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The pub’s story
The Hermitage occupies the sculpted corner where Comiston Road divides from Braid Road. The City of Edinburgh Council dates the giant red sandstone Renaissance block to 1889, just before the northern stretch of Comiston Road filled with housing. Its curved ground-floor frontage follows the point of the junction, while crow-stepped gables, carved stonework and tall chimney stacks make the upper floors worth a proper look. The reviewed sources do not establish the bar's first licence. They do, however, record a brief change of identity. By September 2011 it was trading as Morning Glory, a joke on Morningside; by December 2013 it had returned to The Hermitage. The room has since been opened out around stone-clad structural pillars. A high corniced ceiling, broad windows and a steel-topped bar mix the old shell with a modern neighbourhood bar, with a quieter dining area towards the back.
What to notice
- 01
The Council dates the red sandstone corner block to 1889. Look up at the carving, crow-stepped gables and chimney stacks before going in.
- 02
The frontage curves around the point where Comiston Road separates from Braid Road, giving the pub its broad run of windows.
- 03
The pub traded as Morning Glory by September 2011 and had returned to The Hermitage by December 2013. CAMRA records the former name as Morningside Glory.
The time rail
The building, the pub and its interior may date from different periods. The timeline keeps documented dates separate from tradition.
A new turnpike was built to avoid the steep braes of Braid Road, creating the line of Comiston Road.
The giant red sandstone Renaissance block at the head of Comiston Road was built, its richly sculpted corner containing the bar.
The northern end of Comiston Road, formerly known as Little Egypt, was developed for housing.
The pub was trading as Morning Glory, a play on Morningside; a photographer recorded the name that month.
The pub had reverted to its earlier name, the Hermitage Bar.
Sources & confidence
The Council's conservation area appraisal carries the history and is independent of the venue. It dates the corner block to 1889, calls it a giant red sandstone Renaissance block, singles out this bar within it as richly sculpted, and places it at the southern join with Braid Road, alongside the 1830 turnpike that created Comiston Road and the 1890s housing that followed. CAMRA supplies the current record and an interior description matching that exterior account, with a semi-circular windowed frontage, corniced ceiling and stone-clad pillars. The naming episode is where evidence thins: a dated 2011 photograph shows the pub as Morning Glory and a dated 2013 note records the reversion, with the appraisal confirming both names, but no source dates the start of the renaming or the pub's original licensing, and CAMRA's previous-name field reads Morningside Glory, so those points are attributed and bracketed. No statutory listing was found.
Research reviewed
- The Morningside Conservation Area Character AppraisalThe City of Edinburgh Councilgovernment
SupportsThe 1830 turnpike that created Comiston Road; the 1890s development of its northern end, formerly Little Egypt; and the statement that Comiston Road starts with a giant red sandstone Renaissance block of 1889 including the richly sculpted Hermitage Bar at the southern join with Braid Road.
- Hermitage, EdinburghCampaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)specialist
SupportsCurrent identity, address, phone, weekly hours, the description of the building at the apex of the junction with its semi-circular windowed frontage, the corniced ceiling, stone-clad pillars and steel bar top, the beer range and facilities.
- The HermitageThe Hermitage Barofficial
SupportsCurrent identity and the address 1-5 Comiston Road, Morningside. The site publishes no opening hours and no history.
- The Hermitage Bar in Morningside (near Edinburgh) : Pubs GalorePubs Galoreeditorial
SupportsThe dated note of 25 December 2013 that the pub had reverted from Morning Glory to the Hermitage Bar, independent drinkers' descriptions of the room and its pillars, and a photograph gallery including an image submitted in October 2024.
- Lothian & Borders: Edinburgh: MORNING GLORYFlickr (emdjt42)appearance
SupportsA photograph dated 1 September 2011 recording the pub trading as Morning Glory on Comiston Road, with a caption noting it was originally called The Hermitage.
