ARCHITECTURE 

The Lane was listed by Historic Scotland in 1991 (ref 30606) with Category C status, and forms part of the wider Marchmont, Meadows and Bruntsfield Conservation Area. Category C status is summarised as a 'significant group of buildings, within which some individual buildings may have a higher status'.

The Historic Scotland listing describes Thirlestane Lane as a continuous row of mews buildings with setted [cobbled] lane in front (to the south) and back courts (to the north), largely built in the 1880s. 

To quote the report:

“[A] relatively unaltered group of mews buildings; unusually built in separation from the residences they were intended to serve. Originally built with stalls, coach-houses and harness rooms at street level, with domestic quarters and hayloft above.

All now converted to dwellings. Access to stables from front, S, elevations, except No 10/11 which had rear access.

No 9 is the most unaltered example, though altered in the 1980s.

All neatly squared and snecked rubble with various Scots baronial detailing; windows mostly original sash and case.

Nos. 3 and 4: 2-storey, 5-bay with crowstepped baronial gable rising above slightly advanced bay, with beaked skews, leaded-glass roundel, wallhead stack. Mullioned windows. 3 pairs early boarded timber doors at ground.

No 5: David Adamson,* 1882. Single-storey and attic. 3 dormer-headed windows breaking eaves (pedimented with ball finials), centre originally hay-loft now altered. Ground floor, boarded doors at left have replaced original window at outer bay and entrance door for horses (access to rear stalls, no rear access).

Nos. 6 and 7: single-storey and attic. Mullioned dormer-headed window to right at no.6, to left nepus-gable with axial corniced stack and horseshoe-shaped finial. Hayloft to left half glazed, half boarded. Alterations to other openings.

No 8: 1920`s mullioned windows, small-paned above.”

No 9: Thomas P Marwick *, 1884. good detailing at front elevation; minor alterations: boarded door left at ground floor not original; door (No 9a) converted from window; hay loft above glazed. 3 pedimented-headed windows, centre semicircular, outer bays triangular, with horseshoe and star finials. Neo-bolection moulded architrave at door (No 9), stopped at cill levels; dentilled cornice. Original cast-iron columns survive at ground floor from cabinet-makers workshop (No 9 exceptionally not built as stalls/& coachhouse).

This is the best preserved building in the row.

No 10 & 11: MacGibbon & Ross,* 1887. Plain elevations, snecked and squared rubble. Pediment-headed dormer windows; 2 doors paired at centre.

No. 12: Henry D Walker.* Stylistically similar to 10/11, with crowstepped gablets. Badly altered at ground; hay-loft at right converted as window.

No. 13/14: Some alterations; hay-loft retains half-boarded panelling. Interior not seen (surviving stalls).

No. 15 & 16: red sandstone dressings; shaped wallhead stacks; badly altered at ground.

No 17: inter-war. (but cf Malcolm Cant's book on 'History' page)

The Marchmont, Meadows and Bruntsfield Conservation Area Character Appraisal states that:

“Thirlestane Lane also has a quite different character from the tenement development. It is an elegant mews lane with a narrow pavement and cobbled street. It was built to house the coaches and coachmen for the large houses of the Grange.”

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Interestingly an examination of the boundary wall on the south side still reveals vertical traces of the stone bunkers used to collect the horse manure.

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(* Premises designed by known architects.

Thomas Marwick was an eminent architect specialising in the 'Free Renaissance' and 'Neo-Baroque' styles. He was  responsible for many iconic Edinburgh buildings, including, in 1893, the Kenilworth Bar in Rose Street!)

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