Winchburgh

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Winchburgh, viewed from the south
Winchburgh, viewed from the south
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Winchburgh is a village situated within the geographical county of West Lothian, Scotland. It is located approximately 10 miles west of the city-centre of Edinburgh, 6 miles east of Linlithgow and 3 miles northeast of Broxburn.

Contents

[edit] Population

In 2005, the Scottish National Census recorded 2562 people being resident in Winchburgh.[1]

[edit] Public Transport

There are regular scheduled buses to surrounding places including : Edinburgh, Linlithgow, Falkirk, South Queensferry and Broxburn.

The mainline railway between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street goes through the Winchburgh Tunnel, under the village. There was a passenger station at the north end of the tunnel; this closed in 1930.

[edit] Sport

The Village features an impressive golf course, which is located in and around the grounds of the picturesque and historic Niddry Castle. There is also a Bowling Club which features a bar for social occasions, such as weddings. The bowling club is usually open to all. In late July 2007, local parents helped to reform the local football team, Winchburgh Albion Boys Club, which now has a team that has played in the West Lothian Soccer Sevens league at the Under 12 age group.

[edit] Amenities

A small range of convenience store sized shops trade in Winchburgh. The village is also home to a pharmacy, a doctor's surgery, and a number of public houses (pubs), as well as a Community Centre. The post office, formerly on the main street, was moved to the Glass Mini Market near the Millgate area after the original building burned down.

[edit] Housing

Housing ranges from old fashioned brick type cottages (purposely built to house miners & their families in the late 19th century) to regular-type council rented houses, cottages and flats. There is also sheltered housing for elderly residents, as well as an elderly care home within the village.

[edit] Winchburgh and the Union Canal

The Edinburgh to Falkirk Union Canal passes through Winchburgh. It follows a contour south to Broxburn and eventually Edinburgh. Westwards it goes through Linlithgow, and then Falkirk. The Union Canal was used in the past to transport goods between places situated in and between Edinburgh and Glasgow - there was a connection with the Forth and Clyde Canal at Falkirk. Boat trips are seasonal and depart from the Union Canal bridge located in neighbouring Broxburn on West Main Street.

[edit] Schooling

There are two Primary Schools and a Nursery located in Winchburgh. The 'Holy Family Primary' school serves Catholic pre-secondary school children, whereas 'Winchburgh Primary' is a non-denominal school. Both of these are state run schools, and share the same building (the Holy Family Primary School's original building was demolished). Secondary School aged children mostly attend schools in neighbouring Linlithgow and Livingston, and occasionally Broxburn.

[edit] History

There has been a settlement in Winchburgh for over a thousand years.

Early spellings include Wincelburgh (1189); Wynchburghe (1377); from 'wincel' and 'burh' meaning 'Town in the nook or angle'. Its possible it was named after the bend in the Niddry burn that runs through the village. The early settlement was probably near to Niddry Castle.

In its heyday, Winchburgh had a thriving shale mine industry, the remnants of which are the distinctive red "shale bings", large hills composed of used shale. Some of the bings have a variety of plant life, such as bushes and heather, as well as animal life, including rabbits and occasionally deer.

In the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1892-1896), Winchburgh is described:[2]

Winchburgh, a village in Kirkliston Parish, Linlithgowshire, 11¾ miles W of Edinburgh. It has a station on the North British railway, a Post Office with money order and savings bank departments, an Established mission church (opened 1891) and a public school. Pop. (1881) 115, (1891) 424.

[edit] Notable Dates

Some important dates in Winchburgh history:

  • 1314. After the Battle of Bannockburn, Lord Douglas followed King Edward and the remnants of his army to Winchburgh. Both sides rested at Winchburgh before riding on to Dunbar where King Edward took a boat.

Quhill that the king and his menye
To Wenchburg all cummyn ar.
Than lychtyt all that thai war
To bayt thar hors that wer wery,
And Douglas and his cumpany
Baytyt alsua besid thaim ner.

—Extract from The Brus by John Barbour (1320-1395), Book 13, written c.1375

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Winchburgh. World News Network. Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
  2. ^ (1892-1896) Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland. Retrieved on 2008-03-11. 
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