Calling all brave and curious explorers, this February The Real Mary King’s Close is shining a light (or lack of) onto Edinburgh’s history, illuminating the lives of former residents and unravelling truths about their deaths with Lantern Led Tours.
The Lantern Led Tours are available for a limited time only during Half Term, where guests will descend into complete darkness with the only light source being the flicker of their lanterns, as they explore Edinburgh’s history.
Hidden beneath the Capital’s iconic Royal Mile, Edinburgh’s best underground experience is ready to send those daring to on a time-traveling adventure.
The one hour guided tour will transport customers to another era, with eerie interactions from two insidious characters that used to strike terror into people’s hearts at their very sight.
Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “The Real Mary King’s Close is a place filled with excitement and mystery and stands as an important part of Edinburgh’s history.
“We’re delighted to re-launch our popular Lantern Led Tours after a highly successful run last year and give visitors the chance to follow in the footsteps of past residents, this time with only a lantern to guide them.
“This is the perfect activity to do with friends and family over the February holidays and discover more about the city’s dark past together.”
Lantern Led tours open from Friday 9th February to Monday 26th February, running each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 6pm to 9pm.
Tickets cost £30 per adult and £24 per child (5 to 15yo – no under 5’s allowed).
The Real Mary King’s Close invests £200,000 in listed Burgh Courtroom following over a quarter of a million visitors in 2023
The Real Mary King’s Close has completed an exciting renovation project, costing £200,000, to transform its listed Burgh Courtroom, located in Edinburgh’s City Chambers, into an impressive new retail experience on the Royal Mile, further improving the visitor journey at the top Edinburgh tourist attraction.
Following a complete redesign, the new design allows the original assets of the courtroom to stand out thanks to celebrated interior specialists, Lumsden Design. Working with the symmetry of the room to accentuate details, the layout of the newly curated gift shop takes inspiration from Edinburgh’s 17th century market stalls, the Luckenbooths.
The Luckenbooths were the city’s first permanent shops. Situated on the Royal Mile across from St Giles Cathedral, they could be found just a stone’s throw away from Mary King’s Close before the street was hidden beneath the City Chambers in 1753.
Excitingly, the new space also aims to improve the visitor experience. By connecting the guest journey from Mary King’s Close to the gift shop more seamlessly, the Burgh Courtroom now provides an interesting new extension of the tour itself, with the history of the room being revealed to guests on tour for the very first time.
The popular attraction views the renovation work as an investment following its hugely successful year, with over a quarter of a million people visiting in 2023. Much of The Real Mary King’s Close’s highest footfall came during the annual Fringe festival and the school holidays.
July saw a record-breaking number of visitors journey underground, with The Met Office reporting that it was the UK’s wettest July since 2009, and the sixth wettest July on record.
With the addition of exclusive monthly special tours in 2023, including a Herstory Tour for Women’s History Month in March and the Pride History Tour in June, visitors were able to learn from a wealth of fascinating social history experiences, providing a deeper insight into Edinburgh’s dark and fascinating past.
Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: ‘Reflecting on knock-on effect of the pandemic on the tourism industry overall in recent years, we are delighted to see a consistent increase in our footfall.
“We want to invest in our fantastic Burgh Courtroom to ensure our guests are getting the highest quality visitor experience as possible. We’re really looking forward to seeing the gift shop transform to a space that is reminiscent of the time and feeds into the social history of Mary King’s Close itself.”
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Former residents of the Mary King’s Close visited the hospital to teach the children about the lire in Edinburgh’s Old Town during the 17th century
Team from the top Edinburgh tourist attraction, The Real Mary King’s Close, visited the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People to participate in Historical Engagement Week, organised by The Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), the only charity in the world solely dedicated to supporting NHS Lothian’s children’s services.
As part of an itinerary of interactive, history themed activities, Craig Waters, Daisy Wade and Robyn Reill, three tour guides from The Real Mary King’s Close, ran a workshop for the children about life in Edinburgh’s Old Town during the 17th century.
The guides presented the workshop as costumed characters of former residents of Mary King’s Close, including the local tanner, Patrick Byrne; the last homeowner on the street, Janet Chesney; and Mary King herself.
The day started with a collaborative performance in the hospital’s social space, followed by one-to-one interactions with the children in the medical wards who were unable to attend.
Ensuring the experience was just as memorable for them, the team at The Close created the world of Old Town Edinburgh by their bedside, using props, improvisation and storytelling centred on the history of Mary King’s Close and true stories about its intriguing past.
Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said:“The amazing work undertaken by The Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity is so important to ensuring the children at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People have the opportunity to enjoy interactive learning and experience fun activities.
“At The Close, we are passionate about storytelling our social history and creating unforgettable experiences, so we were delighted to be given the opportunity to visit the hospital and give the children a chance to learn about Edinburgh’s rich history.”
The Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity runs a six-day-per-week programme of arts and activities for the young people at The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People. By transforming the hospital wards into disco rooms, art galleries, fairylands, and past eras, they ensure that every child has the freedom to explore, have fun and find inspiration through creative play and learning.
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Calling all Halloween lovers! If you’re looking for the perfect eerie addition for your house this spooky season, look no further than The Real Mary King’s Close, one of the UK’s top-rated experiences on TripAdvisor. This Halloween, the attraction is giving away a life-sized statue of the iconic Plague Doctor, in aid of Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity.
Situated underneath the iconic Royal Mile, Mary King’s Close is shrouded in myths and mysteries, steeped in stories of Edinburgh’s dark past. This Halloween, the historic attraction is giving you the chance to take home the perfect Halloween prize – The Plague Doctor!
Characterised by his long black cloak and elongated beak-like mask, the Plague Doctor is sure to give even its bravest admirers a fright this Halloween.
The Plague Doctor’s striking outfit was designed to protect him fromso-called miasmas, the name used to describe foul smells which, at the time, people believedcaused the plague.
In reality, his long cloak kept him safe from airborne diseases and biting fleas which carried bubonic plague. His mask was also filled with spices and rose petals to prevent the “miasmas” from infecting him.
Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “The Real Mary King’s Close is a place filled with excitement and mystery, but Edinburgh’s ominous past means we also have the perfect tales to tell this Halloween.
“The Plague Doctor was one person you didn’t want to pay you a visit, despite being there to help. The limited and dangerous treatments available at the time meant the Plague killed around half of those who contracted it, although Plague Doctors did all they could to cure the sufferers.
“We’re pleased to be giving away one of our life-sized models for a great cause, and their terrifying outfits should mean it makes for a great Halloween decoration for years to come!”
You must use the same name as used on the Just Giving page and provide an email address.
Picture – Chris Watt Photography
07887554193
info@chriswatt.com
www.chriswatt.com
All money raised will go to Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity. Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity runs a six-day-per-week programme of arts and activities for young patients at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP).
By transforming the hospital wards into disco rooms, art galleries, fairylands, and past eras, they ensure that every child has the freedom to explore, have fun and find inspiration through creative play and learning.
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Katie Scott was awarded Tourism Individual of the Year at the 2023 Thistle Awards
The Real Mary King’s Close is celebrating success as Operations Manager, Katie Scott, was honoured at the 2023 Scottish Thistle Awards this week.
Katie was awarded Tourism Individual of the Year for the Central and East Regional category by Visit Scotland. This follows on from her recent achievement in being named one of the Top 100 Women in Tourism in Scotland in March 2022.
Katie joined The Real Mary King’s Close as a Tour Guide in 2016 and has since moved her way up the ranks, most recently becoming Operations Manager in January 2023 and overseeing all on-site activity at the celebrated attraction.
The Real Mary King’s Close is one of the UK’s Top Ten visitor attractions, according to the number of positive reviews received by Trip Advisor in 2023. Katie is an integral part of the company, responsible for every new experience that has been launched at the attraction over the past four years.
Katie is passionate about community and inclusivity, which has been demonstrated through the development of special tours that interrogate lesser-known or less often studied narratives from Edinburgh’s past, such as the ‘Herstory’ tours and Pride History tours.
These initiatives have not only helped to promote diversity but forge meaningful partnerships with organisations like Edinburgh’s Strut Safe and LGBT Youth Scotland, making The Real Mary King’s Close a welcoming space for all.
After winning Tourism Individual of the Year, Katie Scott, Operations Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “I am delighted to have won the Tourism Individual of the Year award, something I would never have imagined when I started as a Tour Guide at The Real Mary King’s Close in 2016.
“I am incredibly grateful that my dedication to developing the attraction and creating a welcoming and creative workplace culture that supports inclusivity within the industry has been recognised”.
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Top 10 Visitor Attraction in 2023 as rated on TripAdvisor
Scottish Thistle award winner for Best Heritage Tourism Experience 2019
Since opening in 2003, the visitor attraction has welcomed over 2.75 million guests.
