Lauriston Castle

Lauriston Castle was left in trust to the nation by its last private owners, Mr and Mrs William Robert Reid, who lived there from 1902 to 1926.

Its Edwardian-period interiors have been carefully preserved, and reflect the taste of wealthy middle-class collectors of the period.

As proprietor of Morison and Co., one of Scotland's leading cabinet-makers, Mr. Reid brought a lifetime's experience to the furnishing of Lauriston. Prints, paintings, tapestries, textiles, porcelain, Sheffield-plate, Blue John, British and Continental furniture and many objets d'art assembled by him, are enhanced by the Castle's carefully-considered decorative schemes.

Originally a 1590s tower house, the castle was built for Sir Archibald Napier, and extended during the 1820s by the architect William Burn for its then owner, Thomas Allan. The tranquility of its setting, overlooking the Firth of Forth, combined with its proximity to the centre of Edinburgh, makes Lauriston typical of the large suburban villas which once provided rural amenity for the powerful and wealthy of the city. Hence, over the centuries, it housed many notable Scots, including John Law, who rose to high office at the French Court during the 1720s. Each year, Lauriston hosts a programme of outdoor and indoor events, from spring to Christmas. Its superb croquet lawns are home to the Edinburgh Croquet Club.