Scotland's oldest inhabited house, visited by Mary, Queen of Scots — its Bear Gates said to be locked since 1745.
What happened here?
Traquair began as a royal hunting lodge in the 12th century and is one of Scotland's oldest continuously inhabited houses. Mary, Queen of Scots stayed here with Lord Darnley in 1566, not long before the Rizzio murder at Holyroodhouse.
Why does this matter to the Jacobite story?
Traquair's deeper connection to that later story is emotional as much as factual: the family became devoted Jacobite loyalists, and Bonnie Prince Charlie visited in 1745 during the rising that briefly tried to restore a Stuart to the throne.
What happened next?
The Bear Gates at the end of the avenue are said to have been closed since Charlie's 1745 visit, with a tradition that they won't reopen until a Stuart sits on the throne again. The house has remained in the same family throughout.
What to look for while you're here
- The Bear Gates themselves, still closed, at the end of the front avenue.
- Mary, Queen of Scots' room, with items associated with her 1566 stay.
- The priest's room and hidden stairway, relics of the days when the Catholic family had to practise their faith in secret.