The site offers a range of bespoke themed events, group activities, educational visits, venue hire, and a retail area filled with authentic Scottish gifts and produce.
The Real Mary King’s Close is proud to be a Silver Investors in People.
Since opening, the attraction has donated over £60k to charities both at home and nationally.
Lothian and Borders regional winner of the two Scottish Thistle awards for Best Visitor Attraction and Best Heritage Tourism Experience in 2019.
Winner of the first Service Excellence award at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce business awards 2019.
Two new limited-edition tours bring to life Edinburgh’s history
Halloween lovers need look no further than The Real Mary King’s Close, one of the UK’s top-rated experiences on TripAdvisor, for the perfect way to celebrate the ominous side of Edinburgh’s past this October.
Two popular experiences, Lantern Led Tours and True Crime Tours, return to shine a light into the dark about the lives of former residents and unravel truths about their deaths… for those willing to descend onto Mary King’s Close at night!
The True Crimes Tour offers visitors the chance to explore the history of real offences committed on Mary King’s Close and its neighbouring areas. For years, the closes of the Old Town have been shrouded in shocking tales of crime and punishment: but this 1-hour social history tour is a chance to gain a more investigative insight into the nature of Edinburgh’s criminal activity.
With a special “True Crimes” guide to lead you on your journey through Edinburgh’s forgotten streets, discover how the people of the closes were just as compelled by the dark details of criminal misdemeanours as we are today.
The tour will delve into the reign of James VI, the rise of the witch trials, and what this meant for ordinary people living on Mary King’s Close. Confronting themes such as eviction, addiction, and the lack of legislation in place to protect residents, examine how real crimes affected life in the vicinity throughout the centuries.
Also, discover the intriguing link that Mary King’s Close has to the infamous character that likely inspired The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. This a tour for only for the most undaunted visitors.
The Lantern Led Tours will shine a light (or lack of) onto Edinburgh’s history, illuminating the lives and deaths of former residents throughout time. Guests will descend into complete darkness, with the only light source being the flicker of their lanterns, as they explore The Close and meet two, interactive characters along the way. Visitors will need to brave stepping into the underground to experience history as it was lived… with all the lights off.
Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “The Real Mary King’s Close is a place filled with excitement and mystery, but Edinburgh’s ominous past means we also have the perfect tales to tell this Halloween.
“We are excited to launch our Lantern Led Tours and True Crime Tours and elevate the experience to a whole new level. This is a great activity to do with family and friends over Halloween, so come along and find out who is the bravest of the bunch!”
The Real Mary King’s Close stands as an important part of Edinburgh’s history. It teaches the following generations about the incredible struggles people faced during the plague, the extreme living conditions, and the punishing impact of social hierarchy.
The Lantern Led Tours will be running Friday 13th to Tuesday 31st October, and will take place from 7pm-9pm every 15 minutes (extended to 10pm 26th – 31st). Prices are £28 per adult / £21 per child (5 to 15yo – no under 5 allowed).
True Crime Tours will be running Friday 13th to Tuesday 31st October, and will take place 6pm, 7.30pm and 9pm Fri / Sat / Sun and 7.30pm and 9pm Mon – Thurs. Prices are £25 per ticket.
Wet July drives record breaking numbers underground to unravel Edinburgh’s dark past at The Real Mary King’s Close
The Met Office recently reported that it was the UK’s wettest July since 2009, and the sixth wettest July on record. The Real Mary King’s Close, which is situated beneath Edinburgh’s iconic Royal Mile, saw a record-breaking number of visitors journey underground to the celebrated historic attraction.
With over 30.5k visitors last month – the highest number at the attraction in July ever – there’s no doubt about it that the rainy weather helped to draw crowds inside to discover Edinburgh’s mysterious past.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, The Real Mary King’s Close has not only established itself as one of Edinburgh’s top tourist attractions, but as one of the UK’s most highly rated experiences on TripAdvisor; inviting visitors to journey underground, encounter fascinating former residents, and become immersed in the city’s secrets and untold stories.
Since opening its doors in 2003, The Close has produced over 250,000 hours’ worth of tours. The celebrated attraction continues to provide both tourists and locals in Edinburgh with a fascinating glimpse into the city’s dark past; such as the extreme living conditions endured during the plague and the harsh effects of social hierarchy during the 17th century.
