Lauriston Castle
City of Edinburgh, Scotland
Photo: User:Supergolden, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Gallery: Stephencdickson, CC BY-SA 4.0 · M J Richardson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Operator
- City of Edinburgh Council
- Condition
- Intact
- Access
- Limited tour days
- Nearest station
- South Gyle, 2.5 miles (straight-line)
- Note
- 16th-century tower house with an 1820s Jacobean extension; grounds free daily, interior by guided tour only.
Pinpoint
2 Cramond Rd S, Edinburgh EH4 6AD
Telephone 0131 336 2060
Possible Opening Hours*
*Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.
| Monday | 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Tuesday | 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Thursday | 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Friday | 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Saturday | 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Sunday | 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
A 16th-century tower house extended in the 1820s, set in gardens overlooking the Firth of Forth on the western edge of Edinburgh. Reviewers frequently say they stumbled on it by accident and were surprised by how much it offers, from a Japanese garden to guided tours of the interior.
At a glance
Worth the trip
The guided tour of the house itself, which reviewers single out as worth booking rather than just seeing the grounds.
Before you go
The gardens, parking, toilets and cafe are free; only the house tour is ticketed, so budget time for both if you want the full visit.
What visitors say
Lauriston Castle reviews · 4.6 / 5 across 2,154 Google reviews
Reviewers are consistently enthusiastic, often describing it as an unexpected find.
The gardens - including a Japanese garden - draw particular praise as free to visit, while those who took the paid house tour recommend it highly, with several naming individual guides.
“Quick visit to see the Japanese garden and cherry trees, lovely park to walk in. Free parking, toilets, cafe. You can pay to get a tour of the house but we didn't have time. Great walks and views over the firth of…”- JAMES “JIMBO” MCANDREW, visitor review
Within reach of Edinburgh (4 miles), Glasgow (38 miles) - see what else is nearby.
History
Sir Archibald Napier · 1590
A 16th-century defensive tower with later Victorian extensions stands on Cramond Road South overlooking the Firth of Forth. William Law's son John Law (the famous economist) acquired the estate in 1683; banker Thomas Allan later commissioned William Burn's classical additions in 1827. Margaret and William Robert Reid's bequest to Edinburgh in 1926 established it as a public property.
Adapted from this castle's Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Practical notes from visitors
Quoted from individual Google reviews, not verified with the operator - treat as a steer, not gospel, and check before you travel.
- Parking
- “Free parking, toilets, cafe.” - JAMES “JIMBO” MCANDREW
Common questions about Lauriston Castle
Where is Lauriston Castle?
Lauriston Castle is in City of Edinburgh, Scotland, at 2 Cramond Rd S, Edinburgh EH4 6AD.
How do you visit Lauriston Castle?
Lauriston Castle opens on limited tour days rather than every day, and is looked after by City of Edinburgh Council. Because the dates are restricted, check the official site and book ahead before travelling.
What is the highlight of visiting Lauriston Castle?
The guided tour of the house itself, which reviewers single out as worth booking rather than just seeing the grounds.
Is Lauriston Castle a ruin or still intact?
Lauriston Castle is largely intact - 16th-century tower house with an 1820s Jacobean extension; grounds free daily, interior by guided tour only.
