“Almost as famous as the castle next door” - Harpers and Queen
Established over forty years ago by James Thomson OBE, in a historic building at the gates of Edinburgh Castle, the Witchery takes its name from the many hundreds of witches burned at the stake, on Castlehill, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It is reputed that more witches were put to death on Castlehill during the reign of James VI than anywhere else in Scotland and the area around the Witchery by the Castle remains steeped in history.
The Witchery occupies a historic sixteenth century building in Boswell’s Court, named after former resident, James Boswell, uncle of Dr Johnson’s biographer. It has been in continuous occupation for over four centuries, latterly as committee rooms for the Church of Scotland and as the Rectory of a nearby church. Castlehill has always been at the centre of Scottish history, The Palace of Mary de Guise, mother of Mary Queen of Scots, stood on the opposite side of the street, adjacent to some of the Witchery’s luxurious suites in historic Jollie’s Close.
Originally built in 1595 for merchant Thomas Lowthian, the candlelit Witchery is entered from a traditional close off the Royal Mile, where the original inscription on the doorway bearing his initials and motto ‘O Lord in thee is all my traist’ can still be read, whilst the ancient stone doorway built into the tower in the Secret Garden features the arms of the Duke of Gordon, Keeper of the Keys to Edinburgh Castle. Heraldic painted and gilded ceilings, based on those at the Palace of Holyrood house, reflect the close links of the Auld Alliance between France and Scotland and the tapestry-hung walls are panelled with seventeenth century oak rescued from a fire at St Giles Cathedral and panelling from a Burgundian Chateau.
In 1990 James opened a second dining room, the Secret Garden, on an abandoned schoolyard, rapidly winning a Regeneration Award and being named as the La Ina Most Civilised Dining room in Scotland. This enchanting room is entered via a stone staircase from the courtyard above and looks onto a hidden, topiary and urn filled terrace, where guests can dine in the summer. A splendid painted ceiling in typical Scots vernacular style is based on the famous Rossend Castle ceiling now in the Museum of Scotland and portrays imagery from the tarot. The painted doors portray elements of Edinburgh’s ancient wine trade with France, a tradition we continue with a cellar running to 600 bins holding the prestigious and rare Wine Spectator Best Award of Excellence and the AA Wine Award Overall Winner for the UK in 2014 among its many other wine awards.
The Witchery remains a destination for many celebrities visiting the city, including; Vivienne Westwood, HRH Princess Anne, Kate Moss, J K Rowling, Jack Nicholson, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Graham Norton, Emma Thompson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ewan McGregor, Margot Robbie, Justin Timberlake, Pierce Brosnan, Sir Ian McKellen, Gerard Butler, Alice Cooper, Sir Brian May, Matt Groening, Sam Heughan, Steve Coogan, Cameron Mackintosh, Jimmy Page, Robbie Williams, Ronan Keating, Duran Duran, and many more, with Lord Lloyd Webber describing it as “the prettiest restaurant ever!”
The Witchery is also home to nine uniquely luxurious and fabulously theatrical suites for those looking for a larger dose of Witchery magic. Located above the Witchery and in the adjacent seventeenth-century Jollie’s Court, they are frequently featured in magazines as one of the world’s most romantic destinations, described as one of the seven wonders of the hotel world by Cosmopolitan Magazine. Filled with antiques, opulently draped beds, and roll-top baths for two, they are a truly indulgent treat which includes a bottle of complimentary Champagne to welcome you, and a full cooked breakfast in our candlelit dining room.
