Our #Instameet at Riddle’s Court

June 8, 2018 6:57 am

It may have been a rainy evening outside but we had a lovely time in the fabulous Riddle’s Court.

The lovely people at Scottish Historic Buildings Trust invited us to join them there and ask along some friends too. (you were invited!)

You can go along to Riddle’s Court during the Fringe.

Roger is in charge of marketing so he was keen to have us look around and take photos while Russell gave us the tour.

Instameet at Riddle’s Court, 8th May 2018 Photo John Preece

Over the centuries the building has been a merchant’s house, a venue for a banquet held by King James VI, aristocratic apartments, overcrowded tenements, a Mechanics Subscription Library, a University Hall developed by Patrick Geddes, emergency post-war housing, a Community Learning Centre, and an Edinburgh Fringe Festival venue. We had a lovely time looking round the building and discovering (possibly) the best accessible loo in the land! (Yes it even has a fireplace in it!)

Dame Maggie Smith sent this photo – she used to perform in the building during the Fringe way back!

The building is approached from the Royal Mile down a close

You can go to Riddle’s Court and have a look anytime – they are delighted to show you round or book your wedding there (it’s a short walk from the Registrars office on the Royal Mile) – or even put you up for the night in the King’s Chamber.

It has great wifi and lends itself to days away from the office for conferences and meetings.

These drawings are the work of the anonymous Paper Sculptor. They were donated to SHBT along with a fabulous sculpture which is on display in Riddle’s Court.

This is the work of the mysterious paper sculptor – a beautiful paper replica of the 16th century merchant’s house which is set behind the Royal Mile. The delicate artwork was delivered to SHBT in an intriguing box, wrapped in string with a message which read “In support of Libraries, Books and Ideas …especially good ones….Vivendo Discimus “.

This month there is an event on 14 June which is part of the Riddle’s Court Conversations programme. This is the third in the new series : Issues in Contemporary Scottish Society.

Annie Miller will present a lunchtime talk on the theme, A Fairer Scotland with a Basic Income. Scotland’s leading authority on basic income explains the ‘what and why’ and shares her views on this very topical issue, now the subject of a series of local government experiments funded by the Scottish Government.

Tickets are £8.50 and available here.

More information on http://www.shbt.org.uk