Traquair House
Lived in by the Stuart family since 1491, it is Scotland's oldest inhabited house.
Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, EH44 6PW
Facilities
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Accessible loos
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Accessible parking
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Cafe / restaurant
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Easily accessible without car
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Facilities for children
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Free parking
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Mostly wheelchair accessible
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Pet friendly
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Picnic area
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Shop
- Guide dogs welcome
- Accessible parking
- Large font signs and leaflets
- Wheelchair ramps/routes
- Accessible toilets
- Access statement available
Traquair is Scotland’s Oldest Inhabited House.
Visited by 27 Scottish Kings and Queens Traquair dates back to 1107 and has been lived in by the Stuart family since 1491.
Originally a royal hunting lodge, Traquair played host to Mary Queen of Scots and later as staunch Catholics they supported the Jacobite cause without counting the cost. Today, we welcome visitors from all over the world. Enjoy the extraordinary history of this lived in family home.
Visit the house, grounds, maze, craft workshops, 1745 Cottage Restaurant and the world famous Traquair House Brewery situated in one of the wings of the house and sample the ales in our brewery shop and museum.
We also provide a magical and romantic venue for weddings, celebrations, corporate events and throughout the year there is an inspiring programme of events and exhibitions for all ages.
You can even live like royalty and stay at Traquair in one of our luxurious antique furnished rooms.
Important information: opening info is generated by artificial intelligence; check specific attraction details before travelling.
The indicator above will show ‘open’ when the public have any kind of access to any part of this property. That could be the park, a shop, or a special event, and may not reflect regular admission times to the main attraction. Always consult the website of the house or garden you intend to visit before travelling to check that the attraction you are interested in is open.
Opening Times
Traquair House & Grounds is open from April to the end of October. During July and August, the house and grounds are open 7 days a week from 10:30am to 5:00pm. For specific opening hours during April, May, June, September and October, please refer to the 2026 Ticket Information.
Group Visits
Groups of any size are welcome to visit Traquair House throughout the year. Group visits are available during the regular house opening hours from April to the end of October.
Special Events
Easter brings two family-friendly activities: the Easter Fair at Traquair and the Easter Egg Hunt in the Maze, both held on Easter Sunday each year.
The Traquair Bioblitz is an annual weekend event celebrating the natural life of the estate. Specific dates vary year to year.
Halloween Fun Day takes place on the last Sunday of October each year (25th October in 2025), from 11:00am to 4:00pm.
Traquair Christmas Opening occurs on the last weekend of November each year (28th–29th November in 2025), opening at 10:00am on Friday and closing at 4:00pm on Saturday.
Religious Services
Mass in Traquair Chapel is held on the last Thursday of each month from April to September, 7:00pm–8:00pm.
Current Exhibitions
Several exhibitions are on display during the 2025 season:
- Icons on Ammo Boxes Exhibition – 9th August to 1st October
- Sir William Gillies RSA – A Love of Landscape Exhibition – 9th August to 17th September
- Spotlight on the Servants Exhibition – 21st September to 31st October
Visitor Attractions
The estate features several attractions for visitors to enjoy during their visit, including the Traquair Maze, Croquet Lawn, and the Traquair House Brewery. These are available during the general house and grounds opening hours.
The estate is also home to ancient yew trees, which were featured in the Channel 5 series The Secret Life of Trees (episode 3, aired 7th August 2025, available to stream).
Historic Houses members visit free on normal open days.
House and grounds
£14.00
£7.00
£12.00
£34.00
Booking for groups (min 20 people) may be made by contact our team at [email protected]
We are delighted to accept groups of any size throughout the year and personal guided tours by the owner, Catherine Maxwell Stuart, can be arranged in advance. Guided tours can be arranged outside normal opening hours and sometimes during opening hours at less busy times of the year.
During house opening hours we can arrange a guide to welcome the group and give a 5 minute introductory talk about the history of the house before the group is free to tour the house on their own.
Our most popular group experiences include :
Free roaming £13 (adult)/£11 (senior)
Guided tour £18 (adult)/£15 (senior)
Exclusive guided tour with Catherine Maxwell Stuart, 21st Laird £30pp (min £300 spend).
Guided tour followed by ale tasting £25.00pp
Guided Brewery tour £9pp
A number of specialist tours are available; please enquire or visit our website for details.
- Guide dogs welcome
- Accessible parking
- Large font signs and leaflets
- Wheelchair ramps/routes
- Accessible toilets
- Access statement available
Getting here
Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, EH44 6PW
Situated in the Scottish Borders, 30 miles South of Edinburgh 6 miles from Peebles on the B709.
Buses X62 Edinburgh – Melrose. Nearest stop Innerleithen (1.5miles).
Nearest train station Galashiels – 25 mins by car or Bus 62 as above.
The Tweed Cycle route uses the local B roads and passes Traquair House.
The ghost of Traquair
I have grown up at Traquair and the house was open to the public as long as I can remember. One of my favourite activities was jumping out from behind the priest's secret escape routes to scare visitors. My father then created a spooky cellar where visitors could peer in and see the outline of a veiled figure, I was sometimes allowed to be the "real" ghost!
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