One of the alleys descending from the Royal Mile, Panmure Close extends north from the Canongate in the centre of Edinburgh. Once known as McKell's Close, it gained its current name following the building of Panmure House in 1691. This was the town house of James Maule (1658 - 1723), the 4th Earl of Panmure and a noted Jacobite. Later residents included the Countess of Aberdeen and Adam Smith (1723-90), father of modern economics and author of The Wealth of Nations, who lived here from 1778 until his death. The poppies above the entrance are a reminder that Lady Haig's Poppy Factory operated here between 1931 and 1965, before moving to Warriston Road.
Although Panmure Close is now privately gated, access to Panmure House is possible through Little Lochend Close, and it can also be seen from Dunbar's Close Garden, which lies adjacent.