Inverleith (
Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...
: ''Inbhir Lìte'') is an inner suburb in the north of
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, on the fringes of the central region of the city. Its neighbours include
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...
to the north and the
New Town
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
to the south, with
Canonmills at the south-east and
Stockbridge at the south-west.
Like many places in and around
Lothian and Edinburgh, the name comes from
Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...
– ''Inbhir Lìte'', meaning "Mouth of
Leith
Leith (; gd, Lìte) is a port area in the north of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith. In 2021, it was ranked by '' Time Out'' as one of the top five neighbourhoods to live in the world.
The earliest ...
", as with Inverness, meaning mouth of the River Ness. Some documents refer to the area as "Inner Leith".
It is characterised by its wealth of open green space. The
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Inverleith Park, in addition to the numerous playing fields owned and used by the
independent schools Edinburgh Academy,
Fettes College,
Stewart's Melville College and
George Heriot's
George Heriot's School is a Scottish Independent school (United Kingdom), independent primary education, primary and secondary education, secondary day school on Lauriston Place in the Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. In the ...
. The Royal Botanic Gardens' nursery garden, for growing and cultivating plants, is also located here. Within Inverleith there are very few shops and offices, and it is almost entirely residential and recreational in character.
Today Inverleith is home to houses often being sold considerably in excess of one million pounds sterling. These include Scotland's most expensive penthouses, selling for £1.5m, and a recently renovated villa, which sold for over two million pounds sterling. The houses are generally handsome and spacious
Victorian
Victorian or Victorians may refer to:
19th century
* Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign
** Victorian architecture
** Victorian house
** Victorian decorative arts
** Victorian fashion
** Victorian literature ...
or
Georgian
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
villas with two or three floors, garages and quite large gardens. The residents tend to be employed in professions in central Edinburgh. It is convenient for such workers, as it lies only a mile and a half from the centre. Being on grounds slightly higher than the centre, it commands views of the Edinburgh skyline, including
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...
and
Arthur's Seat. It has one of the lowest crime rates in the city and is a designated
conservation area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
.
[Inverleith Conservation Area Character Appraisal](_blank)
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 ...
Within the area are
Fettes College, an independent boarding school, and the
state-run Broughton High School.
Edinburgh Academy, an independent day school, is nearby in the north of the New Town.
The area gives its name to the
Inverleith ward under 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 ...
created in 2007, but this encompasses a larger territory including Stockbridge,
Comely Bank and more westerly neighbourhoods such as
Blackhall,
Craigleith
Craigleith ( gd, Creag Lìte) is a small island in the Firth of Forth off North Berwick in East Lothian, Scotland. Its name comes from the Scottish Gaelic ''Creag Lìte'' meaning "rock of Leith". It is at its highest point.
Geography and geolo ...
and
Drylaw
Drylaw is an area in the north west of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, located between Blackhall and Granton. It forms the community of Drylaw–Telford. Drylaw used to belong to the younger branch of the Foresters of Corstorphine. Former ...
.
Early proprietors
![Union House](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Union_House.jpg)
Inverleith was for over two centuries owned by the
Rocheid (sometimes spelt Rochead) family. It changed hands when a co-heiress, Mary (d. 1749) married
Sir Francis Kinloch, 3rd Baronet
Sir Francis Kinloch of Gilmerton, 3rd Baronet (23 June 1676 – 2 March 1747) was a Scottish landowner.
Early life
Kinloch was the son and heir of Sir Francis Kinloch, 2nd Baronet, of Gilmerton, and Mary Leslie, daughter of David Leslie, 1st Lord ...
, of Gilmerton (1676–1747). Their son Alexander (d. 1755) inherited the entire Inverleith estates, and changed his surname to become Alexander Rocheid of Inverleith. Alexander and his descendants spent most of their time in Germany, and the Inverleith estate was leased. In 1774,
Inverleith House was built, to designs by the architect David Henderson. Alexander's son James Rocheid of Inverleith leased Inverleith Mains at the beginning of the 19th century to George Lauder (1776–1824), Comptroller of the City of Edinburgh's Tolls, and the great-grandfather of Sir
Harry Lauder.
Parks and gardens
![Palmhouse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Palmhouse.jpg)
In late 1823, George Lauder, described as the tenant farmer of Inverleith Mains, agreed with James Rocheid of Inverleith to a reversion of part of his leasehold lands, 11.5
Scots acre
A Scottish or Scots acre () was a land measurement used in Scotland. It was standardised in 1661. When the Weights and Measures Act of 1824 was implemented the English System was standardised into the Imperial System and Imperial acres were impos ...
s, for the site of the
Royal Botanic Garden, which had formerly been located on
Leith Walk
Leith Walk is one of the longest streets in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is the main road connecting the centre of the city to Leith. Forming most of the A900 road, it slopes downwards from Picardy Place at the south-western end of the street to the ...
. Commonly known as "The Botanics", the new site was opened in May 1824, comprising a large and varied set of gardens or parks with a wide range of plants, from around the world, in the open and in greenhouses. There is a Chinese-themed garden, an extensive landscaped rock garden, a large palm house, and since its opening in July 2006, an official memorial of
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was the l ...
