Prestonfield House

Do excuse my lacklustre iPhone pics, but as I have no inclination towards buying an actual camera, I must implore all of you to unbridle your opera glasses, lunettes or just squint. Never mind, some places speak volumes. I took far too many pictures, so by compensation, today, I will be a woman of few words. Built in 1687, Prestonfield House in Edinburgh feels very much like tumbling through an oubliette into a decadent realm of silk and secrets, whispered assignations and subtle diplomacy played out over silver service. Over the years guests have included Winston Churchill, Benjamin Franklin, The Queen and film stars such as Catherine Zeta Jones and Sean Connery but even the brightest stars of the political or artistic firmament cannot outshine this symphony of style and stone.

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