Half Term Family Road Trip

Our parent company, Continuum Attractions, operates a number of other attractions in different cities across the UK. In each of the attractions, we strive to offer an engaging, fun and educational experience that brings British culture and history to life. Our own Edinburgh attraction takes you on a tour of the old town’s underbelly of crime and poverty, whilst showing you how people lived during the seventeenth century. The Real Mary King’s Close is a must for history buffs of all ages, but Edinburgh isn’t the only place where you can delve into the past. This February half term, why not enjoy a tour of some of Britain’s favourite cities for a staycation the whole family will love. Whether you start or finish in Edinburgh, we’re sure you will have a fun road trip!

What else will you see around Britain?

For a limited time only, you can step onto the cobbles of one of Britain’s best loved streets for a behind the scenes tour filled with intriguing stories. ‘Coronation Street’ has been on air for over 50 years making it the longest running soap opera in the history of TV, featuring many different families over the years. The likes of Ena Sharples and Annie Walker are unlikely to ever be seen again, but now is the last chance to follow in their footsteps as the Coronation Street set has relocated to Salford.  Take a mosey around the set and see where Ken and Deirdre lived, visit the Rovers for a pint and check out the railway bridge—scene of the great train crash when the series was still in black and white.

Planning a Tour

Just two hours from Manchester and the Coronation Street tour you will find the beautiful town of York. If your family have a sweet tooth then step into the indulgent world of York’s Chocolate Story. If you plan on heading further south, you can easily take in three attractions in a few days with our historic Canterbury Tales and Kent Life attractions, before heading on to explore Oxford Castle.

With so much choice, it can be difficult to decide what to do! However, don’t forget that at The Real Mary King’s Close, we are offering a fantastic family deal for just £37.50 (2 adults and 2 children)  – just click here to book in advance. Our attraction isn’t suitable for under 5’s but we’re sure even your grumpy teenagers will be intrigued by life in Edinburgh’s hidden streets!

A History of Mary King’s Close

Edinburgh has a long history, much of which has become entrenched in the history books as not so pleasant. Like London, it was highly populated and therefore very susceptible to many of the same conditions and situations, such as poverty, disease, poor hygiene, and many notably bad occupations. These urban issues were exacerbated by the exodus to the cities prompted by the industrial revolution in the 18th Century, and remained a very real factor in people’s lives until after the Second World War. Edinburgh handled this slightly better than other British cities as the population was only about 20,000 after the last plague hit the city between 1644 and 1645.  Despite being the worst record, mercifully it was also the last.

The 1600s

During the 1600s, living conditions were rough. Law and justice were rare but harsh, and the poor were largely resigned to poverty and neglect by the establishment. These were the days before street lighting and an organised police force – so robberies, burglary and violent crime were rife. Taxes were crippling, and people who could not make ends meet often ended up in slums in the city, which bred crime and disease. Among the more affluent families in Edinburgh was the King family, namely one Alexander King—a lawyer whom the close was previously named after.

When he died in 1619, the close was renamed to honour Mary King (no relation) who was a professional clothes maker and fabric trader, as well as a noted philanthropist. When she was widowed with four children in 1629, she maintained her stature in the community, rather than letting the grief consume her. Mary died in 1644, but it is unclear from what, especially as it was during the early days of the last plague outbreak. Mary was fondly remembered by Edinburgh’s poorer citizens for the work she hid in helping to improve working conditions, and we are proud to honour her memory to this day.

Mary’s Memory Lives On

In 1694, the Edinburgh Town Council recorded in its minutes the existence of Mary King’s Close. Sadly, during the construction of the Royal Exchange in 1753, other closes along with Mary King’s suffered some loss when half were covered over. Exactly one hundred years later, in 1853, much the same thing happened during construction of Cockburn Street and more destruction was brought upon Mary King’s Close. Still, the residents remained, and it was not until 1902 that the last resident left by order of compulsory purchase. In January 1904, a new council chamber opened, right above the close.

The Close Today

In 2003, The Real Mary King’s Close opened as a public attraction, entertaining and regaling visitors with stories of crime, plague, debauchery and murder around the Close. We have become a much loved attraction of tourists around the world. Come along and enjoy the sights and smells of old Edinburgh, and the real historical characters that lived, loved and worked in our city.

