Scottish Historic Buildings Trust

Scottish Historic Buildings Trust Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Scottish Historic Buildings Trust, Nonprofit Organization, Riddle's Court, 322 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh.

Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT) is a charitable organisation founded to preserve, for the benefit of Scotland, buildings of historical, architectural, constructional, national or local interest.

Last chance to book all six!Heritage in Evolution, our 2026-27 lecture series, opens this Wednesday at . Book the full s...
12/10/2026

Last chance to book all six!

Heritage in Evolution, our 2026-27 lecture series, opens this Wednesday at . Book the full series before then and save 10%, with your seat held for all six evenings from October through to March.

Full series £43.20, or £18.90 for students.

Speakers come from , , , and more.

Book now via the link: https://events.humanitix.com/bundle

Sponsored by

We are seeking additional trustees to join our board.Scottish Historic Buildings Trust is Scotland's national building p...
07/10/2026

We are seeking additional trustees to join our board.

Scottish Historic Buildings Trust is Scotland's national building preservation charity. With a small expert team and no core public funding, we have restored over 40 buildings and raised more than £40 million. Our current projects include the Bernat Klein Studio, Tron Kirk and Leith Custom House.

We are particularly interested in applicants with experience in one or more of the following:

- Quantity and building surveying
- Education and historical research
- Marketing and communications
- Technology and IT
- Charity governance and strategic planning

Trustees serve three years and attend four meetings a year, held at one of our buildings or another site of interest. Appointments will be made at our AGM on 9 December.

To apply, send a CV and covering letter to [email protected] by 31 October.

Full details here: https://www.shbt.org.uk/2026/10/trustee-roles-2/

Our new lecture series, Heritage in Evolution, opens on Wednesday 14 October with a question close to home. What happens...
06/10/2026

Our new lecture series, Heritage in Evolution, opens on Wednesday 14 October with a question close to home. What happens when a historic building goes viral?

Edinburgh knows the pressures of overtourism, driven in part by social media. But the same tools can educate and engage, reaching new audiences near and far. In an age of competitive visibility, can social media give Scotland's historic buildings an edge?

Joining us to talk it through:
Cllr Finlay McFarlane, City of Edinburgh Council
Andy Arthur, Threadinburgh
Ben Tisdale, influencer

Wednesday 14 October, 6pm to 8pm
Riddle's Court, 322 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh
Tickets £8, or £3.50 for students, with refreshments in our Library Room

Book your place: https://events.humanitix.com/when-historic-buildings-go-viral-preservation-in-the-age-of-social-media-sponsored-by-curtins

Coming to more than one? Book all six lectures and save 10%: https://events.humanitix.com/bundle but bare in mind that this offer is very limited so do act with speed!

Sponsored by Curtins

We are delighted to announce our 2026-27 lecture series, Heritage in Evolution: Folk, Work and Place in the 21st Century...
30/09/2026

We are delighted to announce our 2026-27 lecture series, Heritage in Evolution: Folk, Work and Place in the 21st Century, running at Riddle's Court from October to March, sponsored by Curtins.

When Patrick Geddes wrote of Cities in Evolution in 1915, he referred less to their historical origins than to the dynamic relationship of the past to the present. The folk, the work and the place of Edinburgh and Scotland have evolved considerably since then, and so have our conceptions of heritage.

Across six evenings we ask what happens when heritage goes viral or becomes intangible, whether access to heritage should be a right, and where modern and modernist heritage turns up in unlikely places. There will be no final answers. Each session is a conversation between expert practitioners, theorists and you.

14 October: When Historic Buildings Go Viral
11 November: Memory Palace
2 December: Price of Admission
13 January: Heritage Activism
10 February: Two Pints of L***r and a Building Restoration Project
10 March: Heritage on the Edge

All lectures run 6pm to 8pm at Riddle's Court, with refreshments in our historic Library Room. £8 standard, £3.50 student. Book all six together as a bundle and save 10%.

Tickets and full details via the link in our bio.

