Ainslie Place forms the oval part of James Gillespie Graham’s 1822 Moray Estate plan, with sweeping classical palace fronts enclosing a communal garden.
Quick facts
- Plan / date
- Moray Estate, designed 1822; developed in the 1820s–30s
- Architect
- James Gillespie Graham
- Designation
- Category A; multiple listings including LB28213–LB28215
- OS grid reference
- NT 24541 74086
The oval in the Moray Estate
Ainslie Place forms an elongated oval between the polygon of Moray Place and the crescent of Randolph Crescent. James Gillespie Graham designed the estate in 1822, using the curved street and building lines to join the western edges of Edinburgh’s first and second New Town developments.
Classical frontages
At Nos 1–15B, Historic Environment Scotland describes a 47-bay palace block, three storeys with attic and basement, stepping down to the east. A nine-bay central pavilion projects between linking terraces and four-bay terminal pavilions. Smooth sandstone, rustication at the principal level, round-headed openings, sash windows and pilasters provide a common architectural order across individual houses.
The oval’s other side has related terrace and pavilion compositions, protected in separate Category A listings. The central garden preserves the planned open space against which the curved buildings were set.
Street, gardens and service space
Basement areas, iron railings and steps mark the transition from the public street to the private houses. Side streets and rear service accommodation are integrated into the larger estate plan. The garden is ordinarily managed for residents and authorised users rather than as an unrestricted public park.
Sources and further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: 1–15B Ainslie Place, LB28213 — Detailed 47-bay composition, construction and estate context.
- Historic Environment Scotland: 16–20 Ainslie Place, LB28214 — Further terrace and pavilion composition.
- Historic Environment Scotland: 21–25A Ainslie Place, LB28215 — Additional classical terrace frontage.
- Moray Feu garden information — Ainslie Place garden within the managed estate.
Location
OS grid reference NT 24541 74086 · Location confidence: Representative NGR for listed terrace or garden (ensemble extends beyond single point). · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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