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Edinburgh & The Lothians

House of the Binns

With spectacular views across the Scottish countryside, the home of the Dalyells boasts 400 years of fascinating family history.
The exterior of the House of the Binns, with a carpet of pale yellow daffodils on the lawn in front.
Overview

  • Enjoy a guided tour of the house, filled with rich storytelling and an impressive collection of family portraits, furniture and porcelain that reveals the lives and interests of the family through the centuries.

  • Admire the magnificent plaster ceilings from 1630, commissioned for the visit of King Charles I to Scotland in 1633.

  • See the Scottish Renaissance painted wood decoration, a rare survival from the earliest period of the house.

  • Walk through woodland to the tower on the hill for a wonderful panoramic view of central Scotland.

Today's Opening Hours

House
guided tours only, between 10.00–15.00
Estate
9.00–19.30
See full opening times

Entry prices

Adult
£12.50
Concession
£10.00
Child
£7.50
Young Scot
£1.00
See all entry prices Book tickets

Membership

At all Trust places, admission is free for members.

Join from £5.20 / month
  • A peacock walks around the grounds in front of the House of the Binns.

    One of the famous House of the Binns peacocks

  • The morning room at the House of the Binns with a round table at the centre of the room. Many family portraits adorn the walls. A large, glass-fronted dresser stands against one wall, displaying a china service.

    Beautiful furniture, paintings and artefacts adorn the morning room in the House of the Binns.

  • The grand dining room at the House of the Binns with deep red walls and a rich red carpet. A long oval polished wooden dining table stands at the centre of the room. Gilt-framed portraits hang on the walls.

    The dining room at the House of the Binns

  • Bright yellow daffodils cover the lawn in front of the House of the Binns.

    Daffodils in springtime bring a burst of colour to the House of the Binns.

  • A peacock walks across the lawn in front of the House of the Binns. The house is almost covered in a deep red ivy.

    A peacock walks around the grounds in front of the House of the Binns

  • The Binns Tower stands on top of a hill by the House of the Binns

    The Binns Tower stands on top of a hill by the House of the Binns

About this place

Set in beautifully landscaped parkland overlooking the River Forth, this fascinating laird’s house near Linlithgow has been the home of the Dalyells for over 400 years. The present house was built in 1612 by Thomas Dalyell, an Edinburgh merchant who made his fortune at the court of King James VI and I in London.

Thomas’s son, General Tam Dalyell, formed the legendary regiment of Royal Scots Greys. There are many mementos of him in the house, as well as colourful legends about his dealings with the Devil to discover.

The house contains an interesting collection of family portraits, furniture, porcelain and silver acquired over several generations.

Our accreditations and awards

  • 4 Star Visitor Attraction
  • Green Tourism Silver

Related Stories

A view of a grand stately house, which is essentially oblong in shape except for two crenellated towers at the front of the house. A large lawn lies in front of the house. A tarmac drive runs all the way round the house.

Why we love House of the Binns

Members of the House of the Binns team share some of their highlights of this remarkable house near Linlithgow.

Bringing Back the Binns: behind the scenes with the Collections Care Assistant

In the fourth instalment of ‘Bringing Back the Binns’, discover how the process of packing and storing the painting collection was undertaken by the Collections Care team.

Five women, all wearing dark National Trust for Scotland jackets, walk in a row towards the camera across the lawn in front of the House of the Binns.

House of the Binns reopens to public

With our project to ‘bring back the Binns’ now completed, visitors can see inside the historic house for the first time since before the pandemic.

Dealing with the Devil

Project Reveal head to the House of the Binns to catalogue the table where ‘Bluidy Tam’ is said to have played the Devil at cards.

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