Back in May, I took you guys on a photo tour of the spectacularly beautiful grounds at Lauriston Castle. I want to revisit Lauriston with you today. Only this time, we are going to explore the beautiful Edwardian interior, decorated and designed by the Lauriston’s final owners, Mr. William Robert Reid, his wife Mrs. Margaret Johnstone Reid, and Mrs. Reid’s brother, Mr. William Barton.
Mr. C and I visited Lauriston for the second time in March 2017. It is one of our favorites, so no trip to Edinburgh will now ever be complete without paying a visit to this lovely place. We were thrilled to be able to take a guided tour of several of the castle’s main rooms. Our docent was excellent and was a wealth of knowledge of the castle’s history, from the first construction in the sixteenth century until the passing of Mrs. Reid in 1926. I think that if I lived in Edinburgh, I would want that job!
To recap a little of Lauriston’s history…
Lauriston’s tower house was built by Sir Archibald Napier sometime around 1593 and the pretty Jacobean-style extension was added in 1827. Over the centuries, the castle passed through numerous hands until it came into the possession of its final owners – William and Margaret Reid. The Reids acquired the property in 1902 and lived there until Mrs. Reid’s death in 1926. Because the couple had no children, they left the castle to the city of Edinburgh under the condition that it be preserved unchanged. And so the promise was kept. The remarkable Edwardian interior, filled to the brim with their fine furniture and artwork, is now a museum maintained by the city. For a nominal fee, you can take a guided tour of this home (uh, castle) which remains exactly as it was at the time of the Reids. The manicured grounds, which boast a view of the sea and a stunning Japanese garden are a real bargain – free! Lauriston truly is a gem in Edinburgh. –from my previous post on Lauriston Castle
Well, are you ready to step inside and see what a 425-year-old castle clothed in 100-year-old decor looks like? Great. Follow me, friends.
“As well as the many thousands of items collected by the Castle’s last owners, you can also see some of their more personal belongings. There are all manner of details which give insight into the lives of the people who lived at Lauriston in the early 20th century – from Mrs. Reid’s piano and music in the Drawing Room, a newspaper in the Sitting room reporting the sinking of the Titanic, a 1920’s telephone in Mr. Reid’s Study, and Mrs. Reid’s walking stick with her name attached on a silver plaque by the castle doorway.” ∼edinburghmuseums.org.uk
Oh, reader, I have so many more photos I wish I could share with you! I will be kind, though, and leave it at these. I do hope you enjoyed this look into what life was like for the well-to-do Scottish Edwardian class. I would love to hear your impressions.
As always, thank you so much for joining me today. Have a terrific week, and I’ll see you next time.
Cheers,
I have never been. Now it’s on my list!
Go in the Spring. May is a gorgeous time to see it. 🙂
Oh dear, I missed it when I was In Edinburgh last year!
xoxo Reni
You’ll have to catch it the next time. 🙂
Interesting. Beautiful. Ponderous. A fascinating view into a life lived in that historical setting. But that dark, over-decorated style isn’t for me to live in. I’d put a lot of stuff in the attic! Lovely pictures. The tower is spectacular.
Right out of Downton Abbey – when is the grouse hunt? 😉 Love that library! A beautiful, grand old home.
It sure is. I half expected to see Lady Mary descending the staircase.
I would love to visit Edinburgh! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful post. 😊
Edinburgh is the most amazing, beautiful city. I hope you can see it one day too. 🙂
Exquisite! A lovely tour, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it, Darlene. It’s a fine example of pure Edwardian elegance.
beautiful castle
I always think of Lauriston as a fairy tale castle. 🙂
Even the photos of the trees look so magical!
Lauriston is a fairy tale, magical place for sure.