7 Sciennes House Place, Edinburgh

Sciennes House Place comprises a substantial tenement with a complex construction history spanning from 1741 to around 1880, and subsequent alterations. Originally a three-bay villa built in 1741, it was extended to the east between 1810 and 1812, and further extended and converted into two tenements around 1880. The construction of later neighbouring buildings enclosed the original north elevation, effectively reorienting the house to face Sciennes House Place. The building was restored in 1989.

The south elevation facing Sciennes House Place reveals the differing phases of construction. The 1741 section is built from random sandstone rubble with dressed ashlar window and door surrounds. It is a three-storey, three-bay dwelling with a dividing course between the ground and first floors. A doorway, now removed, was centrally placed with a panelled door and fanlight. Single windows are present at first and second floors in the centre bay, with regularly spaced windows in the remaining bays. Two dormers light the attic space. A commemorative plaque is located at first floor level. Between 1810 and 1812, a two-bay, three-storey extension was added to the east, constructed from squared and snecked sandstone with ashlar window margins and quoins. This section is slightly advanced and taller than the original villa, with single windows in both bays, indicating some later alterations to the first-floor windows. The western gable is curvilinear. An additional three-bay, four-storey tenement, also built of squared and snecked sandstone with ashlar detailing, was added to the east around 1880. This section features a segmental-arched doorway to the left, single windows in the other bays, and segmental-arched windows at ground and first floors.

The original north elevation, largely hidden by later buildings, shows a slightly advanced three-bay block. The ground floor is random rubble, while the first and second floors are rendered with a “Roman” cement finish, which is channelled at the first floor and lined at the second. Dividing bands mark the ground and first floor levels. A cornice supports a fluted balustrade with swags, decorative urns, and bracketed cills. Keystoned window surrounds are raised at ground level, lugged and architraved at first, and plain at second floors. A doorway with a relieving arch was originally off-centre, with a panelled door. A small ventilation opening sits to the right of the doorway, with windows above and in the remaining bays. Between 1810 and 1812, a two-bay, three-storey extension, matching the materials and details of the north elevation, was added to the east. Around 1880, a single four-storey bay of a corner tenement block, constructed from brick with ashlar dressings and featuring bipartite windows at all floors, was added.

The building displays predominantly eight-pane sash and case windows. The roof is covered with grey slate and features two mutual chimney stacks with deep cornices and moulded cans.