Let's all raise a glass to pubs steeped in history

She catches his eye and hands a palmful of coins through the serving hatch in exchange for a bottle of ale to take home, before slipping out again unnoticed.

Meanwhile, around the front of the bar counter, a regular in the raucous crowd of men orders another nip with some water from the bar tap.

That was Bennet's Bar in Leven Street almost 100 years ago, a practically all-male preserve where women discreetly got their sup from a tiny fenced-off side bar - known as the jug bar.

The scene today is, in many ways, miraculously unchanged - the jug bar, the seats, the mirror, the tiles and the water tap are all still there. But now Bennet's has as many women as men enjoying a drink; there is no smoke and the ancient bar counter has accumulated more dents and scratches.

The traditional pub beside the King's Theatre is one of more than 30 bars in Edinburgh to be acclaimed as a "true heritage pub" in a new guide.

It lists pubs which have historic fittings of real national significance. Features include ornate gantries - the wooden stand behind or on the bar - with spirit casks. The expression "gantry" comes from the old Scots word gantress, used to describe a wooden stand for casks - and Bennet's has one of the best examples.

Oval or circular island serving counters, such as the one at The Abbotsford in Rose Street, are another historic feature - these were mostly built between the 1880s and early 1900s.

Colin Valentine, the Edinburgh-based national vice chairman of the Campaign for Real Ale - CAMRA - says: "Island bars are really Scottish. The main reason for them was so the barman could keep an eye on what was going on in all parts of the pub.

The Cafe Royal was an old gin palace with an island bar that made it easier for the barman to spot trouble.

"Another big Scottish thing is brewery mirrors, many from breweries that have ceased to exist - Bennet's has a lot of them." Try the Barony on Broughton Street as well for good examples.

Some pubs still have sitting rooms or "snugs", where "respectable" seated drinking took place. The rest of the pub would probably be standing only - like in The Canny Man's in Morningside. Bell-pushes were also used to summon staff when table service was more common.

The book was produced for CAMRA, which was formed to save Britain's traditional beers, but also fights for the preservation of historic pub interiors.

Michael Slaughter, editor of Scotland's True Heritage Pubs, says Edinburgh has more traditional pubs than any other UK city outside of London. His personal favourite is The Oxford Bar in Young Street, frequented by Ian Rankin and his best-known character, Detective Inspector Rebus.

He says: "The Oxford Bar is the most unspoilt bar in Edinburgh and is my favourite. It's tiny and has hardly altered in 140 years."

Here is a selection of Edinburgh's finest traditional pubs.

The Central Bar

Leith Walk

This popular working men's haunt at the foot of the Walk was built in 1899 to serve as the bar for Leith Station, and features wall-to-wall tiles that are broken up with panels of sporting scenes, such as golf, yacht racing and hare-coursing. The U-shaped bar has an oak gantry and an island gantry behind, with carved wooden griffins. The stained glass in the windows bears the name of the first owner, John Doig.

The Central was designed by PL Henderson, who also created The Abbotsford and Leslie's, and is now owned by Brecon Inns.

Anderson's Bar

Yardheads, off Henderson Street

Walking into Anderson's feels like stepping back in time. It has altered little apart from a ladies' toilet being installed.

Before that, women sneaked into the jug bar, which had its own entrance, so they could buy a jug of drink to take home without having to walk past the men. The pub has had only five owners since it opened in 1886 and there is a plaque above the door to Andrew McCabe, the first proprietor.

It was bought by Bridge of Allan Inns five years ago, but the previous owner, Dougie Anderson, still manages it with brothers Dan and Derek, while Derek's wife Wilma and daughter Debbie help out.

Dan says: "It used to be busy with dockers and shipyard workers, but now they are all away and Crabbie's Bond is all flats. But we have our regulars and get by."

Customers can still sit on both sides at the end of the bar counter - to allow them to get close to the fire. The jug bar is still there but has lost its partition, while two sitting rooms come off the bar.

Clark's Bar

Dundas Street

Clark's is a traditional bar which opened in 1899, with two sitting rooms at the back that have bell-pushes for service and mirror-like bronze top tables.

There is lots of wood in evidence here, together with long maroon, leather-look seats.

There's some pretty cornicing, old photographs and a few old brewery mirrors on the walls.

Downstairs, near the ladies' toilets, there is an old set of weighing scales, which cost 3d to use.

Bennet's

Leven Street

Bennet's was established as a pub by Marshall's Brewery in 1839 before the Bennet family took it on around 1910. The pub is home to the city's last original gantry featuring four spirit casks, and a series of mirrors with hand-painted tile surrounds.

Even the bar counter at the back "green room" has a claim to fame - it was taken from Second World War gunship HMS Belfast. At the front, the tiny jug bar remains in use.

Licensee Andy Knight says former owners S&N considered changing the original bar counter about five years ago. He says: "They wanted to replace the bar top but we decided against it because it has got so many dents and is just full of character."

"The Bennets gave it up in the 1970s, though Roger Bennet still manages Wee Bennet's in Morningside. They never wanted to sell it to a big brewery, so they sold it to an individual - and he then sold it to a brewery."

The Oxford Bar

Young Street

This small New Town pub has hardly been changed since it was built in 1811. The mirrored gantry dates from the late 19th century, as does the bar counter, though the bar top has been replaced.

The Oxford has its own sitting room, with a 1950s brick fireplace and a photograph of the bar and former landlord William Ross, who reputedly refused to serve women or Englishmen.

Cafe Royal

West Register Street

Built in 1862 and a pub since 1901, the Cafe Royal vies for the title of the city's most stunning pub. It boasts nine Doulton Lambeth tiled murals, seven of which are of famous inventors - including William Caxton, Michael Faraday, James Watt and George Stephenson - and a revolving door.

The island serving counter, in the main Circle Bar with its white marble floor, was replaced in 1979 with an equally ornate one and a new high gantry fitted in 2002.

The Oyster Bar, which lies beyond a carved 1901 walnut screen with engraved mirror panels, still has its original red marble counter and tiled panels.

The Cafe Royal Bistro Bar is on the first floor and is little changed since it was refitted in 1923. It has an original gantry.