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Scotsman

Historic house that instills the 'Golden Age of Leith' comes onto market for £3.75m

A restored 17th Century merchant's house which is said to instill the Golden Age of Leith has come onto the market for £3.75m. Stunning Lamb's House in Waters Close is being sold by architects Kristin Hannesdottir and Nick Groves-Raines, who restored the property to reveal a place anchored deep in the maritime history of Leith while creating a comfortable and contemporary home. Built for Merchant Andrew Lamb in 1610, Lamb's House is Category A-listed and lies just 40 metres from the original Leith Harbour that boomed in trade with the Hanseatic countries in the early 17th Century. It is also said that Lamb's ancestor welcomed Mary Queen of Scots to his Leith house - where she stayed for an hour - when she returned to Scotland in 1561. Ten bedrooms, six bathrooms and eight public rooms are spread across the main four-storey house and attic, new extension and a separate Pavillion, which are all brought together into a courtyard surrounded by a Renaissance-style walled garden. It is being sold for offers over £3.75m Ben Fox, Residential Director at Savills Edinburgh, commented: 'Lamb's House is not merely a remarkable home—it is an enduring symbol of Scotland's architectural brilliance and cultural continuity. "Every stone, beam and bloom speaks to the spirit of Leith. To offer this property to the market is to invite someone to become the next steward of a truly exceptional chapter in Scotland' history.' The house was originally designed to accommodate both trade and residence, with six shops of the ground floor and apartments above, which were most likely rented to wealthy merchants who had rights to trade in the port. Savills said Lamb's House had been 'meticulously restored to the highest conservation standards". Original features include crow-stepped gables, a stone turnpike staircase, leaded windows, massive Baltic pine beams and ample fireplaces stretching up to 2.7 metres wide. According to accounts, more than £1m was spent on the restoration of the property by Kristin Hannesdottir and Nick Groves-Raines, whose Edinburgh practice was set up in the 1970s. Ms Hannesdottir also serves as the Honorary Consul of Iceland, with Lamb's House used as her consulate office. Other projects undertaken by the couple include the restoration Edinample Castle, Peffermill House and Liberton House, with several commissions undertaken for Wildland Ltd, the hospitality and conservation company owned by Anders Holch Povlsen, Scotland's richest man and largest landowner. Savills said Lamb's House had been 'meticulously restored to the highest conservation standards' The couple bought Lamb's House from National Trust for Scotland in 2010, with the property then in 'poor condition, heavily vandalised and very institutional,' according to the architects. NTS was gifted the property by the 4th Marquess of Bute, a conservationist who undertook his own restoration of a property that had suffered many additions and alterations. In the 1960s, the property was used as a care home and, earlier, it had been split into eight separate houses. The couple restored the house over a five-year period with 'modern additions removed, original elements revealed and sensitive interventions introduced,' a statement from Savills said. Waters Close was re-opened to re-connect the property with the harbour with a concrete public yard lifted to make way for a private, enclosed walled garden inspired by formal parterres of early Renaissance gardens. A little gap in the wall affords passers-by a 'glimpse into the oasis within - a gentle connections between private space and public curiosity'. 1 . Restoration gold The propery was bought from National Trust for Scotland by Edinburgh architects Kristin Hannesdottir and Nick Groves-Raines, who have revealed the building's historical essence while creating a comfortable home. | Savills Photo Sales 2 . A house of many parts Lamb's House has 10 bedrooms with the property coming in three parts - the main original four-storey house with attic, a Pavillion and modern extension. | Savills Photo Sales 3 . Everything has a place The interior style mixes original features - such as these huge ceiling beams - with carefully-sourced modern pieces. | Savills Photo Sales 4 . Simple lines A stone turnpike staircase harks back to the origins of Lamb's House, which was built in 1610 for Leith merchant Andrew Lamb. It was one of the features brought back into use during its most recent restoration. | Savills Photo Sales Related topics: Scotland