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eventually taken over by the local authority just before World War II, after which the house served variously as a fireman's hostel and hostel for homeless women until it became disused in 1970. Following two devastating fires it was virtually razed to the ground, but, with the help of grant aid, was meticulously rebuilt in 1984. Various 19th-century additions were removed to return its exterior to its original form of 1710. At this stage (no original interior remaining) it was divided into 6 flats, and new houses were built between it and
Bonnington Road. At roughly the same time a huge railway embankment, which used to enclose the park on its west and north sides, was flattened.
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The course of the railway line, which closed in 1955, is still discernable around the edge of Pilrig Park (formerly running behind Pilrig House) in the form of a strip of "no-mans-land" but the large embankment was largely flattened in the early 1980s. At the same time the railway bridges, carrying
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in the late 17th century. As part of the Treaty of Union, landed investors were reimbursed in full in 1707. The
Balfour family profited from this and became local entrepreneurs, running, amongst other things, a local stagecoach service. Robert Balfour bought Pilrig House in 1709 with the proceeds,
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Pilrig House, built in 1638 for
Gilbert Kirkwood, appears to have been built at the fort's SW corner. Stonework in the basement walls suggest that the remains of a peel tower, from which the name Pilrig may derive, are incorporated in the house. The Balfour family were involved financially in the
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Historically, Pilrig was the point where passengers were forced to disembark to change from Leith's electrified tram system to
Edinburgh's cable tram system. This inconvenience was known as the "Pilrig Muddle" and existed until the late 1920s when Edinburgh electrified its system. The tram was
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to buyers. In 1920, when
Edinburgh absorbed the formerly independent Leith, the remaining ground was part of the agreed "settlement" to be given to Leith as a public park. However, this did not fully materialise until the death of the remaining spinster sisters who lived in the house. It was
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Stevenson, with Lewis later changed to Louis). Stevenson would undoubtedly be very familiar with this house. The house is directly referred to in
Stevenson's "Catriona" ( a plaque on the building refers to this) and may also be the inspiration for the "House of Shaws" in
411:. It was originally housed in a temporary building south of its current site. The current church was designed by Peddie & Kinnear and completed in 1863. An earlier church existed on the opposite side of the street designed by architect
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the railway a storey above road level, were removed at the
Bonnington Road/ Newhaven Road junction and Jane Street/Leith Walk junction. The embankment still survives on the north edge of the industrial estate next to Steads Place.
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Although there are no defined boundaries, the area is generally accepted to include Pilrig Street, Pilrig Park, Balfour Street, Springfield, Dryden Street and Stead's Place. The Pilrig
Conservation Area, created in 2013 by the
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near North
Berwick. Philip had been hung at the Mercat Cross on the Royal Mile, but his body was then placed in the gibbet cage at Pilrig, while his head was placed on a pike at the entrance to Haddington.
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A gibbet existed in the locality for many centuries. It was sited somewhere between the current junction of Pilrig Street and Leith Walk and
Shrubhill House to the south. Infamous victims included
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and remodelled the house at that time. The house and estate remained in their possession until the 20th century, their name being recalled by Balfour Street, which links the park to Leith Walk.
208:(also the old division between Edinburgh and Leith hence the name of the bar opposite being originally the Boundary Bar, then City Limits and now known simply as "the Boundary").
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DD (1821-1908) was minister of Pilrig Church 1868 to 1895 (when it was a Free Church) and a pioneer photographer from 1843. He lived at the manse on Pilrig Street.
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who was a member in the congregation. The land was gifted (and much of the cost paid) by the Balfours of Pilrig House. The 46m spire is a local landmark.
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Along the north-east side of Pilrig Street lies Pilrig Park, within which is Pilrig House, the heart of the former estate of the Balfour family.
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appears immediately east of the fort. The archaeological finds are said to be a unique example of 16th century artillery siege works in the UK.
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The houses in the area are widely varied, with terraced cottages and larger villas alongside tenements, variously from the
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periods, and a substantial number of 20th century flats and industrial-unit conversions. Inchkeith Court is a
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The area features a variety of tree species thanks to the number of private gardens and public green spaces.
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which is indicated at this location in the Petworth Map, the contemporary map of the area at the time of the
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plus the service 11 on Pilrig Street. The area is also served at its eastern edge by the new Balfour Street
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Pilrig Church was one of the largest and most impressive churches built for the Free Church after the
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in 1680, and Philip Stanfield in 1688 for the murder of his uncle Sir James Stanfield at
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is located at the west end of Pilrig Street, at the junction of Broughton Road.
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The area is wholly encapsulated within the Leith Walk council ward, the
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situated alongside Spey Terrace. Shaw's Lane contains Edinburgh's first
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excavations in 2006 revealed evidence of an ancient fort thought to be
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One inhabitant of the house was Margaret Balfour, mother of
546:"Significant Clue to Leith's History Found in Pilrig Park"
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on Leith Walk, which opened to passengers in June 2023.
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The Pilrig Park Primary School caters for children with
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Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh, by Colin McWilliam
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Rev Dr George Macaulay DD (b.1861) from 1898 to 1938
51:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
327:to the west, Hopetoun and Shrubhill to the south,
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591:. The City of Edinburgh Council. 8 August 2013
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487:"The Derivation of Edinburgh's Street Names"
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617:. Edinburgh Evening News. 31 October 2020
574:Grant's Old and New Edinburgh vol.2 p.281
371:Scottish Parliament constituency and the
111:Learn how and when to remove this message
585:"The Pilrig Conservation Area Appraisal"
387:Pilrig is still well served by buses on
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127:The Pilrig area from the Calton Hill
49:adding citations to reliable sources
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652:News about Pilrig on Greener Leith
462:songwriter, lived on Pilrig Street
320:roughly uses this classification.
