Wardrop Court’s Dragons

The Royal Mile in Edinburgh runs atop a volcanic ridge, stretching up from the old monk’s breweries besides Holyrood Palace, to a volcanic vent upon which Edinburgh Castle sits. Closes, or narrow alleyways betwixt the tall tenements run off the Royal Mile down into the valleys either side, like the ribs of a Herring 🐟

If you’ve got a mind for tireless exploration, many delightful sights can be discovered down these closes. JK Rowling would push baby Jessica around the old town, discovering her new home, sorting through her ideas and drinking in the scenes.

Decorative Dragons guarding Wardrop’s Court off Edinburgh’s Lawnmarket
I Spy Dragons

These dragons guard Wardrop’s close. Before 1790 there used to be the incorporation of ‘Baxters’ or Bakers, on the corner, where the Tavern now is.

The dragons were created as part of a renovation program by Patrick Geddes dubbed ‘father of town planning’ & ‘The wizard of the tower’, said tower being the Royal Mile’s Camera Obscura. Geddes was keenly interested in the Royal Mile’s peoples’ heritage and part of his Old Town renovation program was beautification…

It is interesting sometimes to stop and think and wonder what the place you are currently at used to be like in times past, who walked there, who worked there and what the walls have seen.
Patrick Geddes

Prolific Edinburgh author & historian Hamish Coghill likened the Dragons to the Baxter’s wood fired ovens. Flames would lick the loaves &, when their traps were thrown wide, leap towards Baker’s scaly, callused hands. Geddes dragons serve as a delightful and fitting memorial.


Dragon’s blood is extremely powerful. Albus Dumbledore was acclaimed with his own chocolate frog card for two accomplishments, defeating wizard supremacist Grindelwald and discovering the twelve uses of Dragon blood. Such as:

As an oven cleaner
A spot remover
And a cure for verruca.

Rubeus Hagrid cradles baby Dragon Norbert
Hagrid’s beard is unlimited

Hagrid might think Dragons are adorable but Dragon pox is a serious malady. Eldritch Diggory, the minister of magic who established the fierce, dark wizard battling Auror office during his term, died of Dragon Pox in 1747. 1978 Harry’s grandparents both died from it too.

Like bird flu Dragon pox first arose from humans living in close contact with Dragons, the wizarding world prizes Dragon’s milk cheese, which is possibly how Hogwarts got its motto.

Shield of Hogwarts and motto
“Never tickle a sleeping Dragon”
The symptoms of dragon pox

It’s like chicken pox. You get bumps on your skin and your skin turns a permanent greenish tinge. And when you sneeze sparks shoot from your nostrils. It is treated at St Mungos in the department for magical bugs. One hopes they have fire proof iron shutters.

What else can be discovered down Edinburgh’s closes? Visit and find out.

The Dragons can be found down the close to the left of Deacon Brodie’s
Art Credits
Becky Dreistadt’s Hagrid,   Hogwart’s shield

Mount Your Broom!


NEW: Cycle tours of Edinburgh exploring our scenic hinterland & tracking JK’s progress, with a seasoning of Harry Potter inspirations.

Put the rubber to the pedal, break the fusty Fidelius charm & discover where Edinburgh’s most celebrated adopted daughter has lived, written & mastered Minecraft beside her son, for the last ~30 years.

Weave through sleepy villages down past tranquil lochs, wind up cobbled alleys & a craggy volcano to take in our iconic, crenalated skyline. A refreshing ½ day romp around Rowling’s true world.

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