, opened by
Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to:
Queens regnant
* Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland
* Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022 ...
. It is maintained as a very popular tourist attraction, local leisure amenity, and scientific research centre.
![Inverleith Park, Edinburgh](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Inverleith_Park%2C_Edinburgh.JPG)
In 1889 the city acquired South Inverleith Mains Farm from the Rocheid family to create Inverleith Park, adjacent to the Royal Botanic Gardens.
This includes
allotments and a well maintained pond, popular for use by model boat enthusiasts and well populated with water birds and occasionally kingfishers. The park also the site of French boule (
pétanque) competitions.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
,
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
and
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
matches are played there as well. There are also
tennis
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...
and
volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
courts maintained by Edinburgh Council and a safe play area for toddlers.
The park has hosted the Edinburgh International Science Festival, and is also used as a viewing area for fireworks set off over central Edinburgh. Inverleith Park also plays host to an annual Foodies Festival.
In early 2018, the Kinloch Anderson Sundial that was originally gifted to the City of Edinburgh in 1890, was restored as the result of an approach from the Friends of Inverleith Park to Kinloch Anderson. The company restored the sundial to mark its 150th anniversary.
The park has also played host as a shooting location for feature films such as ''
Chariots of Fire'' and ''Dark Sense''.
Sport
A former home of the
Scotland national rugby union team, the
Inverleith Sports Ground (hosting international matches from 1899 until 1925 when they moved to
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium (known as BT Murrayfield Stadium for sponsorship reasons, or popularly as Murrayfield) is a Rugby stadium located in the Murrayfield area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It has a seating capacity of 67,144 making it the largest sta ...
) is located off Ferry Road and is today used by
Stewarts Melville RFC
Stewart's Melville RFC is a rugby union club based in Edinburgh, Scotland. They team competes in Scottish National League Division One, the second tier of Scottish club rugby. Home matches are played at Inverleith; this was the venue for Scotla ...
.
Stewart's Melville Inverleith Sports Field
Tim's 92
In addition to some public facilities in Inverleith Park itself, the wider area contains a large expanse of separate but almost contiguous sports grounds, most of which are associated to local, historic fee-paying schools like the Edinburgh Academy, Fettes College and Stewart's Melville College (plus those of modern Broughton High School), including the home grounds of Edinburgh Accies (at Raeburn Place
Raeburn Place is the main street of the suburb of Stockbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland, and the name of the playing fields there.
Rugby
The first ever international rugby football game was played on the playing fields at Raeburn Place on 27 Ma ...
), Edinburgh Northern RFC and Inverleith RFC
Inverleith Rugby Football Club is a rugby union side currently playing in the having been promoted in the season 2012–13. They play in Inverleith at Arboretum Row in the north of Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the ca ...
, as well as The Grange Club, home of the Scotland national cricket team.
Notable residents
* James Black, clergyman
* William Bryson FRSE, electrical engineer
* William Charles, trader
* Daniel Ellis, botanist
*Cosmo Innes
Cosmo Nelson Innes FRSE (9 September 1798 – 31 July 1874) was a Scottish advocate, judge, historian and antiquary. He served as Advocate-Depute, Sheriff of Elginshire, and Principal Clerk of Session.
He was a skilled decipherer of ancient S ...
, lawyer and historian
*Horatio McCulloch
Horatio McCulloch (November 1805 – 24 June 1867), sometimes written MacCulloch or M'Culloch, was a Scottish landscape painter.
Life
He was born in Glasgow in November 1805 the son of Alexander McCulloch, a cotton merchant, and his wife, Ma ...
, artist
*Alexander Martin
Alexander Martin (October 17, 1740November 2, 1807) was the fourth and seventh Governor of North Carolina from 1782 to 1784 and from 1789 to 1792. As a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Martin is considered a Founding Father ...
, clergyman and academic
*Thomas Hugh Milroy
Thomas Hugh Milroy FRSE (1869 – 20 March 1950) was a Scottish physiologist and organic chemist.
Life
He was born in Kirkcowan in Wigtownshire, the eldest son of Annie and John Milroy. His parents moved to 8 Salisbury Road in Edinburgh in the 18 ...
, physicist and chemist
*James Pillans
James Pillans FRSE (1778–1864) was a Scottish classical scholar and educational reformer. He is credited with inventing the blackboard, but more correctly was the inventor of coloured chalk.
Early life
The son of James Pillans, he was bor ...
, scholar
*Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...
, author
*Freya Mavor
Freya Mavor (born 13 August 1993) is a Scottish actress and model. She is best known for her roles as Mini McGuinness in the E4 teen drama '' Skins'' and Daria Greenock in the HBO finance drama series ''Industry''.
Early life
Mavor was born i ...
, actress and model
References
Bibliography
* ''The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh'', by Harold R Fletcher and William H Brown, HMSO
The Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) is the body responsible for the operation of His Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO) and of other public information services of the United Kingdom. The OPSI is part of the National Archives of the Un ...
, Edinburgh, 1970,
{{Parks and gardens in Edinburgh
Areas of Edinburgh
Parks and commons in Edinburgh