Kirkliston
Encyclopedia
Kirkliston is a village and civil parish
within the City of Edinburgh
in Scotland
. It sits on the historic route between Edinburgh and Queensferry, the gateway to Fife
and the north. Today, it is bypassed by the A90
. It lies close to the world-famous Forth Road Bridge
and Forth Rail Bridge, and is in proximity to Edinburgh Airport
.
Kirkliston was the location of the first recorded Parliament
in Scottish history; the Estates of Scotland met there in 1235, during the reign of Alexander II of Scotland
.
The oldest house in the village is "Castle House" which contains a marriage lintel dated 1683.
Until May 1975 Kirkliston was, for local government purposes, part of the old County of West Lothian
. Under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
it then became part of Lothian Region and the City of Edinburgh District. Further local government reorganisation in 1996 saw the village become part of the City of Edinburgh Council area. The City of Edinburgh Council has a small office in the village, as well running the library, primary school and leisure centre.
Kirkliston used to be well known for its Drambuie
liqueur
factory, but the factory re-located several years ago. There had also been a whisky distillery in the south of the village since 1795. In later years this became a malt factory. However, this too has now been demolished. Kirkliston therefore, may be referred to as a dormitory village.
. The station was located on a branch line from "Queensferry Junction" (near Ratho
on the Edinburgh-Glasgow main line) to Dalmeny
, which was opened in 1866. The line was extended from Dalmeny to Queensferry and Port Edgar
a few years later.
Kirkliston Station was closed to passengers by the London and North Eastern Railway
in 1930. Freight trains through Kirkliston ended in 1966 and the railway track was subsequently removed. There are still references to the station in the name of two streets. The old railway line has been converted into a cycle path.
Originally belonging to the order of Knights Templar
, the village was historically called Temple Liston.
Kirkliston Parish Church is a congregation of the Church of Scotland
(within the Presbytery of Edinburgh). Kirkliston parish also includes Edinburgh Airport
and the neighbouring community of Newbridge
. The present minister is Rev Margaret Lane, succeeding Rev Glenda Keating(1996-2008), who has now moved to the parishes of Craigie
and Symington
in Ayrshire
.
The manse dates from 1865.
The graveyard is of great antiquity. It contains the oldest dated stone in all the Lothian area - 1545 (distinguishing gravestones from memorials)Another interesting curiosity in the graveyard is the presence of a Gravestone dated 1727 that includes two carved heads wearing glasses. If the date on this headstone is accurate then this is the world's oldest depiction of glasses with sides.
Civil parishes in Scotland
In Scotland, parishes, as units of local government, were abolished by the Local Government Act 1929. The geographical area is sometimes still referred to, however, for statistical purposes....
within the City of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It sits on the historic route between Edinburgh and Queensferry, the gateway to Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
and the north. Today, it is bypassed by the A90
A90 road
The A90 road is a major north to south road in eastern Scotland, running from Edinburgh to Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire.From Edinburgh, it travels west and over the Forth Road Bridge, before turning into the M90 motorway. At Perth, the M90 again becomes the A90, now running north east to Dundee...
. It lies close to the world-famous Forth Road Bridge
Forth Road Bridge
The Forth Road Bridge is a suspension bridge in east central Scotland. The bridge, opened in 1964, spans the Firth of Forth, connecting the capital city Edinburgh, at South Queensferry, to Fife, at North Queensferry...
and Forth Rail Bridge, and is in proximity to Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport is located at Turnhouse in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, and was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2010, handling just under 8.6 million passengers in that year. It was also the sixth busiest airport in the UK by passengers and the fifth busiest by aircraft movements...
.
History
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...
in Scottish history; the Estates of Scotland met there in 1235, during the reign of Alexander II of Scotland
Alexander II of Scotland
Alexander II was King of Scots from1214 to his death.-Early life:...
.
The oldest house in the village is "Castle House" which contains a marriage lintel dated 1683.
Until May 1975 Kirkliston was, for local government purposes, part of the old County of West Lothian
West Lothian
West Lothian is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire....
. Under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
The Local Government Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in Scotland, on May 16, 1975....
it then became part of Lothian Region and the City of Edinburgh District. Further local government reorganisation in 1996 saw the village become part of the City of Edinburgh Council area. The City of Edinburgh Council has a small office in the village, as well running the library, primary school and leisure centre.
