Visiting Riddle’s Court on The Royal Mile - A Hidden Gem
Tucked away off the Lawnmarket, near the top of the Royal Mile, is one of Edinburgh's best kept secrets. It's also one of my favourite buildings in the city, Bailie MacMorran’s House, circa 1590, at Riddle’s Court.
It’s probably one of the best preserved examples of historic, domestic architecture in Edinburgh and well worth seeing (it’s included in my special Royal Mile tour.)
MacMorran’s House at Riddle's Court is a superb 16th century, A listed, courtyard house which is now the Patrick Geddes Centre for Learning & Conservation. The house was originally built around 1590 by wealthy merchant Bailie John MacMorran, but gets its name from George Riddell, who reconstructed it in 1726. The very unfortunate Bailie MacMorran came to a rather sudden and unexpected early demise at the hands of a rioting schoolboy who shot him in the head in 1595!
The boy, William Sinclair, only thirteen at the time, was a member of the elite Sinclair family and escaped trial after pressure from his powerful father, who was the chancellor of Caithness with much influence in Royal circles. William lived to a good age, was appointed a knight and an ancestor of the Earls of Caithness.
David Hume the philosopher lived here in 1751 and it was host to a grand banquet for King James VI and his Queen, Anne of Denmark, in 1598. The house contains many significant architectural features, including a very rare 16th century painted beam ceiling, fine panelling and plasterwork.
After the building of the New Town, the court become a slum by the 19th century, with around 250 people living there in very poor conditions. It was saved by the celebrated father of town planning, Sir Patrick Geddes, who renovated the court in the 1890’s as a student halls of residence and summer school. If you come along on my tour, I’ll tell you more about this amazing man, who helped save many Old Town buildings from demolition. A wonderful portrait of Sir Patrick Geddes is located on the ground floor of the house.
The Court was recently restored by the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust at a cost of £6million and was opened as The Patrick Geddes Centre for Learning by Prince Charles in 2017. Interior, group tours are available if pre-arranged with the venue (see above). It is, however, free to visit and admire the exterior of the building throughout the year.
After, have a coffee or something to eat at Scotts Kitchen on Victoria Terrace,, Gladstone’s Land or Deacon Brodies Cafe close by on The Royal Mile.
Riddle’s Court is one of the many historical houses and gems on The Royal Mile which we visit on my Private Tour of The Royal Mile. Please get in touch if you’d like to book or find out more.
