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A list of all Parishes in the Lothians, East, West and Midlothian
click to jump to information on a parish.
MIDLOTHIAN          
Borthwick Carrington Cockpen Colinton Corstorphine Cramond
Cranston Crichton Currie Dalkeith Duddingston Kirknewton & East Calder
Fala & Soutra Glencorse Heriot Inveresk Kirknewton Lasswade
Leith North Leith South Liberton Midcalder Newbattle Newton
Penicuik Ratho Stobhill Temple    
WEST LOTHIAN          
Abercorn Bathgate Bo'ness Carriden Dalmeny Ecclesmachen
Kirkliston Linlithgow Livingston Queensferry Torphicen Uphall
Whitburn          
EAST LOTHIAN          
Aberlady Athelstaneford Bara Bolton Dirleton Dunbar
Garvald Gladsmuir Haddington Humbie Innerwick North Berwick
Oldhamstocks Ormiston Pencaitland Prestonkirk Prestonpans Saltoun
Spott Stenton Tranent Tynninghame Whitekirk Whitinghame
Yester          
           
Borthwick 674
- A parish of South East Edinburghshire, containing the village and station of Fushiebridge, on the Waverley section of the North British, 4¾ miles South East of Dalkeith and 12¾ South East of Edinburgh, as well as Gorebridge village, 7 furlongs North West of Fushiebridge. The parish is bounded North by Cranston, East by Crichton, South East by Heriot, South West by Temple, North West by Carrington, Cockpen , and Newbattle. Borthwick's grand antiquity is the castle at its kirktown, 3½ miles South East of Gorebridge, on a tongue of rocky land, protected South, East and North by deep and wooded ravines, down two of which flow the head-streams of the Gore. About 1½ miles lower down on the lands of Harvieston, beautifully situated by the side of the Gore, stands the ruined castle of Catcune, which is said to have been the seat of the Borthwicks before they had risen to eminence." (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetter of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
 
Carrington 675
A village and a parish in the south of Edinburghshire. The village, sometimes called Primrose, stands 3 furlongs from the south Esk's left bank, 2 miles West South West of Gorebridge station, 3 miles South East of Hawthornden and 5¼ miles south by west of Dalkeith. The parish is bounded North by Cockpen, East by Borthwick, South East by Temple, South by Penicuik and South West, West and North West by Lasswade." (Extract from Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland 1885) LFHS Resources available
 
Cockpen 676
A parish in the East of Edinburghshire, containing at its North West corner the village of Bonnyrigg (2 miles South West of Dalkeith), and also the villages or hamlets of Hunterfield, Poltonhall, Prestonholm, and Westhall with part of Lasswade. It is bounded West and North by Lasswade, North East and East by Newbattle, and South by Carrington. The South Esk, entering the parish from the South, intersects it for nearly 1½ miles; traces afterwards part of its boundary with Newbattle, receiving there Dalhousie Burn; and the North Esk flows, for a brief distance, along the Lasswade border. The land-surface is flattish, though rising southward from less than 200 to over 400 feet above sea-level; it exhibits everywhere a rich and highly-cultivated aspect, and along the banks of the stream is often singularly picturesque. (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
 
Colinton 677
A village and a parish of Edinburghshire. The village 4 miles South West by South of Edinburgh, is charmingly situated in a hollow on the water of Leith, which here is spanned by a high stone bridge; at it are a station on the Balerno loop-line of the Caledonian (1874)." (Extract from Ordnance Gazeteer of Scotland 1885) LFHS Resources available
 
Corstorphine 678
A village and a parish of North West Edinburghshire. The village stands at the South-Western base of Corstorphine Hill, on the Glasgow road, 3 miles West by South of Edinburgh. Sheltered from cold winds, and lying open to the sun, it commands a fair prospect across the wide level plain to Craiglockhart and the Pentlands, and is itself a pleasant little place, with a few old houses, and many more good cottages and first class villas. The parish, containing also the village of Gogar, is bounded North by Cramond, East by St Cuthberts, South by Colinton, South West by Currie and Ratho, and West by Ratho. The surface is an almost unbroken plain, about 200 feet above sea-level, save in the North East, where Corstorphine Hill slopes gradually upwards, its highest point (520 feet) being crowned by square, five storied, turreted Clermiston Tower, 70 feet high, built in 1872 on occasion of the Scott Centenary. Clothed with Scotch firs and hardwood trees, this hill figures widely in the Lothian landscape, and itself commands a magnificent view, especially from its steeper, eastern side, where, at a point called 'Rest-and -be-Thankful', two benches were placed in 1880 by the Cockburn Association." (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
 
