Your cart is currently empty

There are no items in your cart.
Continuing Shopping

A Trust Kept Since 1860

For over 165 years, Napiers has been part of the fabric of Edinburgh’s rich botanical and medical history. Founded in 1860 by Duncan Napier, an orphan who rose to become one of Scotland's most respected herbalists. From the cobbled streets of Edinburgh’s Old Town to the wild Scottish hills where Duncan gathered herbs, our remedies are deeply rooted in place, tradition and people. Handed down through five generations of the Napier family, our mission remains the same: to make natural healthcare accessible to all.

Grown From Nature And Nurtured By Generations

Napiers the Herbalists was founded in 1860 by Duncan Napier, a man whose remarkable life journey shaped one of Scotland’s most enduring
natural health traditions.

 

His belief that herbal remedies should be accessible to everyone still guides us today, carried forward by his great-granddaughter Lynda Napier and the generations that came before her.

Humble Beginnings

Duncan Napier was born in 1831 and abandoned at birth. Raised by a local innkeeper and his wife, his early life was filled with hardship. At just nine years old, he began working as a baker’s apprentice, but the flour dust triggered a persistent and painful cough. This led him on a personal journey in search of healing.

That search changed his life. Inspired by his mentor, John Hope, Duncan began attending scientific botany classes and joined the Edinburgh Botanical Society. His interest in plants grew, and with time, he began creating his own herbal preparations. One of these, a cough syrup made using the herb Lobelia, proved so effective that it became the foundation for what would become his life’s work.

files/989fe7d8ecc1cbfaedac64ce8358185a.webp

A Herbal Shop For The People

On 25 May 1860, Duncan opened his herbal dispensary at Bristo Place in Edinburgh. It was more than a shop; it became a destination for people from all walks of life who were looking for natural remedies and compassionate care. Long queues would often form outside, as word of Duncan’s effective treatments spread.

On weekends, Duncan would walk across the Scottish hills, collecting wild plants like meadowsweet, eyebright and yarrow. These were crafted into remedies that were not only sold in Edinburgh, but shipped to customers as far away as New York.

As the business grew, Duncan’s sons and grandsons joined him, and Napiers expanded to include locations in Glasgow and Bathgate. He became a respected voice in the herbal community, contributing to the Medical Reformers of England and the British Pharmaceutical Society. His approach was rooted in care, tradition, and scientific curiosity.

A Living Family Tradition

Today, Napiers continues to operate from the very same location at Bristo Place. Lynda Napier, Duncan’s great-granddaughter, is still close with the Napirs brand, continuing the legacy of herbal medicine and care for the community.


“This year marks an extraordinary milestone for us at Napiers: our 165th anniversary. This great milestone fills my family and me with deep pride and gratitude. My great-grandfather founded Napiers to bring natural health care to all, and it means the world to us that so many of you continue to trust us with your health and wellbeing today.”

– Lynda Napier, Great-Granddaughter of Duncan Napier

Eric & Lynda At Their Home In Edinburgh

For Lynda and her husband Eric, the Napiers story is not just a family history but a personal journey. Eric remembers, as a schoolboy, peering into the Bristo Place shop window. Inside was a large world map showing where herbs had been sourced and a display of stamps from international customers. Years later, after marrying into the Napier family, he and Lynda would spend weekends with her father, Jack, walking through the countryside to gather herbs like St John’s Wort and yarrow.

“We once travelled to Harris and Kintail and returned with the car full of fresh herbs to dry. With children at home, the remedy we relied on most was the Calendula tincture. It stings on a fresh cut, but it works every time.”

– Eric Melvin, Historian and Napier Family Member

Eric Melvin is a historian, author of The Fresh Air of the Summer Morning, a biography of Duncan Napier’s life and work. His research and writing have helped preserve the story of Napiers for future generations. As a member of the Napier family, his personal connection brings unique insight into both the heritage and ongoing mission of Napiers today.

