The Edinburgh Reporter October 2021
The independent local newspaper all about Edinburgh The independent local newspaper all about Edinburgh
20 FEATURE HOME FROM HOMEStrand and deliverPhyllis Stephen discovers palace apartments and physic garden – crowning glories at HolyroodWe were told to stay at homefor over fifteen months, andwe did. Looking around fora change from our own fourwalls it was a little odd atfirst to choose a minibreak just a mile from the front door.But it turned out to be a wee adventure, and awonderful way of looking at Edinburgh froma fresh perspective.Offered as a complimentary night away from home, itwas easy to say yes of course, but also remarkably easy toget there. We loaded up the bike panniers and set off onthe short journey to Abbey Strand Apartments. Theseare beautifully restored apartments so close to the Palaceof Holyroodhouse that it seems natural to adopt a fewairs and graces when you arrive. You can also take yourcorgis with you, but there is an extra charge for the deepcleaning after you leave.There are nine studio, one and two bedroomapartments in the historic row of buildings looking overto The Scottish Parliament which are accessed through apend and then up a winding stair. There is no lift in thishistoric building, and anyone requiring accessibleaccommodation will have to seek alternatives in theother self catering apartments run by Cheval either atThe Edinburgh Grand or the apartments at 329 HighStreet which are on the point of opening.COURTIER’S HOUSEEach apartment has been named in recognition of thelong history of the building and the area, and you canopt to stay for one night or a year according to GeneralManager of Cheval Collection Edinburgh, GavinMacLennan. There was a time when Chris Stewart's ownmanagement company, Lateral City, ran the operation,also under the managerial eye of MacLennan, but after atwo year search the company decided to outsource thefunctions to Cheval who now deal with everything frombooking onwards. Their staff ensure that the apartmentis stocked with Nespresso coffee, tea, sugar and freshmilk. MacLennan moved employers, but continues hislove of the Edinburgh apartments which are luxuriousand individual. The building was crafted from a formercourtier's house and is believed to be about 500 years-old.The west side is the earliest surviving structure,and although the building was used mainly as aweapons store, it later became a fashionable dwellingduring the Renaissance and the third storey wasThere are lovelytouches of historyinside with exposedstone walls and someapartments havemedieval fireplacesthen added around 1566.There are lovely touches of history inside withexposed stone walls and some apartments havemedieval fireplaces. What then would formerinhabitants such as Mary Queen of Scots have made ofall the modern twists such as the BOSE bluetoothspeaker so that visitors can play music from theirsmartphones, or the high tech oven which incorporatesa microwave with its operational touch screen. And ofcourse there is complimentary WiFi which is nowstandard in most hotels and self-catering apartments.The colour scheme both inside and out was producedby traditional methods and was chosen by HRH TheDuke of Rothesay, and the careful renovation took overtwo years to complete, very much under direction fromPrince Charles. Look carefully at the outside which isactually a pale pink.The Lady Margaret Seton apartment became homefor the night with a TV in the living area and thebedroom, a comfortable sofa to sink into and plenty ofroom everywhere for the range of stuff we had managedto bring with us - and it turned out for the couple ofvisitors who came to tea. It is always pleasing when evenin a one bedroom apartment there are enough seats foreveryone and plenty cups and saucers.The bed linen is of course sumptuous, the bathroomsophisticated and everywhere is scrupulously clean.There is also as we found out CCTV which meant thatleaving our bikes in the pend was no problem at all, asPalace security kept an eye on them.Luxury living at Abbey StrandApartments is fit for a QueenCity centre self-cateringright on the doorstep ofparliament and palaceIt is the Chris Stewart Group which has beenresponsible for renovating Abbey Strand in partnershipwith Royal Collection Trust and having already seen theinteriors at Old Town Apartments and The EdinburghGrand, the look was nothing less than the five starluxury I had expected.And here is my top tip for going anywhere on aself-catering holiday - throw a few extra dishwashertablets into your overnight bag and a tea towel ortwo. No matter how luxurious the apartment is theyalways come in useful when you are really cateringfor yourselves.GOOD FOODAlthough it would have been quite easy to provision forthe stay we opted to ask Mary at The Rose Theatre Caféto cater for us. She provided the most beautifulblueberry scones with jam and cream and chocolatebrownies for afternoon tea. Dinner was a very easy towarm up Chicken Supreme with mushroom and winesauce with tarragon, roast potatoes and green beans. Allof this was exquisitely prepared, and it really made ourstay a little bit more special. There are restaurants on theRoyal Mile, and it is also easy to order groceries to bedelivered to your apartment before you arrive. At thislocation there is no in-house restaurant or bar but thereis a lovely reception area which can be used by guests forbusiness meetings and there are also coffee facilities.The biggest find was the secret garden behind AbbeyStrand which is owned by The Royal Collection Trust(RCT) but which is open to the public. It is simplybeautiful and will certainly merit a visit during each ofthe seasons to admire the exquisite planting inspired by
