Broughton, Edinburgh

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Gayfield Square, Broughton.
Gayfield Square, Broughton.

Broughton is an ancient feudal barony today within the City of Edinburgh, Scotland. Its borders are defined, approximately, as being Leith Walk in the south east, Broughton Street in the south west, Broughton Road in the north west and McDonald Road in the north east. Moving clockwise from south east, Broughton is bordered by Greenside and Calton, the New Town, Canonmills, and Pilrig.

Broughton's main thoroughfare, Broughton Street, is at the centre of Edinburgh's "pink triangle", an area of the city with a number of gay bars and clubs. These include The Street on the corner of Broughton Street and Picardy Place, La Sala tapas bar at number 60, and the Blue Moon café, just off Broughton Street.

Broughton High School was formerly located in Broughton, but is now located further west in Comely Bank. The Scottish poet Hugh MacDiarmid undertook part of his formal education at Broughton High. Schools still located in Broughton include Drummond Community High School.

The Scottish folk band Silly Wizard were based for some time in a flat located at 69 Broughton Street. Phil Cunningham, member of Silly Wizard and younger brother of the band's founder, Johnny Cunningham, still lives in Broughton.

Gayfield Square Police station, which is featured in the Inspector Rebus stories written by Edinburgh-based writer Ian Rankin, is located on Gayfield Square in the south east of Broughton.

The Phoenix pub on Broughton Street, Broughton.
The Phoenix pub on Broughton Street, Broughton.

Edinburgh's first traffic lights were installed in Broughton Street in 1928.

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Coordinates: 55°57′28.97″N, 3°11′18.19″W