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270:", an association it shares with
637:Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh
449:(1777-1860) born in Pilrig House
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151:Georgian houses on Pilrig Street
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635:Gifford, McWilliam and Walker,
331:to the east and other areas of
36:needs additional citations for
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514:"The Placenames of Midlothian"
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237:in 1560 and on which the name
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855:Edinburgh's Old and New Towns
589:The City of Edinburgh Council
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16:Suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland
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375:UK Parliament constituency.
369:Edinburgh Northern and Leith
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384:replaced by buses in 1956.
193:Pilrig lies midway between
159:Cambridge Avenue, Edinburgh
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373:Edinburgh North and Leith
318:City of Edinburgh Council
1470:55.9647611°N 3.1794194°W
939:Hillside and Calton Hill
468:lived at Shrubhill House
362:Additional Support Needs
323:The area is bordered by
418:Notable ministers are:
249:expedition to colonise
197:and Edinburgh, west of
167:Pilrig manse, Edinburgh
1475:55.9647611; -3.1794194
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657:Friends of Pilrig Park
615:Edinburgh Evening News
423:William Garden Blaikie
259:Robert Louis Stevenson
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454:James Calder Macphail
430:James Calder Macphail
261:(fully, Robert Lewis
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45:improve this article
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1494:Areas of Edinburgh
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526:on 27 August 2011
440:Notable residents
216:Rosebank Cemetery
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101:December 2011
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62: –
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56:Find sources:
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34:This article
32:
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23:
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19:
1461:3°10′45.91″W
1451:
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1383:East Lothian
1350:Silverknowes
1285:Dean Village
1260:Corstorphine
1098:Fairmilehead
984:Prestonfield
819:
745:Craigentinny
703:) urban area
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619:. Retrieved
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593:. Retrieved
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549:. Retrieved
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528:. Retrieved
521:the original
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495:. Retrieved
491:the original
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413:David Cousin
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135:Pilrig House
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43:Please help
38:verification
35:
18:
1473: /
1412:Monktonhall
1394:Musselburgh
1360:Stockbridge
1330:Murrayfield
1300:East Craigs
1255:Comely Bank
1193:The Calders
1073:Clovenstone
959:Morningside
914:Dumbiedykes
894:Burdiehouse
889:Bruntsfield
884:Braid Hills
874:Alnwickhill
800:Mountcastle
780:Leith Docks
760:Easter Road
755:Duddingston
750:Craigmillar
621:17 December
595:17 December
530:3 September
497:3 September
348:tower block
272:Cammo House
1440:See also:
1419:Stoneybank
1355:South Gyle
1320:Inverleith
1310:Gracemount
1305:Goldenacre
1275:Crewe Toll
1265:Craigleith
1250:Clermiston
1240:Canonmills
1211:North West
1143:Murrayburn
1138:Merchiston
1128:Kingsknowe
1063:Broomhouse
1032:South West
1009:The Grange
994:Southhouse
964:Mortonhall
919:Fernieside
863:South East
834:Willowbrae
825:Portobello
810:Northfield
795:Meadowbank
730:Bonnington
709:North East
701:settlement
473:References
460:Lady Nairn
389:Leith Walk
329:Leith Walk
325:Bonnington
296:Major Weir
199:Leith Walk
184:peel tower
71:newspapers
1425:Wallyford
1408:Levenhall
1399:Fisherrow
1370:Warriston
1345:Ravelston
1325:Muirhouse
1232:Blackhall
1188:Stenhouse
1183:Slateford
1178:Sighthill
1133:Longstone
1118:Greenhill
1014:Tollcross
999:Southside
974:Newington
949:Marchmont
934:Haymarket
929:Greenbank
924:Gilmerton
899:Canongate
879:Blackford
830:Restalrig
815:Piershill
790:Magdalene
740:Brunstane
735:Broughton
720:Abbeyhill
697:Edinburgh
393:tram stop
379:Transport
344:Victorian
311:Geography
298:in 1670,
268:Kidnapped
176:Edinburgh
1488:Category
1404:Inveresk
1335:Newhaven
1290:Drumbrae
1222:Balgreen
1168:Saughton
1163:Roseburn
1158:Polwarth
1153:Parkhead
1103:Firrhill
1078:Colinton
1053:Bankhead
1043:Baberton
1019:West End
1004:The Inch
989:Sciennes
979:Old Town
969:New Town
944:Liberton
909:Comiston
551:7 August
340:Georgian
239:Pelrygge
180:Scotland
60:"Pilrig"
1365:Trinity
1315:Granton
1270:Cramond
1236:Boswall
1227:Barnton
1173:Shandon
1148:Oxgangs
1068:Chesser
1048:Balerno
954:Moredun
805:Niddrie
785:Lochend
725:Bingham
452:Rev Dr
428:Rev Dr
263:Balfour
245:failed
222:History
85:scholar
1416:Pinkie
1340:Pilton
1295:Drylaw
1113:Gorgie
1083:Currie
1058:Bonaly
820:Pilrig
251:Panama
247:Darién
172:Pilrig
87:
80:
73:
66:
58:
1245:Cammo
1093:Dalry
775:Leith
770:Joppa
524:(PDF)
517:(PDF)
333:Leith
283:feued
195:Leith
92:JSTOR
78:books
623:2020
597:2020
553:2012
532:2012
499:2012
445:Rev
342:and
274:and
64:news
201:.
47:by
1490::
613:.
587:.
364:.
354:.
278:.
190:.
699:(
688:e
681:t
674:v
625:.
599:.
555:.
534:.
501:.
266:"
114:)
108:(
103:)
99:(
89:·
82:·
75:·
68:·
41:.
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