21I am delighted that thispublic garden can beenjoyed by our visitorsand the local Edinburghcommunity alikesome of the earliest recorded gardens on the site.Abbey Strand Learning Centre was created by ChrisStewart during the renovation of the whole building andwill be used by school and community groups to explorehow plants have been used to improve health and wellbeing.The centre is all part of the Future Programme which is amajor programme of investment at the Palace by RCT.HRH The Prince of Wales recorded a message about thegarden here.The new garden consists of three distinct areas, eachrepresenting a phase in the Palace’s 900-year history. Aflowering meadow of medicinal plants evokes the 15thcenturymonastic gardens of Holyrood Abbey, once one ofthe grandest medieval abbeys in Scotland. The remains ofthe Abbey can be seen as part of a visit to the Palace (and doremember if you go to the palace to get your ticket validatedso that you can use it again within a calendar year).PHYSIC GARDENA third area reimagines the physic garden that wasestablished in the Palace grounds 350 years ago by thedoctors Sir Robert Sibbald and Sir Andrew Balfour, twofounding members of the Royal College of Physicians ofEdinburgh. Created in 1670 to teach students about themedicinal properties of plants and to provide pharmacistswith fresh materials, the Palace’s original physic garden wasthe first of its kind in Scotland and only the second botanicgarden to be established in Britain.The new physic garden contains medicinal and culinaryplants that would have grown in the 17th-century garden.Five years after the first physic garden was created at thePalace, the plants were moved to a much bigger site atTrinity Hospital, now the location of Platform 11 atWaverley Station, and then to Leith. In 1820 the garden wasestablished in Inverleith, where today the Royal BotanicGarden Edinburgh covers over 70 acres and displays morethan 13,000 plant species, while continuing its worldleadingplant science, horticulture and education.Tim Knox, Director of the Royal Collection, said on theopening of the garden last winter: "I am delighted that thisnew public garden, an important element of the FutureProgramme project at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, hasbeen completed in this anniversary year and can beenjoyed by our visitors and the local Edinburghcommunity alike."This was a lovely find on our doorstep and an easy wayto recharge the batteries. Yes, a change is as good as a rest.reservations@chevalcollection.com
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21
I am delighted that this
public garden can be
enjoyed by our visitors
and the local Edinburgh
community alike
some of the earliest recorded gardens on the site.
Abbey Strand Learning Centre was created by Chris
Stewart during the renovation of the whole building and
will be used by school and community groups to explore
how plants have been used to improve health and wellbeing.
The centre is all part of the Future Programme which is a
major programme of investment at the Palace by RCT.
HRH The Prince of Wales recorded a message about the
garden here.
The new garden consists of three distinct areas, each
representing a phase in the Palace’s 900-year history. A
flowering meadow of medicinal plants evokes the 15thcentury
monastic gardens of Holyrood Abbey, once one of
the grandest medieval abbeys in Scotland. The remains of
the Abbey can be seen as part of a visit to the Palace (and do
remember if you go to the palace to get your ticket validated
so that you can use it again within a calendar year).
PHYSIC GARDEN
A third area reimagines the physic garden that was
established in the Palace grounds 350 years ago by the
doctors Sir Robert Sibbald and Sir Andrew Balfour, two
founding members of the Royal College of Physicians of
Edinburgh. Created in 1670 to teach students about the
medicinal properties of plants and to provide pharmacists
with fresh materials, the Palace’s original physic garden was
the first of its kind in Scotland and only the second botanic
garden to be established in Britain.
The new physic garden contains medicinal and culinary
plants that would have grown in the 17th-century garden.
Five years after the first physic garden was created at the
Palace, the plants were moved to a much bigger site at
Trinity Hospital, now the location of Platform 11 at
Waverley Station, and then to Leith. In 1820 the garden was
established in Inverleith, where today the Royal Botanic
Garden Edinburgh covers over 70 acres and displays more
than 13,000 plant species, while continuing its worldleading
plant science, horticulture and education.
Tim Knox, Director of the Royal Collection, said on the
opening of the garden last winter: "I am delighted that this
new public garden, an important element of the Future
Programme project at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, has
been completed in this anniversary year and can be
enjoyed by our visitors and the local Edinburgh
community alike."
This was a lovely find on our doorstep and an easy way
to recharge the batteries. Yes, a change is as good as a rest.
reservations@chevalcollection.com
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