CLICK HERE TO ADD YOUR EVENT

John Knox House

Dating back to 1470 John Knox House is one of Scotland's greatest cultural treasures and is associated with the most dramatic events in Scotland's turbulent history!

John Knox House

About John Knox House

43 - 45 High Street, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 1SR
01315569579
John Knox House Website
Follow JohnKnoxHouse on Twitter
Facebook information can be found here

Walk in the footsteps of its famous inhabitants and hear the drama unfold in every room. Look out for the tricks and traps to fool intruders; hunt for the devil hiding in The Oak Room ceiling and try your hand at our portrait puzzles that have stumped many visitors in the past.

John Knox House dates back to 1470, which makes it and Moubray House which is attached, the only original medieval building surviving on the Royal Mile. The house is associated with one of the most dramatic and turbulent times in Scottish History - The Scottish Reformation - which resulted in the outbreak of civil war and the abdication of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Although John Knox only stayed in this house for a short time before his death in 1572, it was his association with the house that saved it from demolition in the 1840s. During an excavation of the house, time-capsules were found buried in the gable wall of the house to commemorate the moment the building was saved. One of these time capsules is displayed in the window of our bookshop.

James Mosman - jeweller and goldsmith to Mary, Queen of Scots - lived in the house in the 1550s until his execution in 1573. He was extremely loyal to Queen Mary and was part of the ‘Queen’s Men’ who seized Edinburgh Castle in an attempt to restore Mary to the throne after her forced abdication in favour of her protestant son James VI. Explore the house to find out the fate of James Mosman.

Upcoming Events at John Knox House

Related Links

Scottish Storytelling Centre

43 - 45 High Street, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 1SR

The Scottish Storytelling Centre is a vibrant arts venue with a seasonal programme of live storytelling and theatre, music, workshops and festivals.

READ MORE

More History and Culture in Edinburgh

Greyfriars Kirk

1 Greyfriars, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 2QQ

Welcome to Greyfriars Kirk, a worshipping congregation of the Church of Scotland in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town where a church has stood since 1620.

READ MORE

Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery

Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery High Street, Dunbar EH42 1ER

Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery: the Town House has been the focus of town life since the 16th century.

READ MORE

Surgeons Hall Museums

Surgeons Hall Museums Nicolson Street, Edinburgh South EH8 9DW

Surgeons' Hall Museums is home to one of the largest and most historic collections of surgical pathology in the World, open to the public since 1832.

READ MORE

Linlithgow Palace

Linlithgow Palace Kirkgate, Linlithgow EH49 7AL

Explore the magnificent ruins of the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. Linlithgow Palace was built and added to over two centuries by the Stewart kings, resulting in a superb Renaissance residence.

READ MORE

Canongate Kirk

153 Canongate, Edinburgh Old Town EH8 8BN

Canongate Kirk is the parish church of Canongate in Edinburgh’s Old Town and a congregation of the Church of Scotland.

READ MORE

The Cadies & Witchery Tours

84 West Bow, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 2HH

The award-winning Cadies & Witchery Tours invite you to join their fearless phantoms for a suspenseful and mirth-filled tour of Edinburgh's Old Town!

READ MORE

The Georgian House

7 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh New Town EH2 4DR

The Georgian House, Robert Adam's masterpiece of urban architecture with its elegant furnished interior, is located at No. 7 Charlotte Square in the centre of Edinburgh!

READ MORE

Panmure House

4 Lochend Close, Edinburgh Old Town EH8 8BL

Panmure House is a 17th-century townhouse located in Edinburgh's Canongate. It is the only surviving residence of renowned Scottish philosopher Adam Smith, who lived there between 1778 and 1790.

READ MORE

Hopetoun House

Hopetoun House Hopetoun, South Queensferry EH30 9SL

Situated on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Hopetoun is a place of outstanding natural beauty, which has Scotland's finest stately home at its heart.

READ MORE

Lauriston Castle

2 Cramond Road South, Edinburgh West EH4 6AD

When you step inside Lauriston Castle, you see it just as it was in 1926, when it was left to the nation by the last private owner, Mrs Reid.

READ MORE

Museum of Childhood Edinburgh

42 High Street, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 1TG

The Museum of Childhood has a place in the hearts of millions. The first museum in the world dedicated to the history of childhood, it displays toys and...

READ MORE

National War Museum

Edinburgh Castle Castlehill, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 2NG

Discover the story of Scotland at war within the walls of Edinburgh Castle with a visit to the National War Musuem.

READ MORE
All History and Culture listings in Edinburgh

Sponsored Links

WST
MNB
Hilton Glasgow
Children's Classic Concerts
Go Ape
Salvation Army
Wonder & Co
Kevin Quantum
Tea Green
The Chocolatarium
Hilton Glasgow
Fayre Play
Escape The Past
Mowgli

Sponsored Links

WST
MNB
Hilton Glasgow
Children's Classic Concerts
Go Ape
Salvation Army
Wonder & Co
Kevin Quantum
Tea Green
The Chocolatarium
Hilton Glasgow
Fayre Play
Escape The Past
Mowgli

Popular Events

Edinburgh’s Christmas: The Polar Ice Bar
Take some time to ‘chill’ at the Polar Ice Bar, the coolest bar in the city, where your table, chairs and glasses are sculpted entirely from ice.
Panto 2025: Jack and the Beanstalk
Join Allan Stewart, Grant Stott and Jordan Young for the GIANT of a pantomime we've all BEAN waiting for!
Christmas at the Botanics
Explore the sights and sounds of Christmas in this magical after dark experience when it returns to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh!
Edinburgh’s Christmas: Christmas Market
One of the most iconic Christmas Markets in Europe, Edinburgh's Christmas Market returns to East Princes Street Gardens showcasing the best in artisan festive products and goods from local makers!
Castle Of Light
Make Castle of Light: Fire and Ice part of your festive plans and enjoy the largest annual projection show in the UK when it returns for its sixth year!

Popular Listings

Corn Exchange Haddington Edinburgh Playhouse Festival Theatre Edinburgh Howden Park Centre Livingston Kings Theatre Edinburgh National Museum of Scotland O2 Academy Edinburgh The Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh Traverse Theatre Usher Hall