Once vibrant and bustling with life, Mary King’s Close was a busy thoroughfare filled with traders and Old Town residents, as well the occasional royal visitor.
In 1567, Mary Queen of Scots was held under house arrest at the home of the Lord Provost, Simon Preston, on the neighbouring Stewart’s Close – which can be seen at The Real Mary King’s Close today.
When the plague arrived during the 1640s, the street’s close quarters made a perfect breeding ground for infection, permeating its homes and affecting the lives of the residents.
Paul Nixon, General Manager of The Real Mary King’s Close said; “As we know, summer in Scotland does not always mean sun! However, with a history as rich as Edinburgh’s, people are never short of things to do.
“Last month we had a record-breaking number of visitors for the month of July, with over thirty thousand people journeying underneath the iconic Royal Mile to learn all about the city’s mysterious past. The wet month certainly made people reconsider plans, and look for indoor activities.
“At The Real Mary King’s Close, we are passionate about storytelling and creating unforgettable experiences that transport our visitors back in time. We are thrilled to have been recently named as one of the Top 10 visitor attractions in the UK and cannot wait to welcome more curious souls this month during the Fringe Festival, rain or shine!”
During August, the vibrant city of Edinburgh almost doubles in population as thousands of visitors from across the world head to the cultural hub that is Edinburgh Fringe festival.
While you’re never short of things to do or see, it’s always important to pack some time into your busy schedule to soak up some of Edinburgh’s rich history and venture further afield for things to do.
Visitors need look no further than The Real Mary Kings Close, hidden beneath Edinburgh’s iconic Royal Mile lies an abandoned world, eager to tell its story.
Mary King’s Close was once vibrant and bustling with life, filled with traders and Old Town residents. When the plague arrived during the 1640s, the street’s close quarters made a perfect breeding ground for infection, permeating its homes and affecting the lives of the residents.
Today, The Real Mary King’s Close is one of Scotland’s top tourist attractions, inviting curious souls to journey underground, encounter fascinating former residents, and relish in secrets and stories never told before.
Since opening its doors in 2003, The Close has produced over 250,000 hours’ worth of tours and continues to provide both tourists and locals in Edinburgh with a fascinating history of the city’s dark past, the extreme living conditions and harsh effects of social hierarchy during the 17th century.
Visitors are given the chance to come face-to-face with former residents including Mary King’s daughter, Jonnet Nimmo.
Also, Dr Arnott, who was one of the wealthiest residents of The Close. With a flair for the nitty gritty, Dr Arnott had some rather unique methods of diagnosis.
His favourite technique was to analyse his patients’ urine for its colour, smell and … TASTE!
Suitable for the whole family, Dr Arnott’s Sampling Sensation is a hands-on workshop inviting the public to diagnose Dr Arnott’s patients using his favourite 17th century method, examining their urine.
Following their 1-hour guided tour of The Close, guests will be invited to use all of their senses (including taste) to diagnose Dr Arnott’s latest patients and create their own concoction to cure their ailments using authentic remedies from the time period.
Dr Arnott’s Sampling Sensation runs every Saturday throughout the year.
Tours run at 12.00, 13.30, 15.00 and 16.30.
Tickets are £29/adult and £22/child (5 to 15 years old)
The Real Mary King’s Guided Tour runs from 9.00 till 22.00 during July-August, 7 days a week.
Tickets start from £21/adult and £15/child (5 to 15 years old)
Pre-booking is strongly recommended for all tours as places sell-out quickly, especially during the festival period.
The Real Mary Kings Close and Pickering’s Gin celebrate Gin Month
This July, The Real Mary King’s Close is celebrating Gin Month by offering a specially curated gin tour, ‘A Sip Through Time’, in partnership with Edinburgh distillers, Pickering’s Gin.
Perfect for the discerning gin lover, the historic attraction hidden beneath Edinburgh’s iconic Royal Mile invites you on an exclusive experience infused with fascinating insights about how the spirit was produced, smuggled and consumed in Edinburgh throughout the centuries.
The one-hour interactive history tour will conclude with a crafted gin tasting session led by local experts, giving the perfect excuse to raise a glass and sample some luxuriously smooth gin.
With over ten years of industry knowledge, Pickering’s Gin will help to immerse guests in the rich history of Edinburgh’s gin trade, taking them on a journey to discover the origins of the spirit’s introduction to Scotland and how the gin craze took off in Edinburgh the late eighteenth century.
