📌 Musselburgh, East Lothian
★★★
Newhailes is a grand old house once owned by a wealthy family, like many other National Trust for Scotland properties. But it’s the conservation method that makes this place unusual. Instead of being maintained to an “perfect” standard, the decision has been made to let the villa “grow old gracefully”. Peeling walls and signs of wear and tear are therefore part of the experience (whether you like it or not), significantly altering the character of the property. Yes, some parts do look a little tired, but the upshot is that the vast majority of the furnishings are original and often untouched. One interesting tour feature is the way you exit the building, along a long tunnel originally built so servants would remain hidden from the upper classes. Back above ground, the grounds give scope for a pleasant wander, but for a more colourful backdrop head to the Trust’s nearby Inveresk Lodge Garden.
🌍 Location
📌 Off Newhailes Road (A6095) 1 mi west of Musselburgh
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 327725
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.940866,-3.079184
🚌 Newhailes Road (A6095) | 🚆 Musselburgh (0.5 mi)
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
⌚ House open daily, 4 March to October 2024; Thursday to Sunday, November to 22 December – by guided tour only, booking essential. Estate: daily
🎫 £15 adult / £8 child / free for National Trust for Scotland members
