Riddle's Court - Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT)

Riddle’s Court is a picturesque Category A-listed merchant’s tenement situated on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Each room reveals a different chapter of its 500-year history, from a painted ceiling installed for a royal banquet to one created for students to dine under. It is a building as beautiful as it is intriguing and one whose story is intimately connected with that of Edinburgh Old Town.

From 2015 to 2017, the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT) undertook a major conservation and regeneration project at Riddle’s Court, which saw over £6 million invested into the building to bring it back to life and secure its future. Riddle’s Court has now reopened as a unique venue for exceptional events. The building is also home to SHBT’s Head Office and is integral to running our public knowledge-sharing events.

Activities:

Explore Riddle’s Court this Doors Open Day and discover the stories behind one of Edinburgh’s most remarkable historic buildings.

Rooms throughout the building will be open to the public, offering visitors the chance to step inside spaces usually used for events, learning and community activity. Members of the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust team will be on hand throughout the day to share the history of each room, highlight key architectural features, and answer questions about the building’s past, present and ongoing care.

From painted ceilings and hidden details to the people who lived, worked and gathered here over the centuries, this is an opportunity to experience Riddle’s Court up close and learn more about the layers of history within its walls.