14/05/2026
🤔What are Colony Flats?🤔
Colony flats (also known as colony houses) are a true Edinburgh original. There are ten colonies dotted across the city, with some of the best-known found in Stockbridge, Abbeyhill, and Dalry. Many are protected within conservation areas or even listed buildings, and they’re loved not just for their character but for the strong sense of community they offer in the heart of the city.
🔎How do you recognise them?🔍
Colony flats are built in rows of traditional stone houses, cleverly split into upper and lower homes. Each property has its own front door, placed on opposite sides of the building, meaning everyone gets a front garden.
Interestingly, the “street” in a colony refers to the row of homes itself, rather than the road alongside it. At the end of each row, you’ll usually spot a sign pointing you to even and odd numbers, evens one way, odds the other.
🏛️What’s their history?🏛️
The very first colonies were built in the 1850s in Pilrig, then on the edge of Edinburgh and Leith. Today, you’ll find them in Shaw’s Place, Shaw’s Street, and Shaw’s Terrace. Originally known as “model dwellings”, they were designed to provide affordable, high-quality homes for working families.
Fast forward to today, and these charming homes are some of the most sought-after properties in the city, often snapped up in no time.
What’s your favourite Edinburgh colony? Let us know in the comments 👇
