Gladstone's Land

Standing proudly on the Lawnmarket section of the Royal Mile, Gladstone's Land is the finest surviving example of early 17th-century high-rise tenement living in Edinburgh. In 1617, wealthy merchant trader Thomas Gledstanes bought a crumbling 16th-century timber property and reconstructed it into a prestigious six-storey stone tenement, leasing apartments to Edinburgh's mercantile elite while operating his own trading business on the ground floor.

The exterior of Gladstone's Land features the only remaining original stone piazza arcades along the entire length of the Royal Mile. During the 16th and 17th centuries, these vaulted arches sheltered open-air market stalls from Edinburgh's relentless rain and wind. When city officials ordered the removal of street encroachments in the 18th century, virtually all other arcades were demolished, making Gladstone's Land unique in Scotland.

Inside, the building was painstakingly rescued from near-demolition in the 1930s by the National Trust for Scotland. During restoration, workers peeled back layers of Victorian lath and plaster to reveal an astonishing secret: intact 1620s tempera painted wooden ceilings. Across the upper rooms, these ceilings showcase intricate Renaissance strapwork, stylized Scottish thistles, birds, fruits, and allegorical beasts painted by traveling Scottish decorative artisans.

Today, the property operates as a living social history museum recreating four distinct centuries of Old Town life. Visitors can examine the wealthy 17th-century merchant chambers, visit an 18th-century draper's workshop, and stop by an authentic recreated 1900s parlour that now houses an artisan gelato and coffee parlour serving historical dessert flavours.