The Bridgend Farmhouse Community Project in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
, Scotland is a community-owned and community-run charitable organisation. The project restored an 18th-century farmhouse to provide a community meeting place, café, garden and workshops. The project runs classes, workshops and training courses in a variety of crafts and skills aimed at all age groups. It also provides facilities for performances, gatherings, talks, entertainment and small conferences. Given charitable status under the title Bridgend Inspiring Growth (BIG), the project was one of the first in Scotland to achieve community ownership in an urban setting. In 2018 it became the first organisation in Scotland to transfer from a
Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) to a
Community Benefit Society
An industrial and provident society (IPS) is a body corporate registered for carrying on any industries, businesses, or trades specified in or authorised by its rules.
The members of a society benefit from the protection of limited liability ...
with charitable status.
Site history
The site has had buildings since the 16th century. According to the 1792 history of the area by the minister of
Liberton, Rev Thomas Whyte,
James V
James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV and Margaret Tudor, and duri ...
of Scotland built a hunting lodge on the site, adjoining which was 'a handsome chapel'
which was probably built around 1518 by Sir Simon Preston of Craigmillar, whose family owned the estate. The chapel was built 'for the health of the souls' of
King James III
James III (10 July 1451/May 1452 – 11 June 1488) was King of Scots from 1460 until his death at the Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488. He inherited the throne as a child following the death of his father, James II of Scotland, King James II, at th ...
and
King James IV
James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James III, at the Battle of Sauchi ...
. In the 18th century the chapel building was being used as a stable
and this was still the case in 1843, according to
Fullarton
Fullarton is a small area in Irvine, North Ayrshire. It is situated close to Irvine Bay and is next to several industrial estates, large supermarkets and retail stores and the town centre itself. Stagecoach Western buses operate the local bus s ...
's Gazetteer. A major archeological survey of the site in 2014 confirmed there had been a significant building on the chapel site in the medieval period.
The renegade
Archibald Wauchope of Niddrie
Archibald Wauchope of Niddrie ( – 1597) Scottish landowner and rebel.
He was the son of Robert Wauchope of Niddrie, who died in 1598, and Margaret Dundas, daughter of James Dundas of Dundas.
He was known as the "Laird of Niddrie, younger". The ...
was captured at Bridgend in May 1589 after
James VI
James is a common English language surname and given name:
*James (name), the typically masculine first name James
* James (surname), various people with the last name James
James or James City may also refer to:
People
* King James (disambiguat ...
arrived and broke up the siege of "a stone house within a mile" of Edinburgh. Around this time, the
accused witches Agnes Sampson
Agnes Sampson (died 28 January 1591) was a Scottish healer and purported witch. Also known as the "Wise Wife of Keith", Sampson was involved in the North Berwick witch trials in the later part of the sixteenth century.
Background
Sampson live ...
and
Barbara Napier
The North Berwick witch trials were the trials in 1590 of a number of people from East Lothian, Scotland, accused of witchcraft in the St Andrew's Auld Kirk in North Berwick on Halloween night. They ran for two years, and implicated over seventy ...
met at "Camroune-brig-end" for friendly talks and "hameliness". Agnes Sampson tried to heal the Goodwife of
Cameron
Cameron may refer to:
People
* Clan Cameron, a Scottish clan
* Cameron (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name)
* Cameron (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name)
;Mononym
* Cam'ron (born 197 ...
, who walked with crutches.
The present day farmhouse building dates from the mid 18th century and was extended to its current size early in the 19th. It was originally worked as a mixed dairy and arable farm but in the late 19th century much of the arable land was sold to become Dickson and Co.'s Royal Nursery. When the nursery closed in the 1960s the farm reverted to mixed arable, cattle and pig farming. Latterly the farm was worked by the Binnie family and then the Darling family, who bought the land in 1962 and the house in 1965 until the council bought it in 1998 and the Darling's left in 2000.
