We’ve always had a passion for both modern plumbing and the rich history behind it. Recently, we hosted another Plumbing History Tour in Edinburgh, and we’re thrilled with how it went.
Led by our director, Michael Cairns, the tour brought together a great mix of people, including students from the Cultural Heritage programme at Aberdeen University, representatives from SNIPEF (the Plumbing Employers Federation), and locals interested in Edinburgh’s plumbing heritage.
The history of plumbing in Edinburgh – A great response
The feedback from this tour has been fantastic. One of the highlights was seeing how engaged everyone was, from industry professionals to university students keen to learn more about the city’s plumbing evolution.
We were particularly delighted to host Elisabeth Niklasson, lecturer in archaeology and her group of students from Aberdeen University. Their project, titled “Filth and Fury in 19th Century Aberdeen – A Shitty Heritage”, focuses on the history of human waste management and old sewage systems. They reached out to us looking for an informal tour that covered historical drainage, toilets, and plumbing solutions in Edinburgh.
Elisabeth later shared her thoughts:
“We recently had the opportunity to take a guided tour of Edinburgh’s historical plumbing systems with Michael Cairns from Celsius Plumbing and Heating. His deep knowledge, engaging delivery, and clear passion for the subject brought the city’s often-overlooked water infrastructure to life, from wooden drainage pipes and medival wellheads to Victorian cisterns. The tour was both informative and entertaining, offering valuable insight into past urban life for our project Filth and Fury in 19th c Aberdeen. An excellent experience we would highly recommend to anyone.”
Elisabeth Niklasson, lecturer in archaeology at University of Aberdeen
The SNIPEF Chief Executive, who also joined us, commented:
“The History of Plumbing in Edinburgh tour was a fascinating and informative experience, with Michael from Celsius Plumbing and Heating sharing his deep knowledge and evident passion for the centuries-long effort to bring water to the City of Edinburgh.”
Fiona Hodgson, Chief Executive – SNIPEF (Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers Federation)
A lovely day for the tour
Kicking off the tour at the West Bow Wellhead in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket, Michael shared stories about how the well, built in 1674, played a crucial role in bringing fresh water to the Old Town. The well’s presence highlighted how plumbing innovations have always been about improving public health and living conditions.
Later in the day we ended the tour at The Museum of Edinburgh (formerly known as Huntly House Museum) where Michael showed the group the 17th century wooden water pipes that once service Edinburgh old town. Scott from the museum was really kind to show us around, which the group really enjoyed.
The group appreciated the way Michael tied the city’s plumbing history to everyday life, explaining how the challenges of the past have shaped the solutions we use today. There was plenty of discussion and it was great to hear everyone sharing their own perspectives and questions.
West Bow Wellhead.
Future tours in the pipe line!
This latest tour was a great reminder of why we continue to share our passion for plumbing history. Seeing people engage with the stories and Michael’s knowledge is always rewarding. Running the tour on such a beautiful Edinburgh day helped too!!
We’re already planning another tour, and we’d love to see even more people join us next time. When we first decided to run this tour it was with the wish of promoting plumbing as an important, but often forgotten, contributor to the rise of Edinburgh as one of the most important and beautiful cities in the UK. Whether you’re a professional in the trade and apprentice or just curious about Edinburgh’s past, our tours offer a unique way to explore the city.
Interested in joining a future tour? Find out more here: The History of Plumbing in Edinburgh.
Let us know if you have any questions or want to share your own stories from the tour!
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John Taylor
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