Eric & Lynda Are Both Still Close With Napiers
files/Herbalist_In.png

Tried.Tested.Trusted. Since 1860

Our founder’s belief in the power of herbal medicine lives on in every remedy we make. At Napiers, we continue to offer a choice in natural health care that treats the whole person, not just the symptoms.

Many of our formulas use traditional practitioner-strength dosages. And we stay true to Duncan’s original mission: to provide high-quality, effective herbal medicine that is affordable and accessible to everyone.

From our much-loved Lobelia Cough Syrup and Slippery Elm Powder to Calendula Tincture and Starflower Cream, our remedies have been passed down through generations, just like the stories behind them. Thank you for being part of the Napiers story.

With every remedy we craft and every customer we help, we honour Duncan’s legacy and keep it alive for future generations.

files/Right_Illustration_d76611f3-2130-4ffd-ac94-943e58bfff99.png

Over the last 164 years, Napiers has become one of the UK's leading names in complementary and natural health care. We are dedicated to the best of health and wellbeing through the use of herbal medicine and other natural therapies.

Shop our products
files/ins-44.jpg

Our Locations

We have 3 stores located across Scotland which can be found in Edinburgh, Bathgate & Glasgow. Driven by a passion to extend the reach of Napiers, each location promises to deliver the same dedication to natural remedies & holistic well-being.

See Our Stores and Clinics

Your Napiers Stories


Below are some of the stories you shared with us to mark our 165th birthday celebrations. If you would like to submit a story, tap here.

When I was a young teenager I developed very bad acne. My mum brought me into Napiers for advice on how to treat it and what remedy would be beneficial. We were given a jar of cream, which I think was called Poke Root and a bottle of a blood tonic, which didn’t taste good at all. But I stuck with the course and advice mum was given and my acne was healed. And here I am 55 yrs later still using Napiers products.
Anonymous
I discovered Napiers 11 years ago and instantly became a fan. I appreciate the natural products, the lack of synthetic fragrance, and the wholesome feeling I get when using the products. The website is very helpful in determining which products to use, and they work beautifully. I only wish lived nearer a store!
Jo
We were at the Edinburgh Festival in 1993; I came upon Napiers, and fell in love with the idea of using herbs for wellbeing and staying healthy. This shop has good memories for me.
Anonymous
Hi I suffer with nerve pain and I use napiers cream daily. I find it very soothing and it has a beautiful aroma of it. When my daughter comes into the room she always asks what the beautiful smell is.
Majella
Had a wee storytelling session in February where all the stories were about herbs and their use in folklore. My story about nettles went down well, accompanied by some Napiers nettle tea for refreshment.
Lioslaith
I'm just glad there's people like you around to keep herbal medicines available for us 'everyday' folk to use.
Richard
My aunty told me her granny had sent her to Napiers as a child to go and collect medicine for her younger brother and sister in Victorian times
Anonymous
Napier's has been instrumental in my Lyme disease recovery. They have pretty much all herbs of the Buhner protocol so you can find any herb you need for your specific symptoms and co-infections.
Anonymous
I was fascinated by the shop as a child. I used to peer in the window and would be lured in by the comforting aroma drifting out of the door. In my teens I developed acne and my aunt took me in and bought me my first set of Dr Haushka products, along with some herbal remedies. I've been enchanted by Napier's ever since
Holly
Wondering down memory lane: I remember as far back as 1970 ( I’m old):) my mother always used Napiers products, back then. She was really into natural health, and with such a large family, I was the one who became totally obsessed and fascinated with those beautiful herb bottles and containers. They became a kind of ‘family heirlooms’ and I was left quite a few after my mum’s death.
Helen
Free UK shipping over £65 Shop now
3-5 Day International Shipping Learn more
Rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot Read our reviews
Sign up for our newsletter today to stay up-to-date with exclusive discounts, early access to new products, offers, and curated articles.