Sponsored by Curtins, an award-winning consultancy delivering elegant, low-carbon engineering solutions for more than 65 years, with specialist expertise in conservation and heritage.

We are delighted to announce our 2026-27 lecture series, Heritage in Evolution: Folk, Work and Place in the 21st Century...
30/09/2026

We are delighted to announce our 2026-27 lecture series, Heritage in Evolution: Folk, Work and Place in the 21st Century, running at Riddle's Court from October to March, sponsored by Curtins

When Patrick Geddes wrote of Cities in Evolution in 1915, he referred less to their historical origins than to the dynamic relationship of the past to the present. The folk, the work and the place of Edinburgh and Scotland have evolved considerably since then, and so have our conceptions of heritage.

Across six evenings we ask what happens when heritage goes viral or becomes intangible, whether access to heritage should be a right, and where modern and modernist heritage turns up in unlikely places. There will be no final answers. Each session is a conversation between expert practitioners, theorists and you.

14 October: When Historic Buildings Go Viral
11 November: Memory Palace
2 December: Price of Admission
13 January: Heritage Activism
10 February: Two Pints of L***r and a Building Restoration Project
10 March: Heritage on the Edge

All lectures run 6pm to 8pm at Riddle's Court, with refreshments in our historic Library Room. £8 standard, £3.50 student. Book all six together as a bundle and save 10%.

Tickets and full details: events.humanitix.com/host/scottish-historic-buildings-trust

Many thanks to our sponsor, Curtins, an award-winning consultancy delivering elegant, low-carbon engineering solutions for more than 65 years, with specialist expertise in conservation and heritage. curtins.com

Thanks also to all of our speakers: Finlay McFarlane, Andy Arthur, Ben Tisdale, Lynn-Sayers McHattie, Gabriella Bennett, Steve Byrne, Emma Arbuthnot, Paul Sweeney MSP, Roger Curtis, Dr Catherine Bradley, Dr Nitzan Levenberg, Annie Macpherson, Tom Addyman, Chris Bowes and Pat Wain.

A reminder that Doors Open Days is tomorrow at Riddle’s Court! We’re opening Riddle’s Court to the public, so come and e...
26/09/2026

A reminder that Doors Open Days is tomorrow at Riddle’s Court!

We’re opening Riddle’s Court to the public, so come and explore a sixteenth-century merchant’s house just off the Lawnmarket, with its painted ceilings, its royal history and five hundred years of stories. Our team will be on hand all day to talk you through each room.

Sunday 27 September, 11am to 4pm. Free, no booking needed. We look forward to seeing you there.

With Doors Open Days Scotland and .

In Spring 2027 a pilot exhibition opens in Leith Custom House: Leith 900.In the lead up to the 900th anniversary of the ...
17/09/2026

In Spring 2027 a pilot exhibition opens in Leith Custom House: Leith 900.

In the lead up to the 900th anniversary of the first written reference to Leith in 1128, this exhibition will serve as an opportunity to share ideas for the future Leith Museum.

Following a national competition, Scottish Historic Buildings Trust is delighted to announce that McCue Fit Out and People Make Culture will be bringing Leith's stories to life.

Samuel Gallacher, SHBT's Director, said: "After many years, momentum is building for the restoration and transformation of Custom House. This pilot exhibition will demonstrate why it is long overdue that Leith has a museum, and one which blends cutting-edge technology with timeless tales of people, passion and perseverance. Drawing on newly digitised material and items from collections across the country, this exhibition will span the centuries in the stories it tells and will evolve during its run. We could not be happier to have People Make Culture and McCue – and their Leith-based subcontractors - developing this exciting exhibition."

Alan Stewart at McCue said: "How to create a high-quality exhibition in an unrestored building, using spaces not normally accessible to the public, is quite the challenge – but one we are very much looking forward to. Custom House is an important building and Leith is a special place, and we will keep that in mind as we turn People Make Culture's designs into reality, delivering an exhibition worthy of both."

