Tag: Scotland

Is Mary King’s Close the same as the vaults? It’s a question that Edinburgh’s Tour Guides are more than familiar with. Mary King’s Close and the vaults certainly share a reputation for existing as part of Edinburgh’s hidden “Underground City”. But they are not one and the same. Header image © Gabby Secomb Flegg In …

Continue reading “Is Mary King’s Close the same as the vaults?”

We are delighted to announce that we are adding another site to the Continuum Attractions group. It just so happens to be one of Scotland’s most famous visitor attractions! The Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition is having £1.5 million invested into its refurbishment, and will join the Continuum Attractions family when it reopens in Spring …

Continue reading “Loch Ness Centre becomes part of the Continuum Attractions family with £1.5 million investment”

This June we are celebrating Pride Month. You can hear the real stories of Edinburgh’s former residents, in partnership with LGBT Youth Scotland. Here is an introduction to Robert Fergusson and Sophia Jex-Blake, who you will meet on our Pride History tours. Robert Fergusson Born in Edinburgh in 1750, the poet inspired the work of …

Continue reading “Pride Month: Meet Robert Fergusson and Sophia Jex-Blake”

On the 15th of May 1567 was a turning point in Scottish history. Mary Queen of Scots married her third husband, James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell. It led to a series of events that would bring the Queen to one of the closes now part of The Real Mary King’s Close. Mary’s First Marriage Mary …

Continue reading “Mary Queen of Scots married the Earl of Bothwell: on this day in 1567”

The Real Mary King’s Close is not the only street in Edinburgh with an interesting story behind its name. In a city with such a rich history, it’s not surprising that the street names reflect its past. Have you wondered what inspired Edinburgh’s street names while strolling through the city? Read on to find your …

Continue reading “What inspired Edinburgh’s street names?”

In 1828, Edinburgh was a European centre for studying anatomy. Pioneering anatomy teachers taught at the Royal College of Surgeons and dissected bodies during lectures in front of many eager students. However, the strict laws around which bodies could be used led to a shortage. Burke and Hare found a way to earn money from a desperate anatomist during this crisis in a terrifying chapter of Edinburgh’s history.

Earlier this year The Real Mary King’s Close broadcast a live virtual tour filled with interesting findings and acclaimed expertise from our knowledgeable guides and fellow history buffs. One certain history buff, Dr Aaron Allen, a Scottish History Expert from The University of Edinburgh decided to go one step further and compare the Epidemics of 1645 and now, detailing how the same old problems, sometimes require the same old solutions.

Read more about an air raid shelter under Edinburgh’s City Chambers, a soldier bear and Mary King’s Close during the First and Second World War.

Find out more about the insidious witch prickers who used to strike terror into the hearts of Edinburgh’s past residents.