Penicuik
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Penicuik | |
|---|---|
| Gaelic: | N/A |
| Scots: | Pen Y Cog (Ancient) |
| Location | |
| OS grid reference: | NT235598 |
| Statistics | |
| Population: | 14,759[1] |
| Administration | |
| Council area: | Midlothian |
| Constituent country: | Scotland |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom |
| Other | |
| Police force: | Lothian and Borders Police |
| Lieutenancy area: | Midlothian |
| Former county: | Midlothian |
| Post office and telephone | |
| Post town: | EDINBURGH |
| Postal district: | EH26 |
| Dialling code: | 01968 |
| Politics | |
| Scottish Parliament: | Midlothian Lothians |
| UK Parliament: | Midlothian |
| European Parliament: | Scotland |
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Penicuik is a burgh in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the west bank of the River North Esk. The town was developed as a planned village in 1770 by Sir James Clerk of Penicuik. It became a burgh in 1867. The town was well known for its paper mills, the last of which closed in 1975. More recently the town has been home to the Edinburgh Crystal works.
The town's name is derived from the ancient Pen Y Cog, meaning 'Hill of the Cuckoo'.
The Dalmore Paper mill on the Esk near Auchendinny has now closed as from 2005.
[edit] Statistics
- The site of Penicuik was home to the paper mill established by Agnes Campbell in 1709
- Around 1770 after the arrival of the Cowan family and their expanded mill, the need for homes for their workers led to the hamlet of Penicuik expanding to a town.
- By 1800 the population had risen to 1700
- In 1803 Penicuik was the site of a prison camp for French prisoners during the Napoleonic Wars. The former camp is now the site of a housing development in Valleyfield.
- Penicuik is the site of Glencorse Parish Kirk which was the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevensons' Kidnapped (1886). Some of the streets nearby are named after characters in the novel and its sequel, Catriona (1893)
- Penicuik is twinned with the town of L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in France
[edit] Paper Mills
- Paper-making was started here by Mrs Agnes Campbell in 1709
- The mill was subsequently purchased by Charles Cowan, originally a grocer in Leith. He established the Cowan Valleyfield Mills
- In 1796, Charles Cowan brought in his son Alexander Cowan to manage the mill
- An adjacent corn mill was purchased in 1803 which became known as Bank Mill after he converted it to produce the paper on which banknotes were printed
- Paper was also produced at Eskmill which has recently now become a site for private housing.