Abby Coombs, People Make Culture, said: "Leith 900 brings together everything we're passionate about – innovation and tradition, untold stories, and a rich heritage context. But the ultimate ambition is most important; to design an exhibition that has meaningful impact beyond the anniversary celebrations. It will evolve past opening, inspiring and enabling the people of Leith as a platform for community engagement and contribution, laying the foundations for their future museum. This is the first seed, and we can't wait to see it grow."

More details will be announced, including an opportunity to contribute to the Leith Museum Collection on Doors Open Day on 26 Sep.

Read the news in full here: https://www.shbt.org.uk/2026/09/leith900

A heartfelt thank you to all who joined us at Riddle’s Court to celebrate Edinburgh's rich diplomatic heritage. It was ...
14/09/2026

A heartfelt thank you to all who joined us at Riddle’s Court to celebrate Edinburgh's rich diplomatic heritage. It was a pleasure to welcome representatives from the Consular Corps in Scotland, the City of Edinburgh March Riding Association, the Lord Provost, Scotland's Makar, Pàdraig MacAoidh and many friends of Edinburgh’s heritage to this historic venue.

We hope the evening offered a chance to reflect on Edinburgh’s remarkable past and connect with colleagues and peers in such a warm and engaging setting.

Our sincere thanks to our sponsor, Events by Howies , catering partner at Riddle’s Court, for making the night possible.

Howies is proudly independent and deeply rooted in the heart of Edinburgh, showcasing the best of Scottish hospitality since 1990. Events by Howies work tirelessly to deliver exceptional seasonal Scottish food, celebrating the finest ingredients Scotland has to offer.

If you would like to host your own reception, dinner or meeting with us, we would be delighted to welcome you to Riddle's Court.

At Scottish Historic Buildings Trust, our mission is to safeguard historic buildings like Custom House , Riddle’s Court, and Tron Kirk, ensuring they continue to play an active role in Edinburgh’s cultural and civic life.

We are grateful for your support and interest, and we look forward to keeping you updated on our work.

Photography:

It has been our absolute pleasure to welcome so many friendly faces to the Bernat Klein Studio for our very first Doors ...
05/09/2026

It has been our absolute pleasure to welcome so many friendly faces to the Bernat Klein Studio for our very first Doors Open Day.

Just over a year has passed since SHBT acquired the Studio at auction, the very start of our journey in saving Peter Womersley’s masterwork of Scottish modernism for the nation, working in coalition with National Trust for Scotland and Bernat Klein Foundation.

Over the past twelve months we have been undertaking vital preparatory works to build a deep understanding of the Studio, its history and the extent of its disrepair, stabilising its condition before the full restoration can begin.

None of this would be possible without the support of National Lottery players through The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and the generosity of all those who have donated to the project.

We look forward to opening the Studio to the public again in the future. To follow the project as it progresses, sign up to our newsletter and connect with us on social media.

We are pleased to have received support from Creative Scotland’s Adapted Cultural & Creative Buildings Fund. Creative Sc...
21/08/2026

We are pleased to have received support from Creative Scotland’s Adapted Cultural & Creative Buildings Fund. Creative Scotland

Owned by Scottish Historic Buildings Trust and home to Ingleby Gallery Ingleby Gallery, the A listed Glasite Meeting House is an important part of Edinburgh’s cultural, creative, and heritage landscape. Our project will address increasing moisture and humidity risks in the building’s basement, helping to protect both its historic fabric and ensure that it can remain in use as much-required storage space for the gallery.

Over the coming months, our works will focus on removing rubble from the basement and carefully repointing the sub-floor walls using lime mortar. These targeted measures will mitigate the effects of climate change by helping the building manage increased rainfall and moisture, allowing the historic fabric to dry naturally.

This forms part of our wider futureproofing work across the buildings in our care. Visit SHBT’s website to learn more about this work under our Projects page.

Image © Colin McLean Photography

Address

Riddle's Court, 322 Lawnmarket
Edinburgh
EH12PG

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+441312201232

Website

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