John Knox House facts for kids
 |
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | Scottish Storytelling Centre, High St, Edinburgh EH1 1SR, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic house |
John Knox House is a very old and famous house in Edinburgh, Scotland. Many people believe it was once owned by John Knox, a key leader of the Scottish Reformation in the 1500s. Even though his name is linked to the house, it seems he actually lived in a different place called Warriston Close. A special sign there shows where his real home was. Today, John Knox House is a museum where you can learn about its long history.
Contents
History of the House
This amazing house was built a long time ago, starting in 1490. It has a beautiful wooden balcony and even ceilings that were hand-painted in the Scottish Renaissance style.
The house first belonged to Walter Reidpath. Later, his grandson John Arres inherited it. In 1556, John Arres gave the house to his daughter, Mariota Arres. She married a goldsmith named James Mosman. James's father, also named John Mosman, was a famous goldsmith too. He even remade the crown of Scotland for King James V.
The Mosman Family and Royalty
In 1567, James Mosman was working on some jewelry for Mary, Queen of Scots. This was when she was held prisoner in Lochleven Castle. James Mosman stayed loyal to Queen Mary even after she was sent away to England.
He worked inside Edinburgh Castle with another goldsmith, James Cockie. They made coins for Mary's supporters who were holding the castle. This was during a time of fighting called the 'Lang Siege'. The two goldsmiths also checked the value of Queen Mary's jewels that were still in the castle. This was so the jewels could be used to get money for loans.
When the castle finally gave up in August 1573, James Mosman faced serious consequences. The house was then taken by the government because of his actions. It was given to James Carmichael, in the name of King James VI of Scotland.
Restoring the Old House
Many years later, in 1849, some old carvings were found hidden behind wooden panels in the house. These carvings were carefully fixed in 1850 by Alexander Handyside Ritchie. The building was given another big restoration in 1984.
Over hundreds of years, more decorations and paintings were added to the house. Now, the house and its old items are a museum. The Church of Scotland owns the building. It is now managed as part of the Scottish Storytelling Centre, which is right next door.
John Knox and the House
A visitor's guide for the house says that it "was Knox's home only for a few months during the siege of Edinburgh Castle, but it is believed that he died here." It became widely known as "John Knox's House" in the mid-1800s. Writers like Robert Chambers and Sir Daniel Wilson repeated this popular story. This story first appeared around 1800.
The house looked old enough to fit the story. However, no research has ever fully proven or disproven the claim. But because the building is so noticeable, it's almost certain that John Knox would have known it.
Knox's Real Home
The actual place where John Knox lived is marked by a special sign. This sign is in Warriston Close, which is a bit further up the street.
After a big event called the Disruption of 1843 in the Church of Scotland, a new church group bought the house. This might have made people believe even more strongly that it was linked to John Knox. In 1849, the city council wanted to tear down the house. But it was saved thanks to the efforts of Lord Cockburn, who cared a lot about old buildings.
The building right next to John Knox House on its west side is called Moubray House. Its owner, Robert Moubray, also happened to own the house in Warriston Close where Knox stayed in the 1560s.
