No.57 Constitution Street, Leith, Edinburgh

Listing Text

Robert Matheson, 1875. 2-storey and attic 5-bay Italianate post office, basement to Mitchell Street, rear additions.
Cream sandstone, polished ashlar front, coursed and squared rubble to side with stugged dressings, squared and snecked stugged rubble to rear and later stair tower extension. Band cill course at ground floor; console-bracketted eaves cornice; panelled ashlar parapet with central balustraded section, dies bearing urn finials; architraved windows; bracketted cills at 1st floor; channelled quoins; principal openings at ground floor with consoled segmental pediments.
NW (FRONT) ELEVATION: 3 centre bays famed by pilasters, window (former door) to centre pedimented with single windows flanking and above; blank pedimented ashlar panel to balustrade. Outer bays with pedimented openings at ground floor (doorway to right), single windows at 1st floor above, French port-hole dormers.
NE (MITCHELL STREET) ELEVATION: 3-bay with single windows and central tall shouldered wallhead stack linked to roof; single bay later stairtower with tall parapet to outer left.
SE (REAR) ELEVATION: large 3-storey brick-built addition; single windows to left bay to main block; French port-hole dormer.
Timber sash and case windows with plate glass glazing. Slate piend and platform roof with gabled glazed cupola; 2 wallhead stacks (see above), 2 wallhead stacks to rear additions.
INTERIOR: plain cornices and cast-iron columns to main office.
Low ashlar wall to front framing raised access platform with squat gatepiers and concentric cast-iron railings.

References:
BUILDING NEWS, Sept 24 1875.