Looking Forward to a Family Friendly February

February half-term can be a bit of an anti-climax. There is none of the glamour and excitement of Christmas and none of the spring charms of the Easter holiday. Instead, money is still often tight after Christmas, and the country is still in the grey grip of winter. This might leave you wondering what to do with the kids to keep them entertained!

In February 2015, The Real Mary King’s Close ever popular family ticket will be available for the whole month. This offer includes two adults and two children up to age fifteen (although children under five years old are not permitted). We listened to what our visitors were asking and we have noticed a distinct increase in family groups over the last couple of years. We thought this was a great time to save you some money and bundle your tickets together, saving a family of four a nifty seven
pounds.

Real life stories

As a light-hearted, spooky and entertaining day out, Real Mary King’s Close has great reputation among tourists. However, despite all the myths surrounding the close, we try our best to bring you a historically accurate experience of life in old Edinburgh. We bring a modern audience the stories of real people who genuinely existed during the darkest history of Edinburgh and we will regale you with tales, stories and truths about this period of Scottish history.

Our stories take place largely between the 16th and 18th centuries when people lived, worked and died in the underworld of Edinburgh Old Town. The experience will give you a realistic feel of what it was like to live and suffer the fates of those poor enough to be stuck in dark, narrow and cramped streets.

Booking your visit

Every day in February you can get your family ticket between the hours of 10am and 5pm at a cost of £35.70. Click here to book your ticket in advance. We aim to give families both far and near the chance to spend time with us during the half term holidays. So come and join us for some spooky family fun this coming February.

Welcome to Edinburgh and University Life

January isn’t just a month for finding a bargain in the January sales; it is also the start of the academic year for many students. Some cities don’t notice the sudden influx of new students roaming around taking in the city sights, but Edinburgh does. Edinburgh pays close attention to all the newbies looking to find their way around and navigate their new home. In fact, as a city, Edinburgh welcomes some six or so thousand students each year, all of which come flocking to Edinburgh looking to soak up the culture on those off-days when studying is the farthest thing from their minds.

Things to do

Navigating your new hometown can be extremely confusing, especially when you don’t always know where to go and what to do. Gathering your new friends together and hitting the streets can be the best way to find your way around your new home town.

If you are looking to learn about the rich history of Edinburgh then you’ll love a day trip to The Real Mary King’s Close. We will guide you through the fearful and disease-ridden historical underground streets of Old Edinburgh. We will transport you back to the 1600’s when crime and mayhem were the order of the day. In those dark days, Edinburgh was an every man for himself kind of city, and these cramped houses were dark places to be. Thankfully nowadays Edinburgh is an extremely friendly city and you will find plenty of people willing to share their local knowledge.

Don’t worry if English isn’t your first language, we also do a Spanish tour allowing you to join in on the experience. Students can also enjoy discounted entry with a valid student ID, leaving some extra cash for a lunch stop at one of the many delicious cafes nearby.

As Real Mary King’s Close is at the top of the Royal Mile, we are in the ideal position to help you enjoy many other tourist attractions. Edinburgh Castle is only a 10 minutes away and we are only a short walk away from the intriguing Camera Obscura. Check out our Visiting Edinburgh pages for more ideas to help you plan a day in the city.

Great Days Out in Edinburgh: Bring the Family to Meet Mary

When visitors come to The Real Mary King’s Close, they find a hidden warren of the ancient streets of Old Edinburgh. As an attraction, The Real Mary King’s Close has welcomed thousands of intrigued locals and tourists that are looking to learn more about the history of our picturesque city.

Special Family Ticket Deals

During December 2014 and January 2015, we are offering a special deal for family days out. Every Sunday, you can purchase a family ticket at a purse friendly price of £35.70 for a family of four. This is a splendid time to bring the kids as the whole family can enjoy time off together. Younger kids might want to skip this attraction however as it can often be a bit a spooky for them.

Looking for something to do inbetween Christmas and New Year can often be difficult as there is a lull after the excitement of Christmas. However, we don’t just provide some good old fashioned fun, the kids can also learn a thing or two about history as real life characters bring your tour to life. They won’t even realise how much they are learning as they hear the stories of families that lived on these streets. You can even entice your hard-to-scare teenagers as you enter a room filled with teddy bears, dedicated to a ghost child nicknamed ‘Annie’. This spooky area was ‘discovered’ by Aiko Gibo, a Japanese psychic, who visited the spot in 1992 and spoke to Annie who told her she had lost her doll. This prompted a trend of visitors leaving a toy for Annie whilst others make a donation to the Sick Kids Friends Foundation in her honour.