During ‘A Sip Through Time’, visitors will also uncover the identity of the infamous ‘Merchant Prince’ and journey back in time to explore the streets and spaces which now lie underneath the vibrant Old Town of Edinburgh.
Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “Over the last few hundred years, the popularity of gin in the city of Edinburgh has continued to grow and become deep-rooted into the culture of this vibrant city.
“We are delighted to partner with local distillers Pickering’s Gin to share the fascinating history of the Edinburgh gin trade with a new generation of gin drinkers, all whilst enjoying a responsible tipple or two.
“At The Real Mary King’s Close, we are enthusiastic about telling stories and developing one-of-a-kind experiences that immerse our visitors into special moments in time. We are so excited to welcome guests on our special tour, ‘A Sip Through Time’ and urge those interested in all things juniper to get booking soon as places are limited.”
Rachel Thomson, Head of Marketing at Summerhall Distillery, said: “As a local Edinburgh distiller, we are thrilled to be joining The Real Mary King’s close to share our knowledge and take visitors on a journey through time to discover Edinburgh’s bustling gin trade.
“We’re really looking forward to welcoming guests to the tour and letting them sample some of our finest creations, all distilled here in Edinburgh”
Starting today (Friday 7 July), gin tours will be running every weekend throughout the month.
Tours run at 5.30pm and 7.30pm (7th, 8th July). Tours run at 5.30pm, 7.30pm and 9.15pm (14th, 15th, 21st, 22nd, 28th, 29th July).
Tickets are £45pp. Pre-booking is strongly recommended as places are very limited. Over 18’s only.
New special tour platforms the story of Marie Maitland, brought to life in underground experience journeying through centuries of LGBTQIA+ history
To celebrate Pride Month, The Real Mary King’s Close is hosting a series of educational and thought-provoking ‘Pride History Tours’, designed to reveal the hidden histories of LGBTQIA+ community life in Edinburgh from as far back as 1546 until 1912.
As part of the tour, The Real Mary King’s Close will shine a light on Marie Maitland. Born in 1550, Maitland was a poet whose work was compared by contemporaries to that of Sappho, the Ancient Greek lesbian poet from the Isle of Lesbos, and wrote one of the first poems in Europe about same-sex love between women.
Maitland’s story has been researched by Adam Armstrong, one of the Tour Guides at The Real Mary King’s Close, with the research verified by Dr Michael Penman from the University of Stirling, and will be told as part of the new special tour.
The LGBTQIA+ community tend to be missing from the history books, and it can often be difficult to imagine the struggles they had to face throughout the centuries. This 1-hour guided tour, led by the renowned Scottish poet, Robert Fergusson, or Marie Maitland, allows guests the chance to journey beneath the iconic Royal Mile to learn about key moments in history, influential figures who paved the way for change and those who tried to stand in their way.
Whilst wandering through the now-hidden streets, guests will discover real stories from real people. During the tour, Sophia Jex-Blake and Dr James Barry will also shed light on their successes as well as the struggles they faced as LGBTQIA+ identifying members of the community.
During Pride month, it’s important to look back as well as forward, to realise how much the discourse around sexuality has evolved over the years.
The vocabulary and terms used today to describe sexuality didn’t exist until around the mid-20th century. When talking of homosexuality from the 16th to 19th century, it was described in various terms such as “buggery” and “sodomy”. If someone was seen to be disobeying the heteronormative codes of society, they would be brutally condemned, ostracised and even sentenced to death.
Participation in The Real Mary King’s Close Pride Tours will provide guests with a deeper understanding and nuanced insight of the history of the LGBTQIA+ community in Edinburgh and in Scotland.
The specially curated tours actively support the health, well-being, and equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex young people through its partnership with LGBT Youth Scotland.
Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “We’re so excited that our Pride Tours are back for Pride Month this June. It was such an amazing experience last year welcoming so many people to The Close and celebrating diversity, resilience and the importance of inclusivity throughout the centuries.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with LGBT Youth Scotland, they are such an incredible organisation with a powerful message which we are passionate about voicing and helping in any way we can.
“We both share a mutual aim to encourage acceptance and community through storytelling and this is something we have encapsulated together in our specially curated tour. We can’t wait to welcome everyone, share our knowledge of the past and help shape the future.”
Tours will be running throughout June, every Friday and Saturday at 17.30 and 19.00. Prices are £25 per adult / £19 per child.
