Tucked into the Grassmarket beneath the Castle, the White Hart Inn claims a title no other Edinburgh pub can match: the oldest in the city, with records of an inn on the site stretching back to at least 1516.
Five centuries of drinkers have passed through its doors, and not all of them, the stories say, have entirely left.
Five Centuries in the Grassmarket
The Grassmarket was for centuries a market, a coaching stop and the city’s main place of public execution – the White Hart stood through all of it. The low-beamed, snug interior still feels its age, one of the most characterful traditional bars in the Old Town.
Famous Regulars
Robert Burns is said to have stayed here in 1791 during a farewell to his lover Clarinda, and William and Dorothy Wordsworth lodged at the inn in 1803. For a small Grassmarket pub, that is a remarkable literary guest list.
The Burke and Hare Connection
The inn also carries a much darker association: it is often named as a spot where the murderers Burke and Hare picked out vulnerable drinkers to lure away in 1828. True or embellished, the link ties the pub firmly into Edinburgh’s grimmest chapter – and feeds the ghost stories told about its cellars.
Visiting Today
The White Hart is a working pub in the middle of the Grassmarket, serving drinks and often live folk music. It is an easy and atmospheric stop while you explore the square, Maggie Dickson’s memorial and the streets below the Castle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the White Hart Inn really Edinburgh’s oldest pub?
It is widely regarded as the oldest, with records of an inn on the Grassmarket site dating back to at least 1516.
Which famous people drank at the White Hart Inn?
Robert Burns reputedly stayed in 1791, and William and Dorothy Wordsworth lodged there in 1803.
What is the White Hart Inn’s link to Burke and Hare?
It is often named as a pub where Burke and Hare identified vulnerable victims to lure away during their 1828 killings.
Where is the White Hart Inn?
In the Grassmarket, in the heart of the Old Town below Edinburgh Castle.
