How Craigleith Hill Estate Evolved
There were no published maps of any kind of Edinburgh before 1540.
Between 1540-1750 only sketch-maps and views of the city were available.
Various good maps and plans came from private surveys between 1750-1855.
After 1885 came the Ordanance survey followed by exact maps.
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One interpretation of 'Craigleith' was - 'A hill from which Leith could
be seen'.
In Stuart Harris's book 'The Place Names of Edinburgh', he suggests that
the name Craigleith was recorded from 1171 onwards as lands of Crag of or at Inverleith and may have developed from the estate name CRAG, derived from
the British hill name creg, a rock.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1615 | Quarry first mentioned in 1615 as Innerleith or Enderleith |
| 1646 | James Rochead bought Craigleith from Sir John Nisbet of Dean |
| 1695 | A Lady Craigleith mentioned along with Katherine Rochead, Laird of Prestongrange, Sir James Rochead and son James Rochead all mentioned in Court Papers |
| 1733 | Marked on map as Craig Leith |
| 1745 | Marked on map "Craigs" |
| 1766 | Craigleith shown as a dwelling with plots of land marked. |
| 1786 | Wm Ramsay of Barnton bought estate, ( Drylaw House) including Western and Eastern Drylaw Farms, Groathill farm, House of Hill Farm including Craigleith Quarry. |
| 1790 | Barnton estate merged with Kings Cramond Estate |
| 1800s | Ramsay Cottage built (159 Craigleith Road) |
| 1817 | Shows a Craigleith Park, Craigleith Hill and Craigleith House. |
| 1821 | Map shows a Stone quarry, Craigleith Park, Bonar Esq., and Craigleith Ramsay.Esq., both depicting large houses. |
| 1828 | Shepherds engraving of Craigleith Quarry |
| 1829 | Fossil Tree discovered in Craigleith Quarry |
| 1830 | Map shows a Craigleith Park, Craigleith, tolls and two houses. |
| 1834 | Marked on map as Craigleith showing tolls and quarry |
| 1850 | Caledonian railway line opened for goods and minerals |
| 1861 | Hugh Cleland was a smith at Craigleith Quarry (more info to follow) |
| 1866/68 | St Cuthberts Poorhouse built |
| 1867/68 | Caledonian railway line opened for passengers and Craigleith Station opened |
| 1879 | Barnton Terrace built(Now part of Craigleith Road) |
| 1885 | Powder magazine building next to Maidencraig quarry |
| 1888 | Barnton railway not yet built. Many pathways into Craigleith Hill House. |
| 1894 | Victoria Hospital opened. Royal patronage given 1913 |
| 1894 | Caledonian railway line extended to Barnton and Craigleith Station opened March 1st 1894. |
| 1900 | Craigleith Quarry almost worked out. |
| 1902 | West Barnton Terrace (now part of Craigleith Road) built by Adam Currie and Sons. Two stone plaques on front of buildings show date 1902 and builders logo A C & S. |
| 1905 | Only 25 workers employed at quarry. |
| 1915 | The quarry used by Lothian County Council manufacturing T.N.T. |
| 1919 | Map shows Craigleith Hill House. Groathill Road going under railway line and onto Groathill. Does not meet up with Telford Road yet. |
| 1925 | Telford Road built |
| 1932/33 | Craigleith Hill Avenue - 150 houses built. Named in 1930 |
| 1932/33 | Craigleith Hill Crescent - 104 houses built. Named in 1931 |
| ? | Craigleith Hill Crescent - 4 houses built. |
| 1932/33 | Craigleith Hill Gardens - 76 houses built. Named in 1930 |
| 1932/33 | Craigleith Hill Green - 25 houses built. Named in 1932 |
| 1932/33 | Craigleith Hill Grove - 10 houses built. Named in ? |
| 1932/33 | Craigleith Hill Loan - 22 houses built. Named in 1932 |
| 1932/33 | Craigleith Hill Park - 47 houses built. Named in 1932 |
| 1932/33 | Craigleith Hill Row - 10 houses built. Named in 1932 |
| 1940s | Resident (Mr.D.Fraser) living in Craigleith Hill Row states that between his house and the quarry was Craigleith Hill House . On some plans it is named as Craigleith Park. |
| 1941/42 | All work seems to have stopped in quarry. |
| 1949 | Plan shows Craigleith Hill House, Craigleith Hospital, Craigleith Quarry , Craigleith Childrens Home, Victoria Hospital, West Barnton Terrace, Barnton Terrace. C. H. Park, Craigleith Hill and a few house in the Crescent have still to be built. |
| 1951 | Craigleith Station closes. |
| 1963 | Craigleith Hill - 46 houses built. Named in 1964 |
| 196? | Craigleith Garage built. |
| 1963/69 | Craigleith Station demolished. |
| 1968 | Craigleith Road (Barnton Terrace and West Barnton Terrace became unified in name). Lane at back of houses on North side of Craigleith Road now known as Barnton Terrace Lane. |
| 1975/76 | Miller Group built HQ in North part of the quarry |
| 1976 | Craigleith Hill Park - 33 houses built |
| 1979 | Millers Yard (North quarry )Landfill 9 Waste type=Inert Status = closed 31/12/1979 (City Of Edinburgh Council) |
| 1985 | Gas Board (Main Quarry)Landfill 8 Type =inert=Closed 31/12/1985 ( City of Edinburgh Council) |
| 1992 | 71b Craigleith Hill Crescent built (1 house built) |
| 1992 | 11a,b,c Craigleith Hill Park built - 3 houses built |
| 1993 | Sainsbury's purchase the southern half of the Quarry and proceed to build their Supermarket, Station,children's play park and surrounding car park. |
| 1995 | The northern half of the quarry site is owned by Henderson Property Investors and administered on their behalf by Savills Commercial Ltd of George Street. There are 12 retail units on the site already. |
| 2005 | Hendersons bought the Millers site (2004) and are developing a further 6 retail units on the site and opened in 2006 |
| 2009 to 2011 | Craigleith Retail Park now renamed THE QUARRY
The shopping complex consists of Sainsbury's with petrol filling station, Mamas and Papas, Boots,
Argos, Curry's ,TK Maxx, Homebase, Sports, M&S, Clarks, New Look,Next, Burtons and KFC.
The latest additions,Costa Coffee and Trespass(outdoor clothing) were opened in 2010 and 2011. In 2011, The Quarry was renamed "The Craigleith Shopping Park" |
| 2012 to 2020 | Now named "The Craigleith Retail Park". Entered by South Groathill Avenue next to Sainsbury's fuel station or just after traffic lights at the west end of craigleith road.
2018 - As of 3rd September 2018,the following shops were open. Currys/PC World, New Look, Trespass, Costa Coffee,Clarks, Nike Factory Store, Homebase, TK Maxx, Home Store & More, Pets at Home, Boots and Boots Optician, Card Factory, Starbucks Coffee, Sainsbury's (including Argos and Habitat), Timpsons cabin outside Sainsbury's, We buy Any Car cabin in car park. Toys R Us is now closed following the business going into administration. |