A social history project called 'Place, Work, Folk' was carried out between September 2017 and April 2019 to record, share and document the lived memories of Bridgend Farmhouse, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Origins
The project began in 2010 when a small group of local residents and volunteers at Bridgend Allotments Community Health Inclusion Project, (later Bridgend Growing Communities) held a public meeting to discuss restoring the farmhouse, by then derelict and crumbling, into a community hub. Planning took inspiration from the Edinburgh social reformer and town planner
Sir Patrick Geddes
Sir Patrick Geddes (2 October 1854 – 17 April 1932) was a British biologist, sociologist, Comtean positivist, geographer, philanthropist and pioneering town planner. He is known for his innovative thinking in the fields of urban planning ...
, adopting his ethos of 'work, place, folk'. In 2010 the group set up the charity Bridgend Inspiring Growth (Charity number SC042769), with the aim of turning the farmhouse and its grounds into a community centre focusing on the environment and outdoors and which would offer opportunities for learning, training and community development. Four years of consultation and planning for outreach, engagement events and community development followed. Malcolm Fraser gave design advice and the Glass-House Community Led Design charity advised on how community engagement activities might be developed around the design of the farmhouse, and held a workshop to progress this further.
A community development officer was appointed in 2013 to set up outreach programmes in the nearby Craigmillar/ Niddrie and Inch/Moredun areas. The charity was awarded grants from
Historic Environment Scotland
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) ( gd, Àrainneachd Eachdraidheil Alba) is an executive non-departmental public body responsible for investigating, caring for and promoting Scotland's historic environment. HES was formed in 2015 from the mer ...
and the
City of Edinburgh Council
The City of Edinburgh Council is the local government authority for the city of Edinburgh, capital of Scotland. With a population of in mid-2019, it is the second most populous local authority area in Scotland.
In its current form, the counci ...
. In 2014 funding was obtained from the Growing Community Assets programme of the
Big Lottery Fund
The National Lottery Community Fund, legally named the Big Lottery Fund, is a non-departmental public body responsible for distributing funds raised by the National Lottery for "good causes". Since 2004 it has awarded over £9 billion to ...
(BLF) to scope and further develop this idea and prepare an application for major BLF funding.
The property was owned at this stage by the City of Edinburgh Council who in 2014 agreed to give Bridgend Inspiring Growth a years 'license to use' the property.
At that point weekly volunteer activity sessions started to transform the derelict site. The charity received grants towards community development work from City of Edinburgh Council and others.
In 2015 City of Edinburgh Council agreed to transfer the land and Bridgend Farmhouse to BIG for £1 in one of the first cases of urban
asset transfer in Scotland.
This was after the council had received 14 offers for the property, the highest being £215,000.
This transfer took place before the
Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015
The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament. The act is notable for expanding the Community Right to Buy established by the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 to include urban communities and for introducing ne ...
came into force in Scotland. The title deeds ensured that the land and building must, in perpetuity, always and only be used as a community centre for learning, eating and exercise.
In 2015 the charity received a grant of over £1 million from the Big Lottery Fund and further grants from the
Robertson Trust and
Historic Environment Scotland
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) ( gd, Àrainneachd Eachdraidheil Alba) is an executive non-departmental public body responsible for investigating, caring for and promoting Scotland's historic environment. HES was formed in 2015 from the mer ...
.
Bridgend farm opened as a community centre on 24 March 2018.
Restoration
The design was developed over years of consultation with BIG and the wider community. This involved community-led design workshops and focus group discussions.
The intention was a sympathetic restoration, reinstating traditional historic features such as the chimney stacks and sash and case windows. It included the addition of four community workshops which were built to look like traditional farm stable barns. The Farmhouse was kept true to its original structure, and many internal features such as timber roof beams, the window shutter panels, and original staircase and handrail being retained.
Malcolm Fraser
John Malcolm Fraser (; 21 May 1930 – 20 March 2015) was an Australian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983, holding office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia.