Other Edinburgh fun

There are so many things to see and do in Edinburgh that a day is never enough. Our website is full of helpful guides for planning your visit. We are only a stone’s throw away from Edinburgh Castle and the intriguing Camera Obscura and World of Illusions which can help complete a fun day of learning in Scotland’s capital city. We’ll see you soon!

Christmas at The Real Mary King’s Close

As the nights start drawing in towards the darkest days of the year, we have set up a special Christmas tour to get you in the festive spirit.

An Appointment with the Saw Doctor

Your guide for the tour will be Mr Chesney, the latest character to be brought back from the dust of Mary King’s Close. The colourful Mr Chesney was the close’s resident ‘saw doctor’ but today he brings his history to life in order to shock, amaze and entertain our guests. Step back in time to discover how Christmas came to be the celebration we so dearly love today.

Christmas, but not as we know it

Christmas in the back streets of Edinburgh was not the light-hearted festival we know today. Our tour tells the story of Christmas as Mr Chesney himself would have experienced it. Most working people could not afford to take a leisurely Christmas break. For them, Christmas Day was just like any other working day, with Hogmanay being the day they would allow themselves to put their feet up. In fact, the celebration of Christmas was officially banned in Scotland between 1575 and 1958. So much for the season of good will!

The Daft Days

This doesn’t mean that Christmas in Mary King’s Close was all work and no play – quite the contrary. The Victorian era saw the birth of many of the traditions we think of as quintessentially ‘Christmas’. Enter the Christmas tree, popular Christmas carols, Santa Claus and the Christmas pudding. Let Mr Chesney talk about Christmas through his eyes, at a time when the feast day was undergoing some drastic changes.

Step into the ‘daft days’ of Christmas, a twelve-day period when the usual rules of society were turned upside down and mischief and merriment ruled the day. Discover the roots of playground games such as ‘blind man’s buff’ and the humble working-class origins of the sumptuous Christmas meals we enjoy today.

Get into the spirit of Christmas on one of our special historical tours between 19th and 23rd December. Book your tickets online today or pop by the ticket office to book in person.

Christmas Gifts at The Real Mary King’s Close

With the festive season rapidly approaching, we invite you to join us for some Christmas cheer at The Real Mary King’s Close. However, Christmas wasn’t always as cheery for the residents of Mary King’s Close as Christmas was an ordinary working day, with the celebrations happening in the New Year instead.

These days, visitors to Mary King’s Close can expect a glittering welcome to the old streets of Edinburgh. Our gift shop is a great place for getting unique Christmas gifts, vouchers and mementos for anyone interested in Edinburgh’s history. The old days are (thankfully) long since passed, but we carefully stock our gift shop to hopefully capture some of the spirit of the remarkable men and women whose stories illuminate the Real Mary King’s Close.

Traditional and quirky Christmas gifts

Step into the Old Borough Courtroom to browse our extensive selection of historically inspired gifts. We stock a wide range of specialist books dealing with Scottish history, architecture, folklore, ghost-stories and much more. You will also find clothing, home-ware and jewellery from quality household names such as Celtic Spirit, St Justin and Harris Tweed. We carefully handpick all our products to give you a slice of true Scottish culture.

Gift Vouchers

Give someone special the gift of history this Christmas! We offer £5 or £10 gift vouchers that can be used for admission to The Real Mary King’s Close, as well as for purchases in our Gift Shop. Stop by our attraction or give us a call on 0845 070 6244 to order your vouchers.

Edinburgh’s Christmas

If you are looking to add some sparkle to your Christmas shopping, come have a look at our unique Christmas tree which incorporates features of Edinburgh’s dark history. Look closely and you will see decorations including rats and body bags. Part of the Christmas Tree Trail, you can then move on to discover what hidden surprises other participating attractions have. There’s lots of fun to be had in Edinburgh this Christmas – just check here for more details.

We look forward to seeing you soon at The Real Mary King’s Close.