Dalmeny House

Due to Covid-19 and repair works, Dalmeny House will NOT be opening to visitors in 2022.

A treasure trove of collections housed within a grand Tudor Gothic residence, Dalmeny House is a spectacular family home steeped in fascinating history.

There’s almost too much to see, and you’re sure to find something that interests you.

Fans of architecture will delight in the stunning Tudor Gothic style design by William Wilkins who went on to design London’s National Gallery and much of King’s College Cambridge. At the time of building in 1817, the style was a major departure from the Scottish fashion of the time. Expect defensive crenellations, highly decorated chimneys, fan-vaulted corridors, octagonal towers, and mullion and transom windows.

Art lovers will enjoy the Vincennes and Sèvres porcelain, Goya tapestries depicting Spanish childhood, marble busts, and family portraits by Raeburn, Romney and Gainsborough. The Napoleon Room houses one of the largest Napoleonic collections in Europe, including Napoleon's throne as First Consul and the pillow on which he rested his head after death. There are magnificent collections of French furniture, intriguing artefacts and many reminders of the family's passion for horseracing.

The Dalmeny Library is often credited as the birthplace of the Edinburgh Festival. In the 1940s, the 6th Earl of Rosebery served as chairman of the newly formed Scottish Tourist Board. His wife Eva, an amateur musician, was instrumental in connecting the tourist authorities with a group of musicians and artists who were looking for a site for an international festival. With funding from the Lord of Rosebery’s racing prize money, the Edinburgh Festival was born!

While the surroundings are grand, the interiors elegant and the collections impressive, Dalmeny remains the family home of the Rosebery family. As such, it has a wonderfully warm, intimate feel. Guided tours are available during the summer months.

You can also spend hours exploring the woodland and beaches by cycle or foot and enjoy the magnificent views over the Firth of Forth.