Cramond 679
"A village in the North West corner of Edinburghshire and a parish until 1891 partly also in Linlithgowshire. The village is situated on the Firth of Forth at the East side of the mouth of the river Almond. Its name in Celtic signifies 'the fort upon the Almond' and it occupies the site of an important Roman station, which was connected by a fine military way with the great English Watling Street and with Antonius' Wall, and which has yielded coins of eleven emperors, three altars, a pavement, and on other Roman remains. The parish contains the seaport of Granton, the villages of Davidsons Mains and Cramond Bridge." (Extract from Groomes Gazetteer of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
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Cranston 680
"A Parish on the North East border of Edinburghshire, containing the villages of Cousland, Edgehead and Ford, the last being ½ mile West by North of Pathhead and 4¼ miles East South East of Dalkeith. Irregular in outline Cranston is bounded North West by Inveresk; North by Tranent; and East by Ormiston and Humbie, in Haddingtonshire; South West by Crichton and Borthwick; and West by Newbattle and Dalkeith." (Extract from Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland 1885) LFHS Resources available
 
Crichton 681
"A parish on the East border of Edinburghshire, containing, at its northern extremity, the village of Pathhead, on the road from Edinburgh to Lauder, 5 miles East South East of Dalkeith, and 3 7/8 miles North of Tynehead station. Tynehead itself and Fala Dam hamlet (2¾ miles South East of Pathhead) also belong to Crichton, which is bounded North East by Cranston and by Humbie in Haddingtonshire; South East by Fala and Soutra and by Heriot, and West by Borthwick. A rising-ground at Longfough, commanding a wide and beautiful prospect, is crowned by remains of a fort, supposed to be a Roman camp; but Crichton's chief antiquities are Crichton Castle and Cakemuir Castle, the former a massive ruin, forming the grand feature in the landscape." (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
 
Currie 682
"The parish of Currie lies about 6 miles W of Edinburgh. It includes a tract of country from 5 to 6 miles in every direction, but its greatest extent is from E to W where it advances even to 9 miles in length. It may be considered as classic ground, being situated in the neighbourhood of that little romantic dale that formed the scene of the Gentle Shepherd, the favourite pastoral of the Scotch nation. From its name, (anciently Koria or Coria) it seems to have been one of those districts that still retain its ancient Roman appellation. The name of this parish also has probably given rise to the surname of Corrie or Currie, for anciently it was the practice of men of property to take their surnames from the lands they possessed, of which there are numerous examples in Scotland. The situation of this parish is very elevated. At Ravelrig, about the middle of it (but by no means the highest point) it is according to a late very accurate measurement, not less than 800ft above the level of the sea. This extreme height, and its vicnity to the range of the Pentland Hills, renders it cold and damp. Rheumatism seems the chief disorder to which its inhabitants are subject." (From the Statistical Account of Scotland 1791-1799 Vol II) LFHS Resources available
 
Dalkeith 683
"A town and a parish in the East of Edinburghshire. The town stands 182 feet above sea level on a peninsular from 3 to 5 furlongs wide, between the North and South Esk`s and by roads 4 ¼ miles South by West of Musselburgh, and 6 miles South East of Edinburgh. The High Street widens Eastwards from 30 to 85 feet, and terminates at a gateway leading up to Dalkeith Palace, the principal seat of the Duke of Buccleuch, which palace, has centring round it all the chief episodes in Dalkeith`s history, must here be treated of before Dalkeith itself." (Extract from Ordnance Gazeteer of Scotland 1885) LFHS Resources available
 
Duddingston 684
"Duddingston is said to be a name of Gaelic origin, and to signify the house on the sunny side of the hill. It stands under the south cope of Arthur's Seat, raised upon an eminence, which is embraced on the west and south by the lake bearing the same name, and protected on the north by the mountain. The most beautiful and picturesque scenery expands before it, on every side. The views which it commands include every object which the painter would select to compose a rich or finished landscape. Magnificent villas, towering castles, rich vallies, cultivated fields, woods, groves, ruins, the lake below, the bold precipices of Arthur's Seat behind; the hills of Pentland, Moorfoot and Lammermoor, bouncing the prospect upon the west and south; and the sea sinking in the distant horizon, upon the east. (From the Statistical Account of Scotland 1791-1799 Vol II) LFHS Resources available
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Kirknewton & East Calder 690
"A village and an ancient parish in the west of Edinburghshire. The village stands near the right bank of the Almond, ¾ mile eastnortheast of Mid Calder town and 1½ miles westnorthwest of Mid Calder Station." (Extract from Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland 1885) LFHS Resources available
 
