| The Story of Leith On the Firth of Forth near to | | | | Lestalric family who were Normans invited into |
| Scotland's Capital city is the Port of Leith. Not a large | | | | Scotland by David I and they built a castle at Lochend |
| Port by international standards but despite this one of | | | | giving the district around it the name in later years |
| the most famous ports not only in Scotland but also in | | | | Restalrig. This family died out in 1382 and passed onto |
| the United Kingdom. Within its small compass the story | | | | the Logan family until 1609 when James VI disinherited |
| of Scotland can be told. It has seen war and death, | | | | the Logan family for high treason. After which it was |
| times of plague, battles on the Forth, Kings and | | | | held by the Balmerino family until 1746 which because |
| Queens of Scotland, days of high adventure, the | | | | of their adherence to the Jacobite cause (ie |
| Reformation of the Church of Scotland started here | | | | supporters of the Stewart cause to claim the throne |
| and was completed in Leith in 1560 decided on the | | | | of Great Britain) Lord Balmerino was not only |
| battle field between Leith and Edinburgh at the Siege | | | | disinherited but was beheaded for treason. Leith was |
| of Leith, it has seen Trials for Witchcraft, The Knight | | | | passed to Lord Murray until the 1920's when all the |
| Templars (Crusaders) and the Knights of St John from | | | | remaining land at Restalrig and Lochend was passed |
| Torphican, The Industrial Revolution which brought | | | | to the Edinburgh Council.The main trades in the past |
| wealth to a few and misery to the many (the industrial | | | | were Shipbuilding, the Wine Trade, flour milling, biscuit |
| Revolution was the period from the late 18th century | | | | making, rope making and the Timber Trade. In Leith |
| to throughout the 19th century which saw people | | | | Ramage and Fergusons, Hawthorns did shipbuilding. |
| move from the countryside into the large towns and | | | | Cran and Somerville, Robb and Mortons. Rope making |
| cities to find work in the new factories driven by the | | | | was done at the Roperie at Salmander St. Along with |
| newly invented steam engines, it also seen the | | | | these was sugar refining and Glass making.So how did |
| development of steam trains, the replacement of | | | | Leith become the Principal Port for Scotland? This |
| wooden hull ships by steam ships (eg the Sirius which | | | | happened in 1296. Edward I of England realised that |
| was built in Leith in the 19th century was the first | | | | the only way to defeat the Scots was by destroying |
| steamship to cross the Atlantic), the list of famous | | | | the economy of the country. At this time wool from |
| people and events in the history of Leith is endless. So | | | | the Border Abbeys such as Melrose and Kelso was |
| where to begin the Story....Imagine in you minds eye a | | | | exported to the Low Countries (Belgium and Holland |
| river running through a thick forest. Within the forest | | | | which were part of what was called the Hanseatic |
| are deer, wolves, foxes, bears and the Great Elk. On | | | | League) through Berwick. So in 1296 Berwick was |
| the banks of the river is a small village of the Votandini | | | | destroyed, something like 7-9000 people were killed, |
| these are a Celtic people who covered their bodies in | | | | and the trade was destroyed. The monks had a |
| Tattoos from head to foot. In battle they would cut of | | | | problem, which was solved by putting the wool on the |
| the heads of their enemies and drill holes in the skull | | | | backs of horses over the hills, up the Old Dalkeith road, |
| (Trepanning) after which they were buried around | | | | around Arthur Seat, and into Leith and so from 1296 to |
| sacred wells. The idea was that the spirits of the dead | | | | 1707 Leith was the Principal Port for Scotland. In 1707 |
| warriors would protect the sacred wells from evil | | | | due to Union of Parliaments Glasgow gradually |
| spirits because in Celtic Mythology the wells were | | | | superseded Leith due to the Clyde being deeper and |
