Newhailes House & Gardens
As we move out of the coronavirus lockdown, we’re pleased to be able to welcome back visitors to our estate. Many of our buildings (historic buildings, visitor facilities, cafés and shops) and our play park remain closed. The toilet facilities at Newhailes are closed. We urge people to carefully observe social distancing guidelines.
Discover breathtaking rococo designs in this 17th-century Palladian villa.
Spot sumptuous decorative details including shells, gilded eagles and early 18th-century trompe l’oeil decoration.
Soak up the atmosphere in the eerie abandoned servants’ kitchen before braving the servants’ tunnel.
Enjoy woodland walks in the 18th-century designed landscape, with views across the Forth.
Step back to the time of the Scottish Enlightenment in the ‘most learned library in Europe’.
Inspire your child’s imagination as they climb, crawl, slide and explore in our new Weehailes Playpark.
Today’s Opening Hours
- Weehailes Playpark and Doocot Diner
- Closed
- House
- Closed
- Café, Shop & Reception
- Closed
- Estate
- Daily
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Weehailes playpark
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Large cherry blossoms stand at either side of Newhailes House
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A beautifully elaborate chandelier hangs above furniture in the library
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The Shell Grotto stands next to a path in the woodlands at Newhailes
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The ornate iron railings of the Newhailes east wing staircase cast a shadow in the sunlight
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Explore the 34 hectares of historical landscape.
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The library at Newhailes
About this place
Newhailes brings 300 years of history to life and we’re reviving it to its former splendour. Last year we restored the impressive ha-ha and doocot, as well as creating a new community garden and play park.
This Palladian mansion was once home to the influential Dalrymple family, who gave the house its superb rococo interiors and fine collections of paintings, ceramics and furniture, along with the significant 18th-century designed landscape. In the mid-1700s Sir David Dalrymple built a magnificent library wing to hold his vast collection of 7,000 books, pamphlets, broadsheets, prints, maps and music books. His library now forms part of the National Library of Scotland’s collection in Edinburgh.
You’ll be shown around by guided tour, so you won’t miss any of the fabulous details that make the house so special. Highlights include the magnificent dining room, impressive Italian marble fireplaces, 18th-century trompe l’oeil decoration in the Chinese sitting room and an impressive art collection.
Downstairs you’ll see the old kitchen and scullery, left just as we found them when we took ownership in the 1990s – abandoned workplaces from a bygone era. You leave the house the same way the servants did, through a tunnel designed to keep the grounds clear of the sight of workers going about their daily chores.
Situated in 34 hectares of historical landscape, the Newhailes estate offers unspoilt views across the Forth. There are several footpaths leading around the estate for all to enjoy.
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We’d love to share some great ways for you to experience Scotland’s heritage from the comfort and safety of your own home.