Kirkliston used to be well known for its Drambuie
Drambuie
Drambuie is a sweet, golden colored 80-proof liqueur made from malt whisky, honey, herbs, and spices.Produced in Broxburn, West Lothian, Scotland, it is served straight, on the rocks, or added to mixed drinks such as the Rusty Nail....
liqueur
Liqueur
A liqueur is an alcoholic beverage that has been flavored with fruit, herbs, nuts, spices, flowers, or cream and bottled with added sugar. Liqueurs are typically quite sweet; they are usually not aged for long but may have resting periods during their production to allow flavors to marry.The...
factory, but the factory re-located several years ago. There had also been a whisky distillery in the south of the village since 1795. In later years this became a malt factory. However, this too has now been demolished. Kirkliston therefore, may be referred to as a dormitory village.
"Cheesetown"
Kirkliston is often referred to with the nickname "Cheesetown". There are two principal theories for this. One suggestion is that it is due to an inscription mentioning cheese carved by Burns in a window of Castle House (the second oldest building, formerly an Inn). The most widely used explanation however is that when the Forth Bridge was being built, the workers who lodged in Kirkliston often had cheese sandwiches for lunch.Railway
Kirkliston had its own railway station, built by the North British RailwayNorth British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
. The station was located on a branch line from "Queensferry Junction" (near Ratho
Ratho
Ratho is a village and civil parish in the west of Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. It was formerly in the old county of Midlothian. Newbridge and Kirkliston are other villages in the area. The Union Canal passes through Ratho. Edinburgh Airport is situated only 4 miles ...
on the Edinburgh-Glasgow main line) to Dalmeny
Dalmeny
Dalmeny is a suburban village and civil parish in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located on the south side of the Firth of Forth, east-southeast of South Queensferry and west-northwest of central Edinburgh; it falls under the local governance of the City of Edinburgh Council.The name Dalmeny is...
, which was opened in 1866. The line was extended from Dalmeny to Queensferry and Port Edgar
Port Edgar
Port Edgar is a marina situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth immediately to the west of the southern end of the Forth Road Bridge in the town of South Queensferry, Scotland. In previous years it had been the site of HMS Lochinvar. In the inter war period Port Edgar was the a destroyer...
a few years later.
Kirkliston Station was closed to passengers by the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
in 1930. Freight trains through Kirkliston ended in 1966 and the railway track was subsequently removed. There are still references to the station in the name of two streets. The old railway line has been converted into a cycle path.
Parish church
The oldest surviving building in Kirkliston is the church (hence the first half of the village's name). Parts of this building are over 800 years of age. Many details are rare examples of late 12th century "Norman Transitional" architecture The building was remodelled in 1883 by R Rowand Anderson a prominent Edinburgh architect.Originally belonging to the order of Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
, the village was historically called Temple Liston.
Kirkliston Parish Church is a congregation of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
(within the Presbytery of Edinburgh). Kirkliston parish also includes Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport is located at Turnhouse in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, and was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2010, handling just under 8.6 million passengers in that year. It was also the sixth busiest airport in the UK by passengers and the fifth busiest by aircraft movements...
and the neighbouring community of Newbridge
Newbridge, Edinburgh
Newbridge is a suburb of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is south of Kirkliston. Newbridge had a total population of 1,013 at the 2001 Census.-Local amenities:...
. The present minister is Rev Margaret Lane, succeeding Rev Glenda Keating(1996-2008), who has now moved to the parishes of Craigie
Craigie
-Places:Australia*Craigie, Western Australia, a suburb of PerthScotland*Craigie, Ayrshire, a small village in East Ayrshire,*Craigie Castle, Ayrshire*Scottish feudal Barony of Craigie, a feudal barony in Dundee-People:...
and Symington
Symington, South Ayrshire
Symington is a conservation village in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located in Symington Parish, covering 0.41sq Km, and lies close to the A77 road from Ayr to Glasgow...
in Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
.
The manse dates from 1865.
The graveyard is of great antiquity. It contains the oldest dated stone in all the Lothian area - 1545 (distinguishing gravestones from memorials)Another interesting curiosity in the graveyard is the presence of a Gravestone dated 1727 that includes two carved heads wearing glasses. If the date on this headstone is accurate then this is the world's oldest depiction of glasses with sides.