to the right; a coped random rubble wall with timber door in a pedestrian gate adjoins to the left.

The mews buildings feature predominantly timber sash and case windows, grey slate roofs, cast-iron rainwater goods, and a variety of coped stacks with circular cans. Coped skews finish the gables.