Heriot Row is a highly prestigious street in central Edinburgh, virtually unchanged since its original construction in 1802. From its inception to the present day in remained a top address in the city and has housed the rich and famous of the city's elite for 200 years
Following the success of Edinburgh's First New Town (from Princes Street to Queen Street) it was proposed to expand the concept northwards onto what was then fairly open land largely owned by the Heriot Trust. The scheme was designed by William Sibbald with the young Robert Reid working mainly on the proportions of the palace type frontages. The project was built by John Paton and David Lind. The two main sections were complete by 1808. The short western section (linking to Darnaway Street then the Moray Estate was slightly later and was executed in 1817 to the design of Thomas Bonnar being built by William & Wallace. [1]
The original concept was for two palace-fronted blocks: Dundas Street to Howe Street; and Howe Street to India Street. The short westmost section was originally planned as part of Darnaway Street and only after construction was it deemed part of Heriot Row. [2]
The original design concept was exceptionally modest: two storey and basement other than the end pavilions and central pavilions, which were set at three storey. Bonnar's west section was all three storeys. In 1864 David Bryce drew up a plan to add a third storey to all the western (central) section, but as this was in mixed ownership not all owners added this. The end result is an irretrievable ragged skyline to the west end of the central section (but the east end of the central section was successfully extended). [3]
The terraces run from Dundas Street to Gloucester Lane, the latter being off the New Town rectangular grid as it is a medieval lane linking Stockbridge to St Cuthbert's Church (which is also of medieval foundation). The lane marks a parish boundary. [4]
The four corner blocks of the two main terraces were built as flats rather than houses. Their standard design is a triple doored pavilion block facing Heriot Row. The central doors lead to a common stair, the outer doors (of the triple) are larger and grander ground floor and basement houses. The short western terrace does not fit the pattern. It has one ground floor and basement house, but the upper flats are entered from the side (2 India Street). The westmost block breaks the "rules" further, being wider than the others but not built as flats.
As designed the houses between the pavilions were two storey and basement, with a concealed sub-basement. Most now have an extra floor added as per the Bryce scheme (see above). Those which were not so extended mainly have dormer extensions.
Apart from the pavilion ends all houses are three bays wide, with the exception of 6, 8 and 14 which are four bays wide. These discrepancies add to the fact that the original design was not really symmetrical, but gave an overall impression of symmetry in the form of an entire "palace block" with each person living in a small section of the palace.
Every house entrance is accessed from a set of steps leading to a stone platform which spans over the basement area. Hidden beneath the pavement are cellar spaces, originally used for coal storage. All houses (but not all flats) have a rear garden at sub-basement level.
The street lighting appears authentic but has a complex history. The original lights were added in the 1860s (sixty years after construction) to a design by John Kippen Watson FRSE. The lights were removed and replaced by conventional electric street lighting but restored as an electric version of the original gas-lamps using moulds made by the Edinburgh New Town Conservation Trust in the early 1980s.
Cast-iron balconies, despite being common, were not part of the original design and were added on an ad hoc basis mainly in the period 1830 to 1890. This is why the design of the balconies varies from house to house. The fashion for full length windows at first floor (beginning around 1860) causes further subtle change, dropping many windows and making them five panes high rather than four panes as designed.
Queen Street Gardens is divided into three sections, two of which lie opposite Heriot Row (the eastern section is opposite Abercromby Place). [5] The gardens form some of the collection of New Town Gardens.
John Ainslie's map of 1804 shows the gardens prior to their becoming a large common pleasure garden serving both Queen Street and Heriot Row properties (a function it still serves). The gardens were formalised as a single communal (but private) space by 1836. [6]
The east end of the garden opposite 1 Heriot Row was designed by the artist Andrew Wilson. [7]
The central section of garden contains a small pond with a central island. This gives credence to the story that it inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write "Treasure Island" as his former house looks straight at the island. [8]
The small "Grecian temple" in the eastern garden seems to deceive most people and many bizarre stories exist explaining its "history". It has no history. It is disguising a gas governor and was erected in 1988 by British Gas. It is constructed of stone-coloured glass reinforced plastic. [9]
Were the blue plaque scheme carried out on Heriot Row it would look like an attack of the measles as almost every house merits two or three plaques. Instead there is a general agreement that plaques are not appropriate on this street. An explanatory panel at the end of the street might prove both useful and more appropriate. The street numbers from east to west, starting at Dundas Street.
The Dean Cemetery is a historically important Victorian cemetery north of the Dean Village, west of Edinburgh city centre, in Scotland. It lies between Queensferry Road and the Water of Leith, bounded on its east side by Dean Path and on its west by the Dean Gallery. A 20th-century extension lies detached from the main cemetery to the north of Ravelston Terrace. The main cemetery is accessible through the main gate on its east side, through a "grace and favour" access door from the grounds of Dean Gallery and from Ravelston Terrace. The modern extension is only accessible at the junction of Dean Path and Queensferry Road.
George Square is the principal civic square in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is one of six squares in the city centre, the others being Cathedral Square, St Andrew's Square, St Enoch Square, Royal Exchange Square, and Blythswood Square on Blythswood Hill.
Charles Erskine also spelled Areskine, of Tinwald and Barjarg, Dumfries, and Alva, Clackmannan was Lord Advocate, a Scottish judge, and a politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1722 to 1742.
The New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It was built in stages between 1767 and around 1850, and retains much of its original neo-classical and Georgian period architecture. Its best known street is Princes Street, facing Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town across the geological depression of the former Nor Loch. Together with the West End, the New Town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside the Old Town in 1995. The area is also famed for the New Town Gardens, a heritage designation since March 2001.
Arniston House is a historic house in Midlothian, Scotland, near the village of Temple. This Georgian mansion was designed by William Adam in 1726 for Robert Dundas, of Arniston, the elder, the Lord President of the Court of Session. The western third of the house was added by John Adam, son of William and brother of Robert Adam, in 1753.
Greyfriars Kirkyard is the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at the southern edge of the Old Town, adjacent to George Heriot's School. Burials have been taking place since the late 16th century, and a number of notable Edinburgh residents are interred at Greyfriars. The Kirkyard is operated by City of Edinburgh Council in liaison with a charitable trust, which is linked to but separate from the church. The Kirkyard and its monuments are protected as a category A listed building.
Dundas House is a Neoclassical building in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at 36 St Andrew Square, in the city's first New Town. The building was completed in 1774 as a private town house for Sir Lawrence Dundas by the architect Sir William Chambers. Much altered internally and extended over the years, today it is the registered office of the Royal Bank of Scotland and its parent, NatWest Group and is protected as a category A listed building.
Warriston Cemetery is a cemetery in Edinburgh. It lies in Warriston, one of the northern suburbs of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was built by the then newly-formed Edinburgh Cemetery Company, and occupies around 14 acres (5.7 ha) of land on a slightly sloping site. It contains many tens of thousands of graves, including notable Victorian and Edwardian figures, the most eminent being the physician Sir James Young Simpson.
General Register House is an Adam style neoclassical building on Princes Street, Edinburgh, purpose built by Robert Adam between 1774 and 1788 as the headquarters of the National Archives of Scotland. It is a Category A listed building.
Patrick Small Keir Newbigging FRSE FRSSA FRCSE (1813–1864) was a Scottish surgeon and general practitioner. He was President of the Royal Medical Society and of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts. Together with his father, Sir William Newbigging he formed one of the few father-son pairs of former Presidents of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. His observations on the origin of the heart sounds and of the apex beat of the heart made a significant contribution to the debate.
James Duncan FRSE FRCS FRCSE was a Scottish surgeon and manufacturing chemist responsible for much of the British supply of chloroform in the mid-19th century. From 1839 to 1866 he was Director of Duncan Flockhart & Co one of Scotland’s largest chemical manufacturers.
William John Dundas, FRSE, LLD, WS (1849–1921) was a Scottish lawyer and mathematician. In later life he was a director of the Royal Bank of Scotland. He was the younger brother of James Dundas VC.
Sir William Campbell Johnston FRSE was a Scottish lawyer and noted cricketer.
Sir William Newbigging FRSE FRCSEd FRGS was a Scottish surgeon who served as President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh from 1814 to 1816. He was a keen amateur geographer.
Royal Terrace is a grand street in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, on the north side of Calton Hill within the New Town and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1995, built on the south side of a setted street, facing the sloping banks of London Road Gardens, formerly Royal Terrace Gardens, with views looking north towards Leith and the Firth of Forth.
The Moray Estate in Edinburgh was an exclusive early 19th century building venture attaching the west side of Edinburgh's New Town.
Carlton Terrace is a residential street in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located on the east side of Calton Hill, at the eastern extremity of the New Town, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1995.
Queen Street is the northernmost east-west street in Edinburgh's First New Town. It begins in the east, at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. It links York Place with the Moray Estate.
William Sibbald (c.1760–1809) was a Scottish architect. He was superintendent of public works in Edinburgh and assisted Robert Reid in setting out and designing the Second New Town.
Peter Spalding (1758–1826) was a Scottish colonial trader and philanthropist.
Media related to Heriot Row, Edinburgh at Wikimedia Commons
