1 Saxe-Coburg Place, Stockbridge, Edinburgh

1 Saxe-Coburg Place, Stockbridge, Edinburgh

A Grade-listed terrace forming half of an incomplete U-plan development arranged around a central communal garden. The scheme was initiated by James Milne in 1821-2 and completed by Adam Ogilvie Turnbull between 1828 and 1834, with subsequent additions and alterations. The buildings comprise 2- and 3-storey townhouses, some of which have been converted to flats.

The front elevation is finished in droved sandstone ashlar with polished ashlar dressings, while the sides and rear are of squared, coursed sandstone. A rusticated ground floor, base course, band course and eaves cornice are common features. Blocking courses appear on Nos 1, 5 and 9-15. Steps and flying platts cross the basement areas. The roofs are double-pitched with ashlar-coped skews and grey slate, topped with coped ridge stacks predominantly finished with yellow clay cans.

The principal façade features timber-panelled front doors with fanlights, and timber sash and case windows with a variety of glazing patterns: predominantly 12-pane, though some employ lying-pane glazing and others have been updated with plate glass or 4-pane configurations.

Numbers 1-6, built by James Milne in 1821, form a 2-storey basement and attic terrace. Nos 1 and 5 are slightly advanced and embellished with giant Ionic pilasters. No 1 has blind ground and 1st floor windows to its gable. No 3 features a mansard roof, while No 5 has piend-roofed canted dormers, added in 1882. Cast-iron balconies ornament the 1st floor windows of Nos 1 and 4 on the front elevation, and appear on certain rear elevation windows of Nos 1, 2, 5 and 6.

The interiors of this group retain cantilevered stone staircases with cast-iron balusters and the original principal floor layouts. Nos 1-2 contain some original plasterwork, while all other houses retain original plaster cornices. No 3 preserves some original fireplaces. Nos 4-6 retain the majority of original features including most fireplaces, a circular cupola over the staircases, and the original basement layout. Nos 5 and 6 are distinguished by fine bow-ended dining rooms with curved doors.

Numbers 7-8, known as Strathearn House, were built by James Milne in 1821 as a pair of 3-storey houses with basement. These were substantially remodelled in 1918-19 by James Ingram to form a school, then later converted to flats in the latter 20th century. An additional upper storey with parapet was added, featuring a central tablet inscribed "STRATHEARN HOUSE". The interior was largely remodelled, though the original cantilevered staircase was retained in No 7 and partially retained in No 8 (from 1st to upper floor). A drawing room fireplace survives in No 7.

Numbers 9-14 were constructed by Adam Ogilvie Turnbull between 1828 and 1834 as a 3-storey basement terrace with a curved frontage from No 11 onwards. Nos 9 and 10 are slightly advanced and feature architraved 1st floor windows. All houses carry semicircular cast-iron 1st floor window balconies in various designs; those of Nos 13-14 are enriched with an anthemion leaf motif.

The interiors have been largely converted to flats, with the exceptions of Nos 10 and 14, but generally preserve the original floor plan to principal floors, plasterwork and fireplaces. All retain cantilevered stone stairs with cast-iron balusters, mahogany handrails and cupolas. Nos 9 and 13 have cast-iron Butler's trays at 1st floor level. Nos 11 onwards feature considerably more generous staircases and entrance halls than the lower-numbered houses. Nos 13 and 14 are notable for handsome coffered ceilings to their dining and drawing rooms.

Number 15, a later 19th-century addition, replicates the exterior of Nos 9-14. It was converted to flats in the mid-20th century, at which point the main stair was removed and the back stair adapted as the common stair.

The boundary walls and railings comprise spear-headed cast-iron railings to basement areas and steps, with cast-iron lamp stands at regular intervals. High, coped, random-rubble garden walls bound the rear of the houses. The retaining wall to the communal garden is of squared, coursed sandstone with a deep sandstone ashlar cope, topped by spear-headed cast-iron railings and punctuated by cast-iron lamp stands at regular intervals. A cast-iron gate provides access.