60, 62, 64, 66, 68 Murray Place

Built around 1900, this classical-fronted tenement dominates a main thoroughfare in central Stirling. It is a rare survivor on the south side of the street, which was extensively rebuilt in the later 20th century. Originally designed as a combination of shop units on the ground floor and offices and two- and three-bedroomed flats on the upper floors, this arrangement largely remains. The decorative north (principal) elevation is one of the most striking and detailed in the town centre, and despite a modern shop frontage at ground level, the building significantly contributes to the streetscape of Murray Place.

The north elevation is five stories and five bays, constructed with ashlar stone. A modern shop frontage obscures the ground floor, although some original details may exist beneath. The first and second floors are symmetrical, with five bays and projecting central and outer bays. Channelled rustication is present on the second and fourth bays. A large, open-pedimented classical centrepiece is mounted on a corniced frieze featuring foliage, framing the windows of the central bay on the fourth and fifth floors. The outer bays are canted over three stories, flanked by continuous plain pilasters topped with ashlar spheres. These are surmounted by tripartite windows with deep moulded eaves. Window surrounds are adorned with various pediments, decorative keystones, and cartouches.

The east and west elevations are plain, constructed from random rubble. The south (rear) elevation is faced with red brick and has plain window openings to the upper floors.

The interiors of the shop units at Nos. 60, 62, 66, and 68 have been modernised and have direct access from the street. At No. 64, a central doorway leads to a corridor with a two-panel coffered ceiling and a dentil cornice, which then leads to the central stairwell. The internal stone stairwell is lit by a large, square, pyramidal rooflight and has a dado of orange, cream, and brown glazed ceramic tiles in decorative bands. Main doorways to offices and dwellings feature classical moulded timber doorpieces with plain fanlights and a mixture of six-panel double and single leaf doors. The offices have relatively plain interiors with some simple plaster archways and cornicing, along with surviving carved doorpieces, panelled window surrounds, and fireplaces. A flat on the second floor has been converted to office accommodation. Flat 8 retains original timber sash and case windows, egg and dart cornicing, skirting, and doorpieces. It also features an original classical carved fireplace in the main reception room, plain banded cornicing to other rooms, smaller cast-iron fireplaces in the bedrooms, and a range cooker in the kitchen. The bathroom retains original tongue and groove panelling.

The building is primarily constructed from sandstone ashlar on the main elevation, with coursed and snecked, squared rubble on the sides and rear. Most windows are timber sash and case, though some dwellings have PVCu windows. A pyramidal glass and cast iron rooflight illuminates the stairwell. Timber six-panel doors are found in the stairwell. The roofscape and roofing material were not visible during the 2005 assessment.