Lauriston Castle Lectures

Whisky Galore

Wednesday 26 June 2024, 10:30am

Lauriston Castle Lectures

Our annual partnership lecture with Scran. Using archive records we’ll explore the story of a close-knit community and discover the events which... More info

Bringing up the Bodies: Body snatching, Murder and Anatomy in Nineteenth Century Edinburgh

Tuesday 2 July 2024, 10:30am

Lauriston Castle Lectures

At the beginning of the nineteenth century Edinburgh’s Medical School was one of the most prestigious in Europe. Students flocked to study there, and... More info

A History of Edinburgh Photography

Saturday 17 August 2024, 10:30am

Lauriston Castle Lectures

From the very first image in 1839, through the iconic work of Thomas Begbie and Hill and Adamson to being one of of the most Instagrammed cities on... More info

John Kay: Recording the Golden Age in Edinburgh

Tuesday 20 August 2024, 10:30am

Lauriston Castle Lectures

John Kay (1742 – 1826) was a self-taught artist and engraver who had come to Edinburgh in 1762 as a young man to work as a barber and hairdresser... More info

Town Rats or Good Toun’s Company: The Edinburgh City Guard

Thursday 29 August 2024, 10:30am

Lauriston Castle Lectures

Edinburgh was one of the first towns in Europe to set up a civic city police force. The origins of the City Guard are lost in the 17th century civil... More info

The History of the Usher Hall

Saturday 9 November 2024, 10:30am

Lauriston Castle Lectures

The Usher Hall is Scotland's five-star concert hall, set in the heart of Edinburgh. People have been attending concerts, gigs and other... More info

Agatha Christie in the 1920s

Saturday 14 September 2024, 10:30am

Lauriston Castle Lectures

Remembered today as the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie has famously only been outsold by the Bible and Shakespeare. In this lecture we look back at... More info

Circular fashion: What the past can teach us about saving our clothes and the planet

Tuesday 8 October 2024, 10:30am

Lauriston Castle Lectures

In this beautifully illustrated talk, social history curator Vicky Garrington uses the dress and textiles collection of Museums & Galleries... More info

Focus on John Napier: One of the Many Notable figures Associated with Lauriston Castle’s Past

Thursday 17 October 2024, 10:30am

Lauriston Castle Lectures

The intriguing story of John Napier (1550-1617), who designed the horoscope stone you can now see on the south west corner of Lauriston Castle. He... More info

Growing up in Corstorphine in the 1950s

Wednesday 21 May 2025, 10:30am

Lauriston Castle Lectures

This lecture will take the form of a personal reminiscence of growing up as a child in the 1950s and early 1960s in the suburb of Edinburgh. These... Book now More info

Corstorphine: Transport Through the Ages

Tuesday 29 October 2024, 10:30am

Lauriston Castle Lectures

Take a walk with us through the years, exploring transport in Corstorphine, a local area of Edinburgh rich in heritage. Ian Anderson has been a... More info

Remembering the Vital Role of Women in World War 2

Tuesday 12 November 2024, 10:30am

Lauriston Castle Lectures

Our annual keynote lecture to mark Armistice Day. During WW2 women were conscripted into the armed forces for the first time whilst others took on a... More info

Robert Louis Stevenson's Road to the Pentlands

Wednesday 13 November 2024, 10:30am

Lauriston Castle Lectures

Happy birthday to Robert Louis Stevenson and happy RLS Day. Swanston is one of the most enduringly beautiful areas of Edinburgh, set in the Pentland... More info

Christmas during the two World Wars

Thursday 12 December 2024, 10:30am

Lauriston Castle Lectures

10.30am - 12pm Christmas is a time for families, for being together, eating lots and giving presents. But what happens when the world is at war? In... More info