Heritage in Evolution: Folk, Work and Place in the 21st Century
23.09.26
Our new lecture series, Heritage in Evolution: Folk, Work and Place in the 21st Century, opens at Riddle’s Court on Wednesday 14 October. Across six Wednesday evenings between October and March, we are bringing together practitioners, politicians, researchers and community leaders to ask what heritage means now, and who it is for.
Taking our cue from Patrick Geddes
When Patrick Geddes wrote of Cities in Evolution in 1915, he referred less to their historical origins than to the dynamic relationship of the past to the present. He argued for surgery, both radical and conservative, that would enable folk to conduct their present work in places with long histories.
Geddes knew Riddle’s Court well. In the 1890s he converted the main part of the building into one of Edinburgh’s first student halls of residence, guided by his principle of ‘conservative surgery’, and his motto Vivendo Discimus, ‘By Living We Learn’, is still carved over the entrance to the inner courtyard. It feels right to return to his ideas in the building where he put them to work.
The folk, the work and the place of Edinburgh and Scotland have changed considerably since 1915, and so have our ideas of heritage. This series asks what happens when people, places and their heritage go viral on social media, or become intangible. It debates whether access to heritage should be a right, who pays to keep historic buildings going, and how communities, commercial partners and remote places take on buildings that others have written off.
This being a subject in evolution, there will be no final answers. Each evening is a conversation between expert practitioners and theorists in the field and, of course, you.
The programme
When Historic Buildings Go Viral: Preservation in the Age of Social Media
Wednesday 14 October 2026
Are we making the most of the social media appeal of our iconic buildings? Edinburgh knows the pressures of overtourism, driven in part by social media, but the same tools can educate and engage, reaching new audiences near and far. In an age of competitive visibility, can social media give Scotland’s historic buildings an edge?
With Cllr Finlay McFarlane of the City of Edinburgh Council, Andy Arthur of Threadinburgh, and influencer and tour guide Ben Tisdale. Book this lecture
Memory Palace: What Can We Learn from Intangible Cultural Heritage?
Wednesday 11 November 2026
Can historic buildings be intangible heritage, through the craft of their construction or the memories of their inhabitants? As the UK consults on building inventories of living heritage, we ask what gets counted, what gets lost, and who decides.
With Lynn-Sayers McHattie of The Glasgow School of Art, journalist and author Gabriella Bennett, and Steve Byrne of TRACS, Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland. Book this lecture
Price of Admission: Sustainable Economic Models for Scotland’s Built Heritage
Wednesday 2 December 2026
Should we have a right to access heritage, much as we have a right to roam? And do we ignore the economic case for restoration at our peril, weighing short-term returns against long-term benefit? From churches losing public access to the buildings we cannot afford to keep, our speakers approach the topic from conservation, politics and technical research.
With Emma Arbuthnot of Historic Churches Scotland, Paul Sweeney MSP for the Glasgow Region, and Roger Curtis of Historic Environment Scotland. Book this lecture
Heritage Activism: Saving Bannockburn House and Madelvic House
Wednesday 13 January 2027
What inspires and drives community activism, and is there a risk we are running out of volunteers? As more buildings pass into community hands, we ask what is expected of those communities, and whether that expectation is fair.
With Dr Catherine Bradley of Bannockburn House and Dr Nitzan Levenberg of Granton Hub. Book this lecture
Two Pints of Lager and a Building Restoration Project: Wetherspoons and Whisky Makers as Heritage Allies
Wednesday 10 February 2027
Are historic building projects still a viable tool of regeneration? Pubs and distilleries have quietly become some of Scotland’s most active conservers of listed buildings. We ask what the heritage sector can learn from commercial partners who repair buildings by putting them to work.
With Annie Macpherson of Gray Macpherson Architects and Tom Addyman of Addyman Archaeology. Book this lecture
Heritage on the Edge: John O’Groats Mill and Tarlair Tidal Pool
Wednesday 10 March 2027
What happens to heritage at the margins, far from funding, expertise and footfall? Two projects at opposite ends of Scotland’s coast show how remote communities take on buildings that others have written off, and what it takes to keep going.
With Chris Bowes of John O’Groats Mill and Pat Wain of Tarlair Tidal Pool. Book this lecture
Join us at Riddle’s Court
Every lecture runs from 6pm to 8pm at Riddle’s Court, 322 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2PG, with refreshments served in our historic Library Room. Tickets are £8, or £3.50 for students. Book all six together and save 10%, at £43.20, or £18.90 for students.
This year’s series is sponsored by Curtins, an award-winning consultancy which has specialised in the built environment for more than 65 years, delivering elegant, low-carbon engineering solutions with specialist expertise in conservation and heritage. We are grateful for their support.
We look forward to welcoming you to Riddle’s Court this season.
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