East side of St Andrew Square

30-34 St Andrew Square

The row of  buildings towards the left hand edge of the engraving above have been demolished and replaced by a new building to house the new Edinburgh bus station (due to open 2003) and by Nos 30-34, a new Harvey Nichols store.  The store opened in 2002.

A new street has been built between the new Bus Station and the Harvey Nichols store.  The street leads from St Andrew Square to the to St James Shopping Centre.

35 St Andrew Square

The building with ionic columns, above the stagecoach in the engraving above is No 35.  It was designed by the architect of Edinburgh New Town, James Craig, in 1769.  It was and built by James Young 1781.

In 1830 No 35 became the Douglas Hotel, whose guests included Queen Victoria and Sir Walter Scott on his last visit to Edinburgh in 1832.

The Royal Bank of Scotland announced in October 2005 that No.36 had become dilapidated and had lain empty for several years, and that they now intend to refurbish the building, retaining its character and appearance, to create a Conference Centre in the city centre, following the bank's move of their Global Head Office to Gogarburn

Edinburgh Evening News:  25 October 2005,  p.23.

36 St Andrew Square
Dundas House

In the gap beyond the building with the pillars is Dundas House, now occupied by the Royal Bank of Scotland.  This was one of the first buildings to be built in Edinburgh's New Town. 

The site had been set aside in Craig's plan of the New Town as a site for a church, to match St George's Church built on the west side of Charlotte Square, but when Dundas heard of this plan he arranged for Dundas House to be constructed instead.

37 St Andrew Square

The building in the centre of the engraving above, with the large ionic columns is No 37.  It is occupied by the Bank of Scotland.

No 37  matches No 35.  The the two buildings flank No 36, Dundas House.

38-39 St Andrew Square

The buildings to the right of No 37 in the engraving above have were demolished to enable new buildings to be constructed.  Nos 38-39 were designed by David Bryce and constructed for the British Linen Bank in 1851-52.  These buildings have a Roman facade and Corinthian columns topped with statues.  The British Linen Bank has become part of Bank of Scotland which is now based at this address.

40-42 St Andrew Square

Nos. 40-42, in the early 1800s, were the Dumbreck Hotels.  William Dumbreck was the eldest son of John Dumbreck who ran a hotel and coaching business from White Horse Inn at Cowgate Port from 1781. 

Nos. 40-42 were sold by William Dumbreck to National Commercial Bank in 1825 and were then replaced by a new building, built as the Head Office of the National Commercial Bank of Scotland.  This was numbered 42.

Following a takeover, this became the Head Office of the Royal Bank of Scotland, No 42 became the Head Office of the Royal Bank of Scotland and remained their Head Office until  the bank opened its new Global Headquarters at Gogarburn, near Edinburgh Airport,  in 2005 at a cost of £350m.

Acknowledgement for architectural details above:  Edinburgh - An Illustrated Architectural Guide