15 Union Street, Edinburgh

1. Probably designed by Hugh Cairncross (see Notes); built by John Aitchison. Classical tenement block; 3-storey attic and basement, 5-bay (3- bay to basement) symmetrical elevation to Union Street. Smooth V-jointed rustication to ground floor, droved ashlar to upper floors (droved ashlar to basement; random rubble with dressed margins to rear). Dividing band between basement and ground floor and ground and 1st floor; mutuled eaves cornice; blocking course. Regular fenestration; segmental-headed windows to basement.

SW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: to centre bay, platt overarching basement recess leading to timber panelled door with segmental fanlight and doorpiece with narrow margin lights, in round-arched opening. 2 tripartite dormer windows to roof.

NE (REAR) ELEVATION: 3-bay elevation with bowed section to right bay; 3 windows to the lower floors of bow, tripartite windows to the top 2 floors (cast iron balconette to lower of the two). Lower windows to centre bay have been narrowed.

RAILINGS: to edge of basement recess and platt, stone copes (edging basement only) surmounted by spear-head finialled cast iron railings.

BOUNDARY WALL: to rear, random rubble wall with flat stone coping.

GLAZING etc: predominantly 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows (4-pane glazing to outer lights of tripartite dormers). Dormers have timber fascia and grey slate haffits and piend roofs. 2 rooflights between dormers. Pitched roof; graded grey slates; stone skews. 1 corniced rendered mutual ridge stack to left; 1 corniced, part droved ashlar, part rendered mutual ridge stack to right; 1 corniced rubble wallhead stack to rear; circular cans to all stacks.