History

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• James Thomson

Almost as famous as the castle itself
Harpers & Queen

The Witchery by the Castle was established by James Thomson in 1979 in the near-derelict basement of an Old Town building, Boswell's Court. Since then he has acquired and restored further parts of the building, plus an adjacent one, and they now are home to the Witchery, the Secret Garden and a collection of unique suites.

Built in 1595 for Edinburgh merchant Thomas Lowthian, the original carved door lintel can just be made out with his initials and the motto "O lord in thee is all my traist, 1595". The original winding turret stair remains and the building has had various uses including tea room, Rectory to a nearby church and meeting room for the Church of Scotland.

Boswell's Court takes its name from the uncle of Dr Johnstone's biographer, James Boswell, whose residence was in this building in the eighteenth century.

The Secret Garden was created from the playground of the adjacent Castlehill School and some of the stonework still remains. Incorporated into the walls is the carved entrance to what was formerly the Duke of Gordon's House with its ducal coronet and deerhounds. Much of the oak panelling throughout the building was rescued following a Victorian "modernisation" of St Giles.

Nearby Jollie's Close and Sempill's Court provide a historic home to more of the Witchery's suites, in buildings dating back to 1635. Built on the site of the Palace of Mary de Guise, mother of Mary Queen of Scots, these buildings have variously been the townhouse of an aristocratic family, an ostlers and part of the University's Faculty of Divinity before their recent restoration.