Resources for Residents

The Moray Feu is one of the most outstanding architectural treasures of Edinburgh's New Town. Its wide terraces of Georgian townhouses graced with four communal gardens represent the height of nineteenth-century urban planning.

Edinburgh World Heritage Grants and Advice

We live within the Edinburgh World Heritage Site. This is an area, covering parts of both the Old and New Towns that is recognised for its cultural and historical value. It was awarded World Heritage Site status, by UNESCO, in 1995.

The Edinburgh World Heritage Trust protects and supports the World Heritage Site. It is a body that was established by the Scottish Government and the City of Edinburgh Council.

In December 2021 they launched a new Climate Emergency Grant to support pilot projects focussing on energy efficiency and climate change adaption works.  This is intended to fund the following types of work:

© Andrew Dixon

  • Energy efficiency improvements to historic windows or external doors to increase their thermal performance and reduce heat loss.

  • Adaptation of rainwater goods to increase their capacity in handling larger volumes of rainwater - helping them cope with heavier rainfall events and prevent rainwater from making its way into buildings or damaging their facades.

  • Funds are limited and applications will be dealt with on a first-come first-served basis.
    Further information is available here.

The Trust also has a long term programme of Building Conservation that prioritises grants and provision of guidance for work on  the external fabric of historic buildings.  This includes the following areas of work:

  • Stonework (e.g. repointing, repair and paint removal with approved methods)

  • Roof (e.g. leadwork, slatework, joinery, flashings and chimneys)

  • Shopfront restoration/reinstatement

  • Limework (e.g. lime pointing, lime wash and lime harling)

  • Restoration/reinstatement of missing original architectural details

  • Repair of original windows including reinstatement of original pattern

  • Railings, steps and other features may be included as part of larger works

Further information including eligibility criteria can be found here.

Elected Representatives

City of Edinburgh Council—Edinburgh City Centre Councillors

Claire Miller (Green)

Finlay McFarlane (SNP)

Joanna Mowat (Conservative)

Margaret Arma Graham (Labour)

Scottish Parliament—MSP for Edinburgh Central

Angus Robertson (SNP)

UK Parliament—MP for Edinburgh North and Leith

Deidre Brock (SNP)

To Learn More about Your House and Our Neighbourhood

The Moray Feu, Edinburgh: A Living History in the Scottish Capital. Kitty Finstad, ed. (Edinburgh: The Good Vikings, 2022). You can purchase a copy of this wonderful book, published to commemorate the Bicentenary of the Moray Feu, here .

“The Maintenance of Iron Railings” (Edinburgh: Historic Scotland, 2007)

A PDF of this pamphlet can be downloaded at no cost here

The Care and Conservation of Georgian Houses: A maintenance manual for Edinburgh New Town. Davey, Heath, et, al.

(Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 1995). Copies can be found through Amazon and ABE Books, although they command a steep price; the public library will have it for free use, though.

No More Corncrakes: Lord Moray’s Feuars in the New Town, Ann Mitchell

(Edinburgh: Scottish Cultural Press, 1998).

The Making of Classical Edinburgh, AJ Youngson
(Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1966).

Edinburgh New Town: A Model City.
Simon Laird, et. al. (Stroud: Amberley Publishing, 2015).

Videos of the Moray Talks, given during the Bicentenary celebrations can be found here

Neighbourhood Social Media

There is a private Moray Feu Facebook Group (“Moray Feu and MF Neighbourhood Residents”) where neighbours share breaking news, resources, photos. Announcements from both the MFNRA and the Gardens Management Committee will be posted there. You can join here.