Muirhouse
Encyclopedia
Muirhouse is a district in Edinburgh
, the capital of Scotland
. It is west of Granton
and the housing estates of East Pilton
and West Pilton
, and East of Davidsons Mains. It is bounded to the south by Ferry Road
and to the East by Pennywell Road.
The name Muirhouse originally referred to a mansion built on Marine Drive in 1832 for the Davidson family, who were wealthy merchants trading in Rotterdam. The modern residential area of Muirhouse was built in the 1950s as a council estate, though since the mid-1980s some of the housing has also been privately owned.
The predominant feature of the area is the 22 storey tower block Martello Court, which accommodates 88 flats. Other high rise blocks in the area include Birnies Court, Fidra Court, Gunnet Court and Inchmickery Court amongst others.
The area is generally regarded as one of the more deprived districs of Edinburgh, with anti social behaviour and drug use major problems. However in recent years major redevelopment of the area has started. Martello Court, which was once seen as the centre of Muirhouse's social problems has been refurbished and now affords a better reputation. Much of the area's low-mid rise housing has been, or is set to be demolished as part of the City Council's plan to provide 1100 new council houses in some of the city's most deprived estates.
The Muirhouse Housing Association is involved in redevelopment work.
Craigroyston Community High School is a secondary comprehensive school located in Muirhouse on Pennywell Road. The main churches are St Andrew's Church (Muirhouse parish church) a Church of Scotland
"church extension" charge, and St Paul's Church, a Roman Catholic congregation with connections to the Salesians of Don Bosco
.
The novelist Irvine Welsh
grew up in Muirhouse, as did Gordon Strachan
.
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...
, the capital of 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 is west of Granton
Granton, Edinburgh
Granton is a district in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland. Granton forms part of Edinburgh's waterfront along the Firth of Forth and is, historically, an industrial area having a large harbour. Granton is part of Edinburgh's large scale waterfront regeneration programme.-Name:Granton first appears...
and the housing estates of East Pilton
East Pilton
East Pilton is a housing estate in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is north of Ferry Road, west of Granton and east of West Pilton and Muirhouse.Built as council housing in the 1930s, to help in the clearance of slum properties from the city centre, the estate comprises mostly two- and three-story blocks...
and West Pilton
West Pilton
West Pilton is a housing estate in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is north of Ferry Road, east of Muirhouse, and immediately west of East Pilton and then Granton....
, and East of Davidsons Mains. It is bounded to the south by Ferry Road
Ferry Road
Ferry Road is one of the major roads of Edinburgh, Scotland, and is often referred to as an area in its own right. It runs from the eastern end of Davidson's Mains village in the west, to Leith in the east, passing through Goldenacre on the way....
and to the East by Pennywell Road.
The name Muirhouse originally referred to a mansion built on Marine Drive in 1832 for the Davidson family, who were wealthy merchants trading in Rotterdam. The modern residential area of Muirhouse was built in the 1950s as a council estate, though since the mid-1980s some of the housing has also been privately owned.
The predominant feature of the area is the 22 storey tower block Martello Court, which accommodates 88 flats. Other high rise blocks in the area include Birnies Court, Fidra Court, Gunnet Court and Inchmickery Court amongst others.
The area is generally regarded as one of the more deprived districs of Edinburgh, with anti social behaviour and drug use major problems. However in recent years major redevelopment of the area has started. Martello Court, which was once seen as the centre of Muirhouse's social problems has been refurbished and now affords a better reputation. Much of the area's low-mid rise housing has been, or is set to be demolished as part of the City Council's plan to provide 1100 new council houses in some of the city's most deprived estates.
The Muirhouse Housing Association is involved in redevelopment work.
Craigroyston Community High School is a secondary comprehensive school located in Muirhouse on Pennywell Road. The main churches are St Andrew's Church (Muirhouse parish church) a 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....
"church extension" charge, and St Paul's Church, a Roman Catholic congregation with connections to the Salesians of Don Bosco
Salesians of Don Bosco
The Salesians of Don Bosco is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in the late nineteenth century by Saint John Bosco in an attempt, through works of charity, to care for the young and poor children of the industrial revolution...
.
The novelist Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh is a contemporary Scottish novelist, best known for his novel Trainspotting. His work is characterised by raw Scottish dialect, and brutal depiction of the realities of Edinburgh life...
grew up in Muirhouse, as did Gordon Strachan
Gordon Strachan
Gordon David Strachan OBE is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is currently without a club, having last managed Middlesbrough. Strachan played for Dundee, Aberdeen, Manchester United, Leeds United and Coventry City, as well as the Scotland national team. Prior to Middlesbrough,...
.