The Fair Maid's House Visitor Centre & Royal Scottish Geographical Society, Perth, Scotland
Perth's Fair Maid's House
The Fair Maid's House is a historic building that serves as both a cultural landmark and public visitor and education centre of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. It is part of and adjacent to the headquarters of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) in the Lord John Murray House. The Fair Maid's House is the oldest secular building in Perth.
History
Situated in the heart of the city's historic quarter, the original house on the site is believed to date back to the 15th century and is famously associated with Sir Walter Scott's 1828 novel The Fair Maid of Perth.
It has two floors and is constructed of rubble with a slate roof. The house was long a meeting hall for The Glover Incorporation of Perth and their motto "Grace and Peace" is carved above the entrance. The Glover Incorporation of Perth has been in Perth since at least 1210 and the character Simon Glover features in Scott's novel. The north wall of the building and the land on which it stands were once part of the former Blackfriars Monastery where King James I of Scotland was murdered in 1437.
An inscription on the building reads '1393' but this is an error by the stone mason when the interior was renewed and should read '1893'.
The RSGS was established in 1884, thus making it one of the oldest geographical societies in the world. Queen Victoria bestowed Royal Status on the Society in 1887. The Society began in Edinburgh and moved to Glasgow before settling in Perth at Lord John Murray House in 2009.
Facilities
The visitor centre offers a range of exhibits that showcase the history and significance of geography and climate in Scotland and beyond, including maps, globes, and interactive displays that highlight the work of notable Scottish explorers and geographers.
As a center for educational outreach, the Fair Maid's House provides a venue for lectures, workshops, and events designed to foster public engagement with geography and environmental issues.
The RSGS is an educational charity and the centre in Perth is entirely staffed by volunteers.
Access & Hours
15-19 North Port, Perth, Perth and Kinross, PH1 5LU
Tel: 01738 455 050
www: rsgs.org
Open; Thursday, Friday & Saturday 12.30 pm - 4 pm between the beginning of May and the end of September. Check the website for more details.
Admission is by donation to RSGS.
Getting To Perth
Dundee Airport is 30 minutes by car from the park on the A90.
Perth Station is the closest railway station, just 15 minutes or so away on foot.
Perth Station, on both the Glasgow to Dundee Line and the Highland Main Line has trains to Dundee Station in Dundee, Glasgow Queen Street in Glasgow via Stirling, as well as service to Edinburgh, Arbroath and Inverness.
Dundee Station has trains to London King's Cross Station from Aberdeen via Edinburgh, Newcastle and York Station in York and connections south to Edinburgh Waverley Station in Edinburgh.
Stay
If you wish to stay in Perth try the 5-star The Townhouse, at 17 Marshall Place with views over South Inch Park. Also recommended are the 5-star Alexander Residence very close to the green spaces of North Inch and Holiday Inn Express Perth with 81 en-suite rooms.
The historic Salutation Hotel has been completely refurbished and offers a fine restaurant.
Perth Attractions
Perth's other attractions include the nearby Perth Art Gallery which houses a wide collection of Scottish art. The Perth Museum reopened in 2024 after a £27 million redevelopment project. It is the new home of the Stone of Scone, returning to Perthshire for the first time in 700 years close to its spiritual home of Scone Palace (previously Scone Abbey). Perth City Hall which dates from 1914 houses the city's premier attraction. The Black Watch Castle & Museum near North Inch is housed within Balhousie Castle and is dedicated to one of Scotland's most famous regiments.
Perth's churches include St John's Kirk close to Perth Museum. It dates back to the 12th century, renowned for its Gothic architecture and historic significance. In 1559, John Knox preached against idolatry in the kirk, which marked the beginning of the Reformation in Scotland. St. Ninian's Cathedral was the first new cathedral to be built in Britain after the Reformation, completed in 1850.
Scotland Related
Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum
Hermaness National Nature Reserve
Maps of Perth & Nearby Dundee
Hotels in Scotland
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