History of Leith, Edinburgh

There is still some disagreement over the ancient roots of the game of golf that has become popular worldwide. While most fans of golf and serious golf historians agree that the modern game originated in Scotland, some trace its roots back much further than that. Come along with me right now and learn a few highlights about golf’s history, including references to its beginnings in Holland and the Roman Empire. for more click here

MALCOLM III. (d. 1093), called Canmore or the “largeheaded,” was a son of King Duncan I., and became king after the defeat of the usurper Macbeth in July 1054, being crowned at Scone in April 1057. for more click here

DAVID I. (1084-1153), king of Scotland, the youngest son of Malcolm Canmore and (Saint) Margaret, sister of Edgar .Ætheling, was born in 1084. He married in 1113 Matilda, daughter and heiress of Waltheof, earl of Northumbria, and thus became possessed of the earldom of Huntingdon. On the death of Edgar, king of Scotland, in 1107, for more click here

LINLITHGOW, a royal, municipal and police burgh and county town of Linlithgowshire, Scotland. Pop. (1901) 4279. It lies in a valley on the south side of a loch, r7-3/4. m. W. of Edinburgh by the North British railway. It long preserved an antique and picturesque appearance, with gardens running down to the lake, or climbing the lower slopes of the rising ground. for more click here

(c) South Leith Records

The above is from the “South Leith Records” and is the entry for the 18th February 1794. The entry concerns the issueing of badges to the poor in order that they can beg in the streets of Leith and who are “worthy” of public support. Apart from the Sheriff Brae none of the streets now exist

BERWICK – UPON-TWEED, a market town, seaport, municipal borough and county in itself, of England, at the mouth of the Tweed on the north bank, 339 m. N. by W. from London. Pop. (1901) 13,437. For parliamentary purposes it is in the Berwickupon-Tweed division of Northumberland. for more click here

EDINBURGH, a city and royal burgh, and county of itself, the capital of Scotland, and county town of Edinburghshire, or Midlothian, situated to the south of the Firth of Forth, 396 m. by rail N. of London. The old Royal Observatory on Calton Hill stands in 55° 57′ 23″ N. and 12° 43′ 05″ W. Edinburgh occupies a group of hills of moderate height and the valleys between. In the centre is a bold rock, crowned by the castle, between which and the new town lies a ravine that once contained the Nor’ Loch, but is now covered with the gardens of Princes Street. To the east rises Calton Hill (355 ft.) with several conspicuous monuments, the city prison and the Calton cemetery. for more click here

HERITAGE chiefs were under growing pressure today to drop plans to turn one of Leith’s most historic buildings into flats.

The National Trust for Scotland is currently negotiating the sale of 17th century Lamb’s House to city council-owned development company, EDI. Up to 12 apartments and new offices would be created in the landmark building, just off the Shore. A 1960s extension would also be knocked down and replaced with a modern block. for more click here

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This map was done in approximately 1530 and is based on the memory of Alexander Alesius who left Scotland because of his Protestant beliefs. The map appears in the Cosmologue of approximately 1550 (more…)