Acheson House

Acheson House is a Category A-listed building in the Canongate area of the Old Town, at the bottom of the Royal Mile, which dates back to 1633. Originally built for its namesake, Sir Archibald Acheson, it was a grand townhouse with a secluded garden to showcase his wealthy status. It soon fell into disrepair, however, being downgraded throughout the years until this formerly glorious house was split up into tenements. It was left empty between 1991 - 2011, and was for many years on the 'buildings at risk' register. Happily, Edinburgh World Heritage has restored this historic building to its former glory and it now houses EWH's headquarters, with plans for the ground floor of the building to become part of the Museum of Edinburgh. If you're walking along the Royal Mile, you can still glimpse the original exterior of Acheson House (tarnished but still impressive) from behind its walled courtyard.