A Timeless Curving Mews in the Heart of Georgian Stockbridge
Curving gracefully between St Vincent Street and India Street, Circus Lane represents Edinburgh mews architecture at its most enchanting. In contrast to the monumental, four-storey sandstone facades of the surrounding New Town crescents, these former carriage houses and stables possess an intimate, village scale.
Today, the mews homes are celebrated for their horticultural care. Lush wisteria, climbing hydrangeas, trailing ivy, and vibrant window boxes soften the hand-dressed rubble stonework. The street follows a gentle crescent, so that with every step a slightly different architectural perspective reveals itself.
At the western curve of the lane, the massive square clock tower of St Stephen’s Church—designed in 1827 by the renowned neoclassical architect William Henry Playfair—soars dramatically into the sky, creating one of the most photographed and beloved streetscapes in the Scottish capital.
"Circus Lane is a cherished residential street. Respect the privacy of local residents by keeping voices down and keeping clear of private front doors when framing your photographs."
Constructed in the 1790s and early 1800s as secondary service mews to stable horses and store carriages for the wealthy residents of Royal Circus and St Vincent Street.
