| 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.
The Scottish Storytelling Centre is a vibrant arts venue with a seasonal programme of live storytelling and theatre, music, workshops and festivals.
READ MOREThe 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 MOREPreston Mill is an architectural oddity that will beguile visitors as much as it delights painters and photographers.
READ MOREBlackness Castle stands by the Firth of Forth, at the port that served the royal burgh of Linlithgow in medieval times.
READ MORESteeped in some of Edinburgh's greatest history, Greater Grassmarket is only a minutes' walk from the popular Royal Mile and visitor favourite, the National Museum of Scotland.
READ MOREThe Tron Kirk, or Christ’s Kirk at the Tron, has stood in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town for almost 400 years.
READ MORESituated on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Hopetoun is a place of outstanding natural beauty, which has Scotland's finest stately home at its heart.
READ MOREThe 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 MOREPanmure 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 MOREHidden within the affluent Edinburgh suburbs Barnton Bunker complex is a unique setting steeped in history!
READ MOREA free museum, perfect for locals and visitors alike. Find out about our Royal connections, the trades of the town, the ordinary - and extra-ordinary! - people.
READ MORENelson Monument is situated on top of Calton Hill, and provides a dramatic termination to the view along Princes Street from the west.
READ MOREThe Edinburgh Dungeon is the ultimate underground journey through Edinburgh's darkest history as you see, hear and errr smell Edinburgh’s murky past!
READ MORE