8 Northumberland Street South West Lane, Edinburgh

8 Northumberland Street South West Lane, Edinburgh

A palace block designed by Robert Reid and William Sibbald between 1802 and 1808. The building comprises 59 bays arranged in a near-symmetrical composition: a 3-storey and basement structure with a 9-bay advanced central pavilion flanked by a pair of predominantly 2-storey and basement linking blocks (17 bays to the right, 19 bays to the left), in turn flanked by a pair of 3-storey and basement, 7-bay advanced terminal pavilions.

The exterior is finished in polished ashlar sandstone. V-jointed rustication marks the principal floor, with rock-faced rustication to the basement. Band courses run below the principal and first floors, whilst cill courses mark the second and third floors. A cornice and blocking course crown the third floors. Windows at the first floors are corniced; those in the centre bays of the central and terminal pavilions are corniced and consoled with blind balustraded aprons. The central and terminal pavilions feature 3 advanced central bays with pediments and circular recesses set into their tympana. Ashlar steps and entrance platts overhang the basements.

The south (principal) elevation of the central pavilion contains a round-arched doorpiece at the principal floor with a 6-panel door and plate glass semicircular fanlight, flanked by round-arched window recesses. The outer bays are advanced and feature round-arched doorpieces at principal floor level with matching doors and fanlights. Regular fenestration continues to the floors above. The right-hand linking block (Nos 4–8) comprises 5 three-storey and basement houses, with attic additions to Nos 4 and 6. The left-hand linking block (Nos 12–17) comprises 6 predominantly two-storey and basement houses, with No 13 rising to three storeys. Both blocks display irregularly spaced doors to individual houses, each a 6-panel door with plate glass and radial rectangular fanlights, with windows in the remaining bays at principal floor and regular fenestration above. A carved stone plaque at No 17 reads 'The Home of ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON 1857–1880'. The terminal pavilions contain round-arched doorpieces with 6-panel doors and radial semicircular fanlights at principal floor level.

The flagged basement areas feature predominantly vertically boarded timber doors to cellars, with rooms positioned under entrance platts to several properties. The east (Dundas Street) elevation rises to three storeys with attic, basement, and sub-basement over 6 bays. A pedimented shop front at basement level contains a glazed door flanked by plate glass windows. Blind windows infill certain bays at the second floor. The west (Howe Street) elevation similarly comprises three storeys with attic, basement, and sub-basement over 6 bays, with a round-arched doorpiece at principal floor in the third bay from the right. Multiple bays contain blind windows. An 8-bay basement is accessed by half-turn stairs to the sub-basement at the outer right.

Windows throughout are predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case. Dormers vary across the façade: pairs of box dormers appear at Nos 9, 10, and 12; polygonal piended dormers at Nos 11 and 18; pairs of polygonal piended dormers at Nos 14 and 15; and lead-roofed rectangular dormers at Nos 4 and 6, with pairs flanking the pediment apex at Nos 18 and 19. Grey slate M-roofs are topped with cast-iron rainwater goods. Window guards protect the first floor windows of Nos 8, 12, 17, and 18. Bracketed balconies span bays at the first floors of Nos 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 15, and 18. Ridge and gablehead stacks are of broached and polished ashlar, coped with circular cans.

Interiors were not inspected in 1997, though some evidence of working panelled shutters remains. Recorded alterations include work to No 4 by A F Balfour Paul in 1911; to No 6 by Scott Morton & Co in 1909 to designs by Robert S Lorimer, featuring an Ionic screen to the side hall and oval ceilings; an Ionic-columned chimneypiece to No 7; a garlanded oval to the entrance hall of No 8; a pendentived ceiling, Tuscan screen, and arcaded landing to No 10; and a double entrance hall with part groined and pendentived columnar screens, an apsed stairwell with cupola on pendentives, and a Grecian oval ceiling to the drawing room of No 14.

Ashlar copes are surmounted by cast-iron railings with spear-headed balusters and urn finials. Cast-iron lamps with glass globes are installed.

MEWS TO THE REAR (NORTHUMBERLAND STREET SOUTH WEST LANE)

The mews date to the early 19th century and comprise 2 rows of predominantly two-storey buildings constructed in coursed rubble with some droved ashlar dressings.

The north (principal) elevation features predominantly two-leaf vertically-boarded timber garage doors, some in segmental-arched openings. Modern garage and pedestrian doors have been introduced in places. At No 5, a cart opening is blocked with a tripartite window. Attic fenestration is varied, including bipartite windows and vertically-boarded timber infilled loading windows. A coursed rubble double garage opposite No 5 displays two-leaf vertically-boarded timber doors with timber lintel to the left of its south elevation, and folding vertically-boarded timber doors with stone lintel to the right, with an infilled loading window at attic level and a blank west elevation.

Mews windows are predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case. Grey slate roofs are equipped with cast-iron rainwater goods. Ashlar and rendered ridge stacks are coped with circular cans, and coped skews complete the detailing.