Fala & Soutra 686
"The name 'Fala' is derived from the little hill upon which the parish church stands, and is a contraction for FAULAW, FAWLAW or FALLA. It is the same FAL or FAW which is found in Falkirk, Falkland and Fauside, and means 'speckled', hence Fala means 'speckled hill'. Soutra, spelt SOLTE, SOLTER, SOWTRAY, SOUTRAY, means in Cambo-British, 'prospect town'. No doubt the name arose from the magnificent view which is got from the site of the ancient monastery, which was at the time surrounded by a considerable village. Fala & Soutra forms the south-east corner of the county of Midlothian and 15 miles from Edinburgh. Fala is bounded on the east by the parish of Humbie; on the south by the parish of Soutra; on the west by Heriot and Stow; and on the north by the detached parts of Borthwick, Cranstoun and Humbie and by an attached part of Crichton parish. It is about 5 miles long from E to W and 1 mile broad N to S and contains about 3120 imperial acres. Soutra, which is almost the same length and breadth, lies immediately to the south, in the county of East Lothian, having Channelkirk for its southern boundary, and containing about 2940 acres." (By James Hunter FSA Scot. Minister of the Parish, 1891) LFHS Resources available
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Glencorse (Glencross) 687
"Glencross is situated 7 miles W of Edinburgh. The roads lead to Biggar, Moffat and Peebles, run through it. The extent of it is nearly about 3 miles from E to W and the same from S to N. It is bounded on the E and S by the parish of Lasswade and on the W and N by the parish of Pennycuick and Colington. It had formerly been part of the parish of Lasswade and Pennycuick and was erected into a separate parish in 1616. There are some vestiges of camps at Castlelaw, from which the place takes its name. At Rullion Green, was fought the battle of Pentland-hill on November 28th 1665. A stone is erected in memory of this battle with a rude inscription. Old Woodhouselee was formerly the property and residence of Hamilton of Bothwell-haugh and it was from this house that the Regent Murray turned out the Lady of Hamilton to the inclemency of the season. The resentment of which was the cause of the Regent's death." (From the Statistical Account of Scotland 1791-1799 Vol II) LFHS Resources available
 
Heriot
A parish of SE Edinburghshire, containing, towards its NE corner, Heriot station of the Waverley section of the North British railway, 19 ¼ miles (16 by road) SE of Edinburgh, with a post and telegraph office. It is bounded NW by Borthwick, N by Crichton, NE by Fala, SE by Stow, SW by Innerleithen in Peeblesshire, a W by Temple. Its greatest length, from NE to SW, is 8 ¾ miles; and its greatest breadth 4 ½ miles. Its area is now 16,167 ¼ acres, the Boundary Commissioners having in 1891 transferred to this parish the Cowbraehill detached portion of the parish of Borthwick, containing 666 acres, and the Nettleflat detatched portion of the parish of Stow, containing 463 acres. Formed by the confluence of Blackhope, Hope, and Dewar Burns, which all three have their source near the Peeblesshire border, Heriot Water winds 4 ¾ miles east-north-eastward through the interior, till it unites with Gala Water, itself rising on the northern verge of the parish. (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
 
Inveresk 689
(Gael. inbhir-uisge, 'confluence of the water'), a village and a coast parish of NE Edinburghshire. The village stands above the right bank of the winding Esk, 5 furlongs S of Musselburgh, and ¼ mile N by W of Inveresk station on the main line of the North British, this being 6½ miles E by S of Edinburgh. Enjoying so healthy a climate as long to have been called the Montpelier of Scotland, it extends along a broad-based gentle ascent, whose higher parts command wide and delightful views - northward across the Firth of Forth, south-westward away to the Pentlands; and itself is a pleasant, old-fashioned place, whose trees and gardens, 18th-century mansions, and more recent villas give it somewhat the aspect of a Thames-side village. The parish church, on the western summit of the hill, is a plain edifice of 1805, with 2400 sittings, a high conspicuous spire, and a churchyard which for beauty is scarcely to be matched in all the kingdom. (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
 
Kirknewton
"A village and a parish of W Edinburghshire. The village stands 5 furlongs E by S of Midcalder or Kirknewton Junction on the Caledonian railway, this being 36 ¼ miles E of Glasgow, and 11 WSW of Edinburgh. It has a post office, with money order, savings bank, and telegraph departments, a public hall, an inn, and a police station. The parish, containing also the villages of East Calder, Oakbank and Wilkieston, comprises the ancient parishes of Kirknewton and East Calder. (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
 
Lasswade 691
"A small town and parish of Edinburghshire. The town stands on the left bank of the North Esk, but includes the suburb of Westmill in Cockpen parish, with which it is connected by a substantial stone bridge." "Lasswade parish is bounded N by Colinton, Liberton, and Newton, W by Glencorse, S by Penicuik and Carrington, and E by Cockpen, Newbattle, Dalkeith. Its greatest length, from NNE to SSW, is 7 1/3 miles; its greatest breadth is 6 miles, but its average breadth is little over 3 miles; and its area is 10,678 acres. A projecting wing at the NW extremity is occupied by the E end of the Pentland Hills, presenting partly heath and partly good pasture; and in the S, a district of bleak and unsheltered moorland, including some of the northern declivities of the Moorfoot Hills, stretches for about 2 miles into the interior. The surface on the whole declines rapidly from the border towards the SE, and consists of rich and well-cultivated plain, finely wooded, and of picturesquely diversified scenery." (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
 
Leith North 692/1
"North Leith originally belonged to the parish of Holyroodhouse, from which it was disjoined and erected into a separate parish in 1606. It then comprehended only the village of North Leith, and teh coal hill, which are part of the barony of Broughton, but in the year 1630 the barionies of Newhaven, and Hillhouse-field, which belonged to the parish of St Cuthberts or West Kirk, were annexed to it. The parish is of an oblong figure, extending along the seachore about an English mile in length, and is a ¼ mile in breadth, it is bounded by the Firth of Forth on the north, by the parish of St Cuthberts on the west, and by South Leith on the south and east." (From the Statistical Account of Scotland 1791-1799 Vol II) LFHS Resources available
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Leith South 692/2
"In this parish are 5142 heads of families, 2439 male child, 2432 female child, 484 male servants, 935 female servants, in all 11432 individuals, and 2893 families. 432 individuals reside in Restalrig, 557 in Abbeyhill and 1497 in Calton of Edinburgh." (From the Statistical Account of Scotland 1791-1799 Vol II) LFHS Resources available
 
Liberton 693
"('leper town'), a village and a parish of Edinburghshire. The village stands, 356 feet above sea-level, on the summit of a low broad-based ridge, 2 3/8 miles SSE of the centre of Edinburgh, and is sometimes distinguished as Liberton Kirk, from the fact that it contains the parish church. It is somewhat straggling in its arrangement, and besides the poorer class of cottages, includes some neat houses and elegant villas." "Liberton parish is bounded N by St Cuthbert's and Duddingston, E by Inveresk and Newton, SE by Dalkeith, S by Lasswade, and W by Colinton. It extends from the Pow Burn at Edinburgh to within a mile of Dalkeith, and from the close vicinity of the Firth of Forth at Magdalene Bridge to near the E end of the Pentland range. Its greatest length from ENE to WSW is 5 ¾ miles; its greatest breadth is 4 ¼ miles; and its area is 6617 acres. The scenery of this parish is very beautifully diversified, though it never loses its lowland smiling character." (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
 
MidCalder 694
"A village and a parish on the west border of Edinburghshire. The village stands on rising ground, near the left bank of the Almond, which here receives the confluent Murieston and Linhouse Waters, 2 miles west by north of Mid Calder or Kirknewton junction." (Extract from Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland 1885) LFHS Resources available
 
Newbattle 695
"Newbattle, (anc. Neubotle, 'new dwelling), a village and a parish in the East of Edinburghshire. The village stands, 150 feet above sea-level, on the left side of the river South Esk, ¾ mile North North East of Dalhousie station, ¾ mile South East of Eskbank station, both on the Waverley section of the North British railway, a 1 mile South by West of the post-town Dalkieth. Of high antiquity, in spite of its name, it has dwindled to a mere hamlet, which, lying low, among orchards and gardens, is sheltered nearly all round by rising-grounds. The parish, containing also Newton Grange and Easthouses villages, with small portions of Dalkeith, Gorebridge and Hunterfield, comprises the ancient parishes of Newbattle and Maisterton. It is bounded North West by Lasswade and Dalkeith, North by Dalkeith and Cranston, East by Cranston, South East by Borthwick, South by Borthwick and West by Cockpen. The prime object of historical interest in the parish of Newbattle in Newbattle Abbey. This was anciently, as its name imports, a monastery, and is now the seat of the Marquess of Lothian. David I founded the monastery in 1140 for a colony of Cistercian monks from Melrose." (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
 
Newton 696
"Newton, a parish of North East Edinburghshire, containing the post-office village of Millerhill, with a station on the Waverley section of the North British railway, 2 miles North North West of the post-town Dalkeith, and 6¼ miles South East of Edinburgh. Since the Reformation it has comprehended the ancient parishes of Newton (to the South East) and Wymet or Woolmet (to the North West). Bounded South West and North West by Liberton, North East by Inveresk, and South East by Dalkeith." (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetteer, Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
 
Penicuik 697
"Penicuik (Cymric pen-y-cog, 'hill of the cuckcoo'), a town and a parish in the South of Edinburghshire. A burgh of barony and a police burgh, the town which stands, 600 feet above sea-level, on the left bank of the river North Esk, by road is 12 miles North by West of Peebles and 10 South of Edinburghshire. The place wears a well-built airy appearance, superior to that of most towns of its size; contains some good shops and spacious well-to-do dwellings; and has a town hall, a post-office, with money order, savings bank, insurance, and telegraph departments, a branch of the Clydesdale Bank, 2 hotels, a gas company, a drinking fountain (1864), angling, bowling, cricket, and curling clubs, horticultural and ornithological societies, a drill hall, a cemetery, hiring fairs on the third Friday of March and the first Friday of October." (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetter of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
 
Ratho 698a
"Ratho, a village and a parish of Edinburghshire. The village stands 1250 to 320 feet above sea-level, near the South bank of the Union Canal, 1¼ mile South by East of Ratho station on the North British railway, this being 8¼ miles West South West of Edinburgh, and 9¼ East South East of Linlithgow. Its site is the slope or eastern declivity of gentle uplands; and it consists of a single street, coming down the declivity from West to East, and bending Northwars, near the end, to terminate on the canal. Most of its houses are neat whinstone cottages, lintelled with sandstone, and roofed with either tiles or slate. Anciently a place of considerable note, Ratho fell into great decay, but has in modern times been revived, extended and much improved. In a poem by Joseph Mitchell, who published two large octavo volumes of miscellaneous poetry in 1724, and who is known as 'the poet of Ratho', it figures as having at one time risen to spendour, and then at another time sunk to desolation, till 'Ratho looked like Troy, a field of corn'. The parish is bounded West and North West by Kirkliston, North by Kirkliston and Corstorphine, South East by Currie, and South West by Kirknewton." (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
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Stobhill 698b
Stow 699 "Stow (Old Eng. 'place'), a village of SE Edinburghshire, and a parish partly also of Selkirkshire. On all sides sheltered by hills, the village lies, 580 feet above sea-level, near the left bank of Gala Water, and ¼ mile E of Stow station on the Waverley route of the North British railway, across the stream, this being 6 ¾ miles NNW of Galashiels and 26 ¾ (by road 24) SSE of Edinburgh. A pretty little place, of high antiquity, it has a post office, with money order, savings bank, and telegraph departments, a hotel, gassworks, three woollen mills, an engineering work, a bowling club, and hiring fairs on the last Monday of February and the second Tuesday of March. The parish, containing Fountainhall, Bowland and Clovenfords stations, is bounded N by Fala and Soutra, NE by Channelkirk, E by Channelkirk, Lauder and Melrose, SE by Galashiels, S by Selkirk and Yarrow, SW and W by Innerleithen, and NW by Heriot, so that, while itself lying in two counties, it is in contact with three others - Haddington, Roxburgh and Peebles shires." (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
 
Temple 700
"A village and a parish in the S of Edinburghshire. The village stands 605 feet above sea-level, on the right bank of the South Esk, 3 miles SW of Gorebridge station, 7 S by W of Dalkeith, and 12 ¼ SSE of Edinburgh. It is a quiet, sequestered, little place, with a post office under Gorebridge. The parish is bounded NE by Borthwick, SE by Heriot, S and SW by Innerleithen and Eddleston in Peeblesshire, and NW by Penicuik and Carrington. Its utmost length, from N by E to S by W, is 8 1/8 miles; its utmost breadth is 5 5/8 miles; and the area is 22½ square miles or 14,250 ¾ acres. A detached part of the parish, containing the greater part of Gorebridge village, and comprising 228 acres, was transferred by teh Boundary Commissioners in 1891 to the parish of Borthwick. The river South Esk, rising at an altitude of 1700 feet on the western slope of Blackhope Scar, winds 9 7/8 miles north-by-eastward through all the length of the parish, and quits it at the influx of Fullarton and Redside Burn, which traces all the north-western border." (Extract from Groomes Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland c.1895) LFHS Resources available
West Calder 701 "A town and a parish in the extreme west of Edinburghshire. The town stands, at 550 feet above sea level, on the right bank of the West Calder Burn and has a station on the Edinburgh and Glasgow direct section of the Caledonian, 5 7/8 west-southwest of Mid Calder Junction, 16 west-southwest of Edinburgh and 31¼ west of Glasgow. Since 1861 it has undergone great and rapid extension, chiefly in connection with neighbouring mineral works." (Extract from Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland 1885) LFHS Resources availabl
 
Abercorn
Abercorn “ A village and a coast parish of Linlithgowshire. Lying ¼ mile inland, near the confluence of the Cornie and Midhope Burns, the village, - a pretty little place, nestling among trees and gardens on the verge of a high bank, - is 3 ¾ miles W of its post town South Queensferry, and 3NNW of Winchburgh Station. Here stood most probably the monastery of Aebercurnig or Eoriercorn, founded about 675 under St Wilfred as a central point for the administration of the northern part of his diocese, which included the province of the Picts, held in the subjection by the Angles of Northumbria, Trumuini made this monastery the seat of his bishopric, the earliest in Scotland, from 681 to 685, when the Picts victory at Dunnichen forced him to flee to Whitby (Skene Celt Scot., i. 262-268, and ii.224). And here still stands the ancient Parish church, refitted in 1579, and thoroughly repaired in 1838, with a Norman doorway turned into a window a broken cross, and a stone coffin lid, but minus a carved pew-back that found its way to the Edinburgh Antiquarian Museum in 1876. The parish contains also the hamlets of Philipston, 2 ½ miles SW of Abercorn Village, and village, and Society, on the coast, 1 ¼ mile E by N. 1 mile E by N. It isbounded Nfor3’miles by the Firth of Forth (here 2 ½ miles wide), E by Dalmeny, SE by Kirkliston, S by the Auldcathie portion of Dalmeny and by Ecclesmachan, SW by Linlithgow, and W by Carriden, from which it is parted by the Black Burn. It has a length from E to W of from 3 ¼ to 4 ½ miles, an extreme breadth from N to S of 2 5/8 miles, and an area of 5265 acres, of which 29 ½ are water. Low swelling hills diversify the surface, but nowhere rise much above 300 feet; the streams are small, even for rivulets. Yet ‘the scenery,’ says Mr Thomias Farrall, ‘is strikingly picturesque, the seaboard being richly wooded, the fields highly cultivated and of great fertility. The castellated mansion of Hopetoun enjoys a commanding prospect, having on one side the blue sea, and on the other green fields, with the Pentland hills in the background. The soil in this quarter is variable but fertile; the substratum is still more changeable, consisting of patches of till, gravel, sand, limestone, and. sandstone. So early as the 17th century wheat was grown, rents being paid in considerable part by this commodity. What draining was required was mainly accomplished before 1800, an a large extent of land was planted and ornamented with clumps and belts of trees’ (Trans. Hight!. and Ag. Soc., 1877). To this need only be added that sandstone, whinstone, and limestone are extensively worked, but that a small colliery is now disused. The Anglo-Norman knight, Sir William de Graham, ancestor of the Dukes of Montrose, received from David I. (1124-53) the lands of Abercorn, which came by marriage to Sir Reginald Mure, chamberlain of Scotland in 1329. In 1454 the Castle was taken by James II. from the ninth and last Earl of Douglas, and its only vestige is a low green mound, fronting the church and manse; whereas Mid. hope Tower, bearing a coronet and the initials J. L[ivingstone], stands almost perfect, ¾ mile SW. At present there are titularly connected with this parish Sir Bruce Maxwell Seton of Abercorn, eighth baronet since 1648, amid the Duke of Abercorn, eldest surviving male heir of the Hamilton line, who takes from it his title of Baron (1603) and Earl (1606) in the peerage of Scotland, of Marquess (1790) in that of Great Britain, and of Duke (1868) in that of Ireland. The mansions are Hopetoun House, ½ mile E of the village, and BINNS House, 2 miles WSW; the property is divided between the Earl of Hopetoun and Mrs E. G. C. DalyelI. Abercorn is traversed in the south for 2 ½ miles by the North British railway, and for 1 ½ mile by the Union Canal. It is in the presbytery of Linlithgow and synod of Lothian and Tweeddale; the minister’s income is £364. There is also a Free church; and a public and a girl’s school (Gen. As.), with respective accommodation for 216 and 64 children, had (1891) an average attendance of 136 and 54, and grants of £104, 14s. and £40, 7s. Valuation, £3164, 15s. Pop. (1801) 814, (1821) 1044, (1871) 933, (1891) 863.—Ord Sur., sh. 32, 1857. -. Extract from Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland 1885) LFHS Resources available
 
Bathgate
Bathgate, a town and a parish in the SW of Linlithgowshire. The town stands in the middle of the parish, 6 miles S by W of Linlithgow, whilst by sections of the North British, that converge to it from E, S, W, and NW, it is 19 ¾ W by S of Edinburgh, 14 ¼ NE of Morningside, 16 E byN of Coatbridge, 24 ¾ E by N of Glasgow, and 8 ½ S of Manuel Junction. Its situation is a pleasant one. The hillygrounds to the NE, and the beautiful park of Balbardie on the N, give a cheerful aspect to the town, which consists of two parts, the old and the new. The old stands on a ridgy declivity, and has narrow crooked lanes; the new town, on low ground, is regularly aligned, and has well-built streets. A considerable extension occurred after the opening of the Bathgate and Edinburgh railway in 1849; a greater one, after the establishment of a neighbouring paraffin work in 1852; and other ones, or rather a continually increasing one, after the subsequent commencing or enlargement of other neighbouring works connected with mines and with mineral produce. The inhabitants prior to the first of these extensions, had little other employment than hand-loom weaving, and lived in a state of penury; but the new works employed not only them but numerous immigrants from other towns. Bathgate soon grew to threefold its former extent, and passed from a state of stagnancy and decay to one of bustle and prosperity. It is lighted with gas, is abundantly supplied with water of an excellent quality by waterworks costing £6000, and has a foundry, glass work, and distillery. It possesses a head post office, with money order, savings bank, insurance, and telegraph departments; 2 railway stations, upper and lower of the Royal National, and Union banks; a local savings bank; two chief hotels, the Bathgate and the Commercial; a handsome and commodious corn- exchange; a police station (1870); a working men’s institute (1875); and a Saturday paper, the West Lothian Courier (1872). Places of worship are the parish church (rebuilt 1882; cost £8000), a Free church, a U.P. church, an Evangelical Union chapel, a Wesleyan chapel, and a Roman Catholic chapel (1858; 600 sittings). A weekly market is held on Tuesday, and has become important as a central corn-market for Linlithgowshire and for parts of the adjoining counties. Cattle fairs are held on the fourth ‘ednesday of June and October; and cattle and hirin fairs on the Wednesdays after Whitsunday and Martinmas, old style. The public works, to which the town owes its growth, and also the schools, will be noticed under the parish. The town, with a territory around it, was anciently a sheriffdom; and in leg1 form it stifi is such, only that the sheriff of Linlithgowshire is always also sheriff of Bathgate. The right to its sheriffdom was long hereditary, and belonged to the Earls of Hopetoun, whose representative, on the abolition of hereditary jurisdictions in 1747, was compensated by a payment of £2000. In 1824 the town was constituted a burgh of barony by Act of Parliament, under which it is governed by a provost, 3 bailies, 12 councillors, and a treasurer; in 1865 it adopted the general police and improvement act of Scotland, and since has a body of police commissioners. Walter, the son-in-law of King Robert Bruce, receiving Bathgate as part of his wife’s dowry, had a residence at it, and died here in 1328. Some of the inhabitants suffered hardship and loss in the times of the persecution; and the insurgent army f the Covenanters, when on their march from the W to Rullion Green, spent a disastrous night at Bathgate. Jn. Reid, M.D. (1809-49), anatomist and physiologist, and Sir James Simpson (1811-70), professor of midw fery in Edinburgh University, were natives. Pop. of burgh (1831) 2581, (1861) 4827, (1871) 4991, (1881) 4885, (1891) 5331. The parish of Bathgate contains also the small town of AJuLADALE, 21 miles W by S. it is bounded, N by Torphichen and Linlithgow, NE by a detached por Iion of Ecciesmachan, E by Livingston, S by Living. ton and Whitburn, SW by Shotts in Lanarkshire, and NW by Torphichen. Its greatest length from E to W is 6 miles; its breadth from N to S varies between 2 nd 3 miles; and its area is 10,887k acres, of which 11 are water. The surface—nowhere much loss than 400, or more than 1000, feet above sea-level—attains 26 feet near Cowdenhoad in the W, 409 at Bahnuir in he NW, 1000 at the Knock in the N, 563 near Cohnthiel, 535 near Bathville, 537 near Whiteside, 583 near Torbanehil in the 5, 488 near Upper Bathgate station, 348 at the Standing Stones, and 700 near Drumcross in Lhe E. The western and part of the southern slope of Lhe hilly mass are considerable declivities, yet contain Lhe best land in the parish. The tract at the base is he lowest ground, was naturally marshy, and appears bo have long lain mainly under water; but now, as the result of draining, is comparatively dry. BALLENCRIEFF Water rises among the hills, makes a circuit through great part of the low tracts, and then runs for about l mile along the boundary with Torphichen. Barbauchlaw Burn comes in from the SW, traces much of the rest of the boundary with Torphichen, and makes a confluence with Balloncrieff Water. The river ALMOND, from a point about 5 miles below its source, runs about 1 mile on the boundary with Whitburn. A lake of about 11 acres lay in the northern vicinity of the town, but was drained