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27-31 James Craig Walk, James Craig Court
Tenement (18th Century)
Site Name 27-31 James Craig Walk, James Craig Court
Classification Tenement (18th Century)
Canmore ID 365137
Site Number NT27SE 6365
NGR NT 25823 74141
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/365137
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County Midlothian
Standing Building Recording (16 May 2018 - 22 January 2019)
NT 25823 74141 A historic building survey was undertaken, 16 May 2018 to 22 January 2019, of a student accommodation block in advance of renovation work.
The original tenement block was constructed from 1775, built in three phases, and included five entrances to a number of tenements. It had four floor levels and a basement level with scale-and-platt stairs to each property. One of the properties was converted to a hotel (in the 1850s) and another into a Mission Hall (in the later 19th century). The whole tenement was then converted (1902 – 04) into offices for the National Archives, with a new Sasine Office built onto the SE elevation. New large casement windows were also inserted into the NW block replacing the original sash windows. The roof of the original building was removed and a new row of third floor windows and a flat roof installed.
The St James Centre development in the 1970s effectively removed and destroyed the character of the original St James Square, to which 27 – 31 formed the SW side. In 2002, the building was again completely renovated and converted into student accommodation. This included the replacement of a staircase, the insertion of internal partitions and installation of modern furnishings.
Archive: NRHE (intended)
Funder: University of Edinburgh
Diana Sproat – AOC Archaeology Group
(Source: DES Vol 19 & 20)
