General view of front elevation of 238-248 Canongate, Edinburgh, from NW.

Description General view of front elevation of 238-248 Canongate, Edinburgh, from NW.

Date 26/9/2013

Collection Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu

Catalogue Number DP 161632

Category On-line Digital Images

Scope and Content This shows the four-storeyed-plus-attic tenement at 238-244 Canongate (left) with the adjoining four-storeyed 246 and 248 Canongate (right). Both are complete restorations of 18th-century tenements, with 238-44 forming the north block of Chessel's Court (which lies to the rear). Robert Hurd & Partners carried out the restoration of 246-248 Canongate in 1955, though lowered the building by one storey and replacing it with the gabled central attic. Pirrie's Close, which also gives access to Chessel's Court, is a squared pend in the eastern bay of 246-248. This close is named after William or Alexander Pirrie who owned the property in the early 18th century. It is noted as 'Perry's Close' and 'Pierry's Close' on Ainslie's maps of 1780 and 1804, but is 'Pirrie's Close' on the OS six-inch map of 1854. A 'Police Station House' in the close is also noted on this map. Robert Hurd & Partners also restored 238-44 in 1963-4 as part of a wider improvement scheme for the Chessel's Court area. The building retains many original features including the rusticated rubble stonework, the timber-famed multi-paned sash and case windows, and the tall central gablehead chimney which spans the whole building front to back. The central square-arched pend leads through to Chessel's Court which was included within the restoration scheme by Robert Hurd & Partners, 1963-5. To the rear within the court are the original, but restored, 18th-century blocks which were first built in 1742-3 (4-6 Chessel's Court, south block) and c.1770 (1 and 2 Chessel's Court, west block) by Archibald Chessel (or Chesil) (born c.1700) as part of a scheme to bring middle-classes into the Canongate area.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1351008

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap