In the “Old Statistical account” we find it stated that there are appearances of coal on the sea side, in the adjacent part of Royston and Wardie both above and below the water line. At times of scarcity the poor carried this coal away to. There was even a pit sunk at Pilton wood in 1788 but was soon abandoned due to inferiority of the coal found. In the links at Royston can be seen the remains of ancient coal working. (more…)
Just to the west of Leith along the Forth Coast lay the Wardie Muir which must have been a wide, open and desolate place extendinf from Inverleith and Warriston to the shore of the Firth of Forth and from North Inverleith Mains of old called Blaw Wearie on the west to Bonnington on the east traversed by a narrow stream know as the Anchorfield Burn. (more…)
Just along the coast from Leith is the town of Portobello now part of Edinburgh. It was once a desolate place and was known as the Figgate Muir and was probably part of the Drumsheugh Forest. Through this flowed the Figgate Burn from Duddingston Loch a continuation of the Braid. (more…)
In front of South Leith Church and where the West Gates now stand stood a tower like edifice called the Kantore. Up to the late 18th century if a person was caught boiling a kettle, cutting a cabbage or eating a radish, or even walking in the Street during the time for Church could be arrested by a military patrol or by elders of the Church called “searchers” and incarcerted in the Kantore.
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John logan was minister of the second charge at South Leith Parish Church between 1773-1786 and is rightfully famous for writing some of the finest Scottish Paraphrases. (more…)
In 1784 James Taylor who lived near Restalrig thought of building a balloon on the same principles as the Montgolfier brothers. He was a poor man who supported himself and his family by writing. (more…)
We hear nowadays how the West unfairly trades with poorer countries. Unfortunately the idea isn’t a new one. (more…)
The Mercurius Politicus-these are rare volumes now held in the National Library of Scotland records that in October 1652 there was a dangerous mutiny among General Monks garrison in Leith due to deductions being made to create a store. (more…)
In 1623 Vice-Admiral Sir William Monson a distinguish English Naval Officer who had served with Raleigh in Elizabeth’s Reign in many expeditions under James VI and who survived till the Reign of Charles I wrote in his book “Naval Tracts” that Leith should be made the Capital of Scotland! (more…)
The author Chambers relates in his book “Book of Days” a curious story which happened in Leith in 1731. The story comes from Lady Clerk of Penicuik (nee Mary Dacre of Kirkliston in Cumberland) who told it to the Blackwood’s Magazine in 1826. (more…)
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