in 1853. About 510 acres arc under wood; 800 are pastoral or waste; and all the rest save what is occupied by buildings, public works, fences, roads, and railways, is either constantly or occasionally in tillage. The rocks include dykes and masses of trap, but belong mainly to the coal measures, and are very rich in useful minerals. At Boghead, 1 mile SW of the town, a black bituminous shale, sharing the appearaiice both of coal and s1ate was found in 1850 to be peculiarly rich in mineral oil, and began to be worked about 1852 for the production of illuminating gas, paraffin oil, and solid paraffin. Coming into much demand also for exportation to the Continent and elsewhere, it was mined at the rate of fully 100,000 tons a year; but about 1866 began to show signs of exhaustion,—signs that fulfilled themselves in 1873. Chemical works, for manufacturing paraffin oil and solid paraffin, stand about mile 55W of Boghead; cover 25 acres; are connected by branch railways with the main lines in their vicinity; look, in the distance, like a grimy irregularly-built village; and employ from 400 to 500 men. These works underwent some change, at the expiry of a lease, in 1864; and they were sold, about the beginning of 1866, at a price variously reported from £200,000 to £240,000. Other works of similar kind, under stimulus of the prosperous experiment at Boghead, and after successful search for shales of kindred character to the Boghead shale were meanwhile established at Uphall, Broxburn, Kirfdiston, Westwood, Hermand, Sal tney, Calderhall, Charlesfield, Leavenseat, Addieweli, and other places in Linlithgowshire and the W border of Edinburghshire; and these, by powerfully extending the demand for paraffin oil and paraffin throughout Great Britain, and in countries so distant as China, gave increasing impulse and energy to the parent works and researches in the neighbour. hood of Boghead. One of the new works was established within Bathgate parish itself, shortly before 1865; and that, together with brick-making and mining in connection with it, employs between 300 and 400 persons. Another of the new works also was erected, near the end of 1865, about 3 miles E of Bathgate town. Collieries have long and extensivelr been worked in the parish, whose western half contains numerous active pits. A very rich iron ore was, at one time, worked on the estate of Couston. Limestone for conversion into quick-limo, sandstone for building, and trap rock for road-metal, are largely quarried. Lead ore, in small frequently-interrupted veins, with traces of silver, occurs in the limestone beds. The argentiferous ore was long worked in one of the limestone quarries, still called the Silver Mine; but, after yielding a considerabic quantity of silver, it ceased to be obtained in sufficicn quantity for remunerative working. The Silver Minc was explored in 1871; was then found to comprisc several deep pits with numerous ramifications; and lx contain inscriptions and a curious ancient hammer, showing it to have been extensively worked in thc Middle Ages; and, giving promise of load, silver, and platinum ores, it was once more for a time subjected to vigorous operation. Thin beds of mineral pitch alsc are found in the limestone; and traces of brown blendE zinc ore have been observed. Caic-spar is plentiful and heavy-spar, pearl-spar, Lydian stone, and chalcedony are occasionally found. Fire clay is abundant. Antiquities are Couston Castle and the Refuge Stone, in the NW; the Boar Stone, in the SW; the Standing Stones, in the NE; the old church, a little SE of th town; and Ballencrieff House, to the N of the same. The principal mansions are Balbardie, Boghead, Torbanehill, Kahn Park, Rosemount, Easter Inch, Drum. cross, Wester Drumcross, and Wester Inch; and 14 proprietors hold each an annual value of £500 and up. wards, 43 of between £100 and £500, 59 of from £50 to £100, and 100 of from £20 to £50. Bathgate is in thc prcsbytery of Linlithgow and synod of Lothian and Tweeddaic; its minister’s income is £200. Bcsidc ARMA.DALE public school there arc Bathgate evening public school, the Academy and a Roman Catholic school at Bathgate town, and Bathgate laudward and Starla’ public schools, with respective accommodation for 796, 216, 320, and 130 children, an average attendance (1891: of 38, 677 day and 41 evening, 167, 309, and 80, and grants of £21, 18s., £735, Os. 6d. and £14, 18s., £146, 2s. Gd., £270, 7s. 6d., and £74, 7s. 6d. Valuation, £34,449, lOs. Pop. (1801) 2513, (1831) 3593, (1861: 10,134, (1891) 11,359, of whom 7557 belong to Bathgate reristration district—Ord. &r. sh. 31. 1867. LFHS Resources available
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Kirkliston
"KIRKLISTON, (or K'liston), a parish partly in county Edinburgh and partly in county Linlithgow, Scotland, 9 miles W. of Edinburgh. It is intersected by the Falkirk and Edinburgh turnpike road, and by the Edinburgh and Glasgow railway, which latter has a station at Winchburgh, and a viaduct of thirty arches across the river Almond, in this parish. It comprehends a village of its own name and the villages of Newbridge, Niddry, and Ninchburgh. Its length is 5½ miles, and its greatest breadth 4½. The surface is varied by rising grounds." [Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) LFHS Resources available
 
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