The Barony stands on land which was once part of the ancient “Barony of Broughton in the parish of St Cuthbert's in the Shire of Edinburgh”, an area notorious in the days gone by as a haunt for witches and followers of the “Black Arts”. Indeed Broughton Street itself is built where formally there once stood thatched cottages, one reputedly to have been called the “Witches Howf” and dungeons which at one time held worshippers of the “Black Arts” while they awaited execution.

The building which currently houses the Barony was part of a five story corner basement bit built in 1830 by Walter Burns, an upholsterer and David Chalmers, a Baker, who both traded from the premises. The building has seen many tradesmen including J Stewart, surgeon; John Murdock, grocer; James Walker, guilder; W & G Williams, marble cutters;

and John Moffat, stationer to name a few.

In 1919, John McLaughlin Wine and spirit merchant bought the licensed house premises and cellars at 83 / 85 Broughton Street from Jordan Sinclair for £1100, having already acquired the other half in 1896. It was then purchased in 1944 by

Thomas Urquhart Forsyth who I year later purchased number 81. The combined properties were then sold to

William Younger & Co in 1955 with title transferring to Scottish brewers in 1959. In 1966 the secretary of state for Scotland listed the property as a “building of special architectural and historic interest”.

T &J Bernard