Fraser was raised on hi ...
was the architect of the Bridgend Farmhouse restoration, with the design completed by Malcolm Fraser Architects and delivered by Halliday Fraser Munro, The design team was completed by quantity surveyors David Adamson Group, structural engineers Elliot & Co, services engineer Harley Haddow and project manager Graham Harper. Cornhill Building Services were engaged as the main contractors and, with assistance from BIG volunteers in charring and cladding on the workshops, painting and decorating, and building and installing furniture and features, delivered the restored farmhouse to the project in late 2017.
In January 2019 the project was commended for a RIBA MacEwan Award in architecture for 'the common good'.
History of Bridgend Farmhouse is available at the Edinburgh Capital Collection
archiveand there is an extensive selection of interviews, recordings, photos and stories collected during the Place, Work, Folk community history project in 2017-2019 availabl
Aims
The project aims to expand opportunities for learning, healthy eating and exercise to people of all ages living in the nearby estates of
Craigmillar
Craigmillar ( gd, Creag a' Mhuilleir, IPA: ˆkʰʲɾʲekˈaˈvɯʎɪɾʲ, from the Gaelic ''Creag Maol Ard'', meaning 'High Bare Rock', is an area of Edinburgh, Scotland, about south east of the city centre, with Duddingston to the north and Ne ...
,
Niddrie,
Inch
Measuring tape with inches
The inch (symbol: in or ″) is a unit of length in the British imperial and the United States customary systems of measurement. It is equal to yard or of a foot. Derived from the Roman uncia ("twelfth") ...
,
Moredun
Moredun is a district in the south-east of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is east of Liberton, Edinburgh, Liberton, while Craigour is situated just to its north.
The estate of Gut-tres or Goodtrees was the family home of Sir James Stew ...
and surrounding area.
Specifically the project aims to advance:
* Development opportunities in the surrounding communities. Specifically it seeks to improve citizenship skills. It aims to provide opportunities for volunteers and to provide education and training in outdoor skills and improve understanding of the environment.
* Healthy living, promoting healthier lifestyle choices to improve physical and psychological health. It also aims to reduce social isolation by providing a welcoming social environment
* Understanding of the history of the area and its heritage.
* Equality of opportunity and promotion of diversity.
* Awareness and increased use of Craigmillar Castle park, and provide education about and increase awareness of biodiversity and protection of the environment.
Facilities
![Bridgend Bike Shed](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Bridgend_Bike_Shed.jpg)
Facilities on the site include:
* An outdoor education workshop
* A bicycle workshop
* An arts and crafts workshop
* A DIY workshop
* An exhibition/meeting room
* Outdoor stage and performance area
* A kitchen garden
*A mindfulness garden
*An eco-bothy
*An outdoor play area
* External barns
* A community café
*A training kitchen
Activities
Activities and projects include 'Place, Work, Folk' a local history project, which includes creating a collection of oral history recordings from local residents. There are two open volunteer activity sessions every Wednesday and Sunday which involve gardening, building, woodwork, landscaping, arts and crafts, cooking and other group activities. The café kitchen provides training courses which can lead to qualifications in The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS) Food Hygiene, and Health & Nutrition. Courses can be completed toward a Scottish Qualification Award (SQA) in ''Working With Others''. There is also a project called 'Real Fast Food' which involves preparing healthy locally grown food and delivering it to people who are unable to get out of their house, on an electric powered bike and trailer. There have been courses in crafts, such as lime mortar pointing and gardening.
Other courses have included "Making natural cosmetics", "Forest skills", and "Intergenerational storytelling" which created a book of shared stories.
There are regular community groups and classes, including a weekly singing group, craft club and woodwork club.
The project's Acorn Fund supports local people and groups with their own projects on site. These have included "Building a wormery", "Wood carving", "A singing group", "A seed library", "Film & media training for volunteers" and "Medicinal dhal workshops."
