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 MORETake a journey into the dark side of old Edinburgh's history touring the haunted underground vaults with Auld Reekie Tours!
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 MOREConnecting Scotland to the world and the world to Scotland.
READ MOREBlackness Castle stands by the Firth of Forth, at the port that served the royal burgh of Linlithgow in medieval times.
READ MOREDunbar Town House Museum and Gallery: the Town House has been the focus of town life since the 16th century.
READ MOREExplore 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 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 MOREDiscover 300 years of Scottish history through the magnificent and carefully conserved neo-Palladian villa that is Newhailes House and Gardens!
READ MOREPreston Mill is an architectural oddity that will beguile visitors as much as it delights painters and photographers.
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 MOREHave fun discovering Edinburgh with two self-guided, heritage walks with an optional treasure hunt... buy or instantly download & get curious!
READ MOREStanding proudly in Princes Street Gardens, the Scott Monument is one of the most iconic Edinburgh landmarks, a must-visit for tourists and locals alike.
READ MORE