Gosford House
Palatial mansion on the southern banks of the Firth of Forth.
Aberlady, Longniddry, East Lothian, EH32 0PX
Facilities
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Easily accessible without car
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Free parking
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Parkland / open spaces
There are no lifts in the house and several sets of stairs.
The bottom corridors are narrow but do allow wheelchair access for visits.
Our shortest tour takes visitors around the bottom level of the house. It is accessed by ramps from the front door. The top tier of the house is not accessible.
Gosford House, the seat of the Earls of Wemyss and March, is set in 5,000 acres of combined coast and parkland in East Lothian on the south side of the Firth of Forth and close to the celebrated golf courses of Muirfield, Gullane and Craigielaw.
The property is dominated by Gosford House, an imposing neo-classical mansion which was one of the last great architectural commissions of the celebrated Scots architect, Robert Adam. Constructed for the seventh Earl of Wemyss, the building was completed in 1800 – eight years after the architect’s death – and is recognised as an outstanding example of the later period of his work.
Inside, the building exceeds the expectations raised by its elegant exterior. The Marble Hall, in the south wing, is arguably the most arresting of its many fine features. It was completed in 1891 by William Young for the tenth Earl of Wemyss and rises to a height of three storeys, with a magnificent double staircase leading to a surrounding picture gallery. The elaborate fireplace, alabaster colonnades and ornate plasterwork reflect the strong Italianate taste of the tenth Earl, while the Palladian screen of Venetian windows are reminiscent of Adam’s original designs.
Private visits can be arranged upon request, subject to our guides’ availability outwith our normal opening season.
Tour length
The minimum recommended tour time would be 45 minutes to allow you to see a varied selection of rooms. The suggested visit time ranges from 1h15min to 2hrs for the house, depending on your schedule and whether your party can easily manage stairs and a longer tour. We recommend to keep an additional 30 minutes aside to view the lovely grounds and ponds area.
Tour topics
Our tours cover the architectural history of the house, as well as the family and their vast art and furniture collection. The House has also been used for various film productions, which can be covered by our guides if this is an area of interest.
A minimum fee of £225 applies, which covers access for up to 15 guests. Additional visitor tickets are charged £15 per head for private visits.
For private visits, please contact Carole at tours@gosfordhouse.co.uk with your preferred dates, times and areas of interest.
Please note: The information on the Historic Houses website is advisory, but please always check the website of the house or garden you intend to visit before travelling.
See their website to double check their opening times
We will be open in Spring 2025 from 17 – 21 April (inclusive).
We will open during the summer from 31 July to 25 August for Thursday to Monday only.
For tours on public open days, you may pay cash or with cheques at the door.
Adults £10 full tour/ £8 for the shorter tour
Seniors (over 65) £8 / £6 shorter tour
Students £6 / £4 shorter tour
Children 12-18 £6
Family ticket £28 / £20 shorter tour (2 adults and 2 children)
Children under the age of 12 and carers go free.
Annual Grounds Permit £20
For small private tours outwith the open days please contact tours@gosfordhouse.co.uk or call 01875 870806.
Please note that there is a minimum charge of £ 300 for private tours of up to 15 guests.
For small private tours outwith the open days please contact tours@gosfordhouse.co.uk.
Summer tours are now open: Thursdays to Mondays from 25th July to 19th August 2024.
A minimum fee of £300 applies, which covers access for up to 15 guests. Additional visitor tickets are charged £15 per head for private visits.
There are no lifts in the house and several sets of stairs.
The bottom corridors are narrow but do allow wheelchair access for visits.
Our shortest tour takes visitors around the bottom level of the house. It is accessed by ramps from the front door. The top tier of the house is not accessible.
Getting here
Aberlady, Longniddry, East Lothian, EH32 0PX
On public open days or for private tours, you may access the house from the main gates on the coast road (A198) between Aberlady and Longniddry. Outwith the open days, these remain accessible for residents only and grounds access is via the carpark near our Bothy Farm shop.
Parking is available for visitors in the courtyard. In keeping with the natural surroundings, this is gravel-surfaced.
There is a bus stop at the gates of the House. East Coast buses 124 and X5 both service this stop at the time of writing.
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