Whitefoord House

Located on the north side of Edinburgh's Canongate, Whitefoord House was the first of the Scottish Veteran's Residences, having been purchased by that charity in 1910. Today this three-storey white-harled building, with its Roman-Doric porch, provides residential accommodation and support for 85 ex-servicemen of all ages, who are veterans of campaigns around the world.

Once the site of the Earl of Wintons' mansion, known as Lord Seton's Lodging, it was here that Lord Darnley spent the night before his wedding to Mary, Queen of Scots, at Holyrood Palace in 1565. The present house was built for Sir John Whitefoord of Ballochmyle, an early patron of poet Robert Burns, by the architect Robert Mylne (1734 - 1811). Whitefoord died here in 1803. It was then home to the noted judge Sir William MacLeod Bannatyne (1743 - 1833) who died in the house at the age of 90. Thereafter, around 1850, the building was converted for use as a type foundry.

The first Lady Haig Poppy Factory was established at Whitefoord House in 1926, by the wife of Field Marshal Douglas Haig (1861 - 1928). Here the residents made poppies for sale throughout Scotland to raise money to support their fellow ex-servicemen.

The house has been extended to accommodate couples, with further phases of redevelopment expected to be completed in 2005.

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