| gateways to the other world. The world of Ghosts | | | | because of Trade with North America.Some dates of |
| and spirits such as the earth spirits, the spirits of the | | | | importance:AD 80 Agricola marches through Leith |
| nature. This was Leith almost 3000 years ago before | | | | from InvereskAD 208 The Emperor Severus |
| the Romans ever saw our district long before the | | | | encamps at CramondAD 1128 David I founds |
| district was ever called Leith. Near to the village was a | | | | HolyroodAD 1296 The Abbot of Holyrood. Sir John de |
| clearing in the forest and the people decided to hack a | | | | Lestalric, and the Parson of Restalrig swear fealty to |
| path from the village to the clearing and the clearing | | | | Edward IAD 1314 Edward II camps on Leith Links |
| became the village Graveyard. The path from the | | | | before BannockburnAD 1335 The English occupy |
| village to the clearing became in time the "Kirkgate" | | | | LeithAD 1434 James I builds the Kings Wark (Armoury |
| and for centuries chapels were built along the Kirkgate. | | | | for Scotland)AD 1493 Robert Ballantyne Abbot of |
| The Graveyard in time became the Churchyard of | | | | Holyrood builds St Ninians Church. This later becomes |
| South Leith Parish Church. It is known from | | | | North Leith Parish ChurchAD 1511 The Great Michael |
| archaeology that South Leith Parish Church sits on an | | | | launched at Newhaven (this was the Largest warship |
| ancient Celtic sacred site.The name Leith itself comes | | | | of the Tudor age)AD 1544/47 Leith burnt on the |
| from two possible roots. If you look at old maps of | | | | orders of Henry VIII during the "rough Wooing"AD 1560 |
| Leith the spelling of Leith Changes in several different | | | | The Siege of LeithAD 1593 Trials and executions for |
| ways but the main spellings are "Leeth" and "Lyth" the | | | | witchcraftAD 1631 Balmerino House built in the |
| meaning of "Leeth" is a crossroads and Lyth means | | | | KirkgateAD 1650 Battle of Dunbar. Leith occupied by |
| fish in short Leith was the town which could be | | | | Oliver CromwellAD 1698 The Darien Expedition leaves |
| approached from the east or west along the coast or | | | | from LeithAD 1751 Turnpike Act. Bonnington Toll |
| from the South and it was possible to catch a ferry to | | | | erectedAD 1806 The Old Dock opened. The Queens |
| go north across the Forth it also had a fish market. | | | | Dock built 1817, The Victoria Dock 1852, The Albert |
| The people paying their tithes (a tenth of their earnings | | | | Dock 1869, The Edinburgh Dock 1881 and the Imperial |
| were paid to the church) in fish, which was eaten on | | | | Dock 1904AD 1822 George IV lands in LeithAD 1833 |
| the many holy days of the Roman Catholic | | | | Leith becomes an independent parliamentary BurghAD |
| Church.The first mention of Leith is in founding charter | | | | 1915 The Gretna disasterAD 1920 Leith is |
| of Holyrood Abbey in 1128 in which it is called | | | | amalgamated with EdinburghLeith has an extensive |
| "InverLeith". The word "Inver" meaning from the Gaelic, | | | | history going back several thousand years. The above |
| the mouth of a river. Leading to the assumption that | | | | is just a very small sample of what is available and |
| the river got its name from a family called Leith. The | | | | known about Leith. For example the history of South |
| only problem with this is there was never a family | | | | Leith Church goes back several hundred years, The |
| called Leith connected to Leith to give it its name. Also | | | | Preceptory of St Anthony founded approximately |
| Leith was never a Gaelic speaking area it became | | | | 1380 and was demolished in the Siege of Leith, Writers |
| Anglo- Saxon and formed part along with Edinburgh of | | | | and Painters connected with Leith, The Templar |
| Northumbria, which was made up of two Kingdoms | | | | connection the list goes on and on and is too large a |
| Bernica and Deria with its capital at Bamburgh.The first | | | | subject to cover in this brief introduction.Leith Historian |
| important family connected to Leith was the de | | | | and Genealogist. |