Watercolour of the UK's most beautiful street
 
Ann Street in Edinburgh is a charming cobbled Georgian street in the Stockbridge area, renowned as one of the city’s most prestigious residential addresses.
 
Designed around 1816-1822 by portrait artist Sir Henry Raeburn—named after his wife Ann—and likely built with architect James Milne, it features elegantly proportioned townhouses, many A-listed with period details like sash windows, flagstone floors, and ornate cornices.
 
The narrow, one-way street stands out in the New Town (a UNESCO site) for pioneering private front gardens with flowers and shrubs, alongside terraced rear gardens, cellars, and stone staircases in homes typically spanning ground, first, and lower ground floors.
 
Interesting facts...
One house on the street was home to the Swan family in the late 19th century, where an adventurous uncle named Mr. Swan traveled the world but stayed in touch by mail. Locals claim his friendly ghost still returns to check on the property, especially on still, moonlit nights—a shadowy figure said to be welcoming rather than menacing.