Greenhill, Edinburgh
Greenhillis a small area ofEdinburgh,the capital ofScotland. Situated south of the city centre, Greenhill is normally taken to be part ofBruntsfield,which skirts it to the north. Greenhill bordersMarchmontandThe Grangeto the east,Morningsideto the south, andMerchiston,beyondHoly Corner,to the west. It comprises a mixture ofGeorgianandVictorianvillas and sometenementhousing.
History[edit]
The name derives from the former estate of Greenhill, which was one of the original lots purchased when the EdinburghmagistratesfeuedtheBurgh Muirin 1586. The owner was Thomas Aikenhead, an Edinburgh merchant. Two further lots were later added to the original portion of Greenhill, including the ground that became known asBurghmuirhead,and sold to separate owners, one of whom was William Rig. Aikenhead was a skinner (glover) by occupation and held the positions of councillor,bailieandDean of Guild.In 1636, the estate was sold to John Livingston, an Edinburghapothecarywhose family had become connected to the Aikenheads by marriage. His wife, Elizabeth Rig, appears to have been a relation of William Rig above.[1]
Famous Residents[edit]
- Robert McVitie(1854-1910) creator of McVitie's Biscuits lived at 12 Greenhill Gardens[2]
- Ron Flockhart (racing driver)(1923-1962) won Le Mans twice driving Jaguar D-Types (1956 and 1957) for the Edinburgh-based Ecurie Ecosse team. He and his parents lived at 8 Greenhill Gardens. He raced in Formula 1, was a test driver for Connaught and BRM teams and also an aviation man who flew his own aircraft to races. He was killed at Kallista on the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia in 1962 while preparing for his second attempt at the Sydney to London record for a single engined aircraft. He became lost in fog and slammed into the Dandenong Ranges, dying instantly.
Historical Features[edit]
A stone carving depicting the former manor house may still be seen on the wall of a tenement house at the corner of Bruntsfield Place and Bruntsfield Gardens.
A walled, roofless structure rebuilt some time after 1894 is the mausoleum of John Livingstone,[3]anapothecaryand formerlairdof the estate. It was paid for by his widow Elizabeth Rig. It stood in the grounds of the manor house before its demolition and is now situated adjacent to a smaller privateVictorianvilla. A tombstone carries the date 1645.[4]The roughly square area contains an information plaque, memorial bench, and plants. Its continued existence was the subject of a bitter legal dispute after the villa changed ownership.[5]
Parking[edit]
In 2006 the Greenhill area was brought into the "S2" (southern zone 2)controlled parking zone,making the majority of roadside parking available only to residents payingCouncil Taxand purchasing a permit. This was done in conjunction with an expansion of the controlled parking zone across the city (seetransport in Edinburgh).
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^W Mair, Historic Morningside, Edinburgh 1947, p.7-8
- ^Edinburgh Post Office directory 1909
- ^Historic Environment Scotland."CHAMBERLAIN ROAD, TOMB OF JOHN LIVINGSTONE (Category C Listed Building) (LB26960)".Retrieved18 March2019.
- ^RCAHMS record for the Livingstone Mausoleum
- ^Edinburgh Evening News article: "Facelift as land-feud garden prepares to reopen to public", 25 September 2006After a lengthy campaign by local residents and localMSPMike Pringlein 2009, it was confirmed by theLands Tribunal for Scotlandto be owned by theCity of Edinburgh Council.Edinburgh Evening News article: "Couple lose legal fight over ownership of historic tomb", 4 February 2009
External links[edit]
- Merchiston Community Council(which covers Greenhill)
- Google Maps