Partnerships
Bridgend Inspiring Growth has, or has had, collaborative partnerships with the following organisations:
Charitable organisations
* Patrick Geddes Centre
* Health in Mind
* Arts in Healthcare
* The Sorted Project
* Crisis
* The Welcoming
* Positive Realities
* The Real Junk Food Project Edinburgh
* Caring in Craigmillar
* Bingham 50+
* Bridgend Growing Communities
* Orchard Project
* Non-stuff Industries
* Teens Plus
* Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust
*
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a scientific centre for the study of plants, their diversity and conservation, as well as a popular tourist attraction. Founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants, today it occupies ...
* Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland
*Lone Fathers’ Edinburgh
Schools
*Castlebrae High School
*Niddrie Mill Primary School
Universities and Colleges
*Edinburgh College
*Newbattle Abbey College
*Edinburgh University
Others
*Power of Food Festival
*Volunteer Centre, Edinburgh
*
Cockburn Association
The Cockburn Association (Edinburgh's Civic Trust) is one of the world's oldest architectural conservation and urban planning monitoring organisations, founded in 1875.
The Scottish judge Henry Cockburn (1779–1854) was a prominent campaigner t ...
*Track Scotland
*Scottish Ecological Design Association
*Edinburgh City Council Local Area Coordination teams
Governance
In 2018 BIG became the first organisation in Scotland to transfer from a
Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) to a
Community Benefit Society with Charitable Status (CCBS). Under this model members buy shares to become part-owners of the land and project and each member has one vote. The first Community Share Issue in 2018 raised over £70,000 from 400 members and these members have rights to decide the future of the organisation, vote at the
AGM and advise on strategic direction and management.
BIG has a board of twelve trustees all of whom are volunteers. At least 50% of the Trustees must live within the area of benefit and no decision can be made at a Board level without a local majority being present.
The organisation has democratic structures which enable volunteers and members to direct the work of the project. There are four working groups which meet monthly; Buildings and Land, Activities and Events, Food, and Business. These are a monthly forum for volunteers to work together and make collective decisions.
Awards and recognition
In January 2019 the project was commended for a RIBA MacEwan Award in architecture for 'the common good'.
Bridgend Farmhouse was chosen as an example of good practice in the Scottish Government's 'A Connected Scotland; Strategy for tackling social isolation and loneliness and building stronger communities' 2018.
In June 2019 the project received a 'Special Commendation' in the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) Charity of the Year awards in the 'Celebrating Communities' category.
In 2020 the project won the Scottish Design Awards national Regeneration Award, the Edinburgh Architectural Association Wood Award, and the Voluntary Arts Scotland Epic Award for the Bridgend Eco-Bothy
In 2021 they received the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, and were shortlisted for the
Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum
SURF - Scotland's Regeneration Forum is the independent regeneration forum for Scotland. It seeks to improve regeneration policy and practice and works closely with policy-makers in the Scottish Government and its agencies. The organisation was ...
community-led regeneration award in 2020, and 2021.
References
{{Reflist
Further reading
* Speedy, Tom ''Guide to Craigmillar and its environs''. (1894) Selkirk, George Lewis and Son. p61
* Speedy, Tom ''Craigmillar and its environs''. (1902) Selkirk, George Lewis and Son. p213-215
* Geddie, John ''The Fringes of Edinburgh ( 1932 )'' Edinburgh, W & R Chambers.p129
External links
Bridgend Inspiring Growth websiteBridgend Farmhouse Video ArchiveOffice of the Scottish Charity Regulator:. Bridgend Inspiring Growth detailsRegistration of the society with the Financial Conducts Authority
Social centres in the United Kingdom
Charities based in the United Kingdom
Charities based in Edinburgh
Organisations based in Edinburgh
Tourist attractions in Edinburgh
Restaurants in Edinburgh
Community buyouts in Scotland