William Wallace says

Thistle Foundation. An estate built in the late forties and the fifties, the only estate in Europe where they have a purpose-built estate with 202 houses. First of its kind, as all the houses cater for one or two disabled people. Where they can live a normal life, with their own house, paying rent, working if they can, just like you guys in Craigmillar. As it over the years became run down. Today Castlerock/Edinvar have taken the housing stock over. And are almost into there 2nd year of renovating the houses. A 5 year program. The renovations so far have updated the houses, You always get a few snagging problems, but overall they are doing a super job. I myself cannot wait until I get my car port, and own garden space. The only downside is with it looking like a building site, which it is. Lots of smashing glass, and damage with the local children. And the daily passage of Castlebrae School kids knocking all the protective fences and guards down, giving a serious risk for drivers and tenants try to walk safely. Overall, I cannot wait to see the finished estate in hopefully just under another 4 years. Will, Tenant.

Stuart Collie says

Has anyone got any historical information on Peffermill House, and if it was used for anything other than a domestic residence, especially from around 1830 to 1900. Reason I ask is that my ggg grandfather died there in 1879. No one in my family has any info on this house and I would like to get some background for my research. Regards Stuart Collie

Angela Darling says

I remember as a child in the 60's seeing Queen Elizabeth for the first time. She was visiting The Thistle Foundation. I moved to London in the late 70's and lived in SOHO for 3 years. 10 minutes away was Buckingham Palace and I saw the family a number of times.

john kirwen says

Does anyone know if Main Avenue Newcraighall was renamed or totally demolished? I encountered this address in pursuit of a Kinnaird family connection. I note the existance of a Fort Kinnaird nearby; coincidence or relevant to my research?

william young says

I was brought up in Newcraighall but moved to Niddrie then Magdalene, but yes... Main Avenue was demolished, and not renamed although there are a couple of streets bearing the name of Klondyke etc. These were relating to Newcraighall Colliery, which got the nickname of "klondyke" because of the huge output of coal over the years. - Wullie Young

thomas flockhart says

Tam Flockhart; I was born in newcraighall and lived at 2 First Avenue. does any one have old photographs of the pit and the village?

william young says

Well Tam, wiz that the one with the nice curtains? Ha ha! Nah, I'm looking for old photos of the same.

Johnni Stanton says

The Venchie and Library and other local agencies will mount a Craigmillar Retrospective Photo Exhibition for the annual Festival in July.

In the meantime, we are eagerly searching all avenues of research for photos of Craigmillar and all its constituent parts to build up a coherent picture from the beginnings of our community, back in the mists of time, right up to the present.

If anyone can contribute photos we can copy, or negatives we can scan into the computer, we would be very grateful for your help. We probably wouldn't need your photos for longer than 48 hrs to scan them.

Please contact Paul at the Library or Susan at the Venchie and tell us how you can be a part of our plans.

We hope many people will come along and help identify dates, times, people and places of the many photos we already have at the Exhibition. You or a member of your family may be in them. All contributors will be clearly acknowledged in the programme.

Johnni Stanton says

Peffermill House was built in 1636 by Edgar Wallace of Wedderlie in the Merse, a family from Berwickshire.

This tall, imposing and rather dark house is surrounded by a large wooded garden on the south side of Duddingston Loch, and was originally part of a mill complex, which made paper in the late 18th century, known as Paper Milne, although Peffermill, in the old 'Scoto-Saxon' (poffre-mill) is said to mean 'the mill of the dark muddy stream' - which is the Braid Burn that runs through eastern garden of the house.

It is a three storey, L-plan structure with steeply pitched roofs and crow-stepped gables and has a circular stair-tower in the angle of the 'L'. The semi-dormered second floor above the string course has elaborately pedimented windows, and a corbelled chimney belonging to the first-floor hall.

Traditionally it was thought that the house was connected by a subterranean passage to 14th-century Craigmillar Castle which lies directly to the south, although the distance between the two would have made this a formidable if not impossible undertaking.

In these modern times Peffermill House lies half hidden amongst the trees, to the south of Duddingston Loch and Bawsinch Bird Sanctuary across the large expanse of Prestonfield Golf Course, surrounded on two sides by factory units and the modern Craigmillar Castle housing area.

Sir Walter Scott, who wrote the 'Heart of Midlothian' in the garden of Duddingston Manse on the shores of the loch, could look directly across to Peffermill House, and may have used it as the model for the residence of the novel's 'laird of Dumbiedykes'.

It is said to have been the residence of Mr. Thomas Braidwood, who pioneered the education of the deaf and dumb in Edinburgh in 1764, where he lived in the house with his pupils, and was visited by James Boswell and Dr Johnson when they returned to Edinburgh from their tour of the Hebrides in 1773.

Guest User says

Hi all, when i was younger and living at Harewood Drive i used to go to the Craigmillar Hearts Supporters Club picnic.As far as i can remember it was the same park we used to go to every year i have tried to find out where this park was and what it was called but keep drawing a blank it would have been between 1975 and 1981 ish i hope someone can help thank you

Veronica Thomson says

this is an answer for Mr Stuart Collie, if you live in Edinburgh there are a number of books in Central Library's Edinburgh Room or Scottish Library, that you can read through and some you can get out on loan that will have information on Peffermill House, but you cal also go to RACHMS at Bernard Terrace, Edinburgh and ask there if they have any photos or info all you do is pay a small fee to photocopy enything you want. Hope this helps! From Veronica.

richard greenan says

when the hearts club was at the tunnel we went to ironmills park in dalkeith every year rick greenan geen.bean@live.co.uk

Guest User says

hi rick thanks for your answer i will check it out cheers

Helen Paget (Ford) says

Hi I can confirm that we went to ironmills park in Dalkeith for the picnic. Queueing for your bag from the commitee women with your pie, cake, crisps and juice. Races, football and netball competitions. My Dad, Aunt and Uncle were on the commitee. It was a great place and I actually had my wedding there.

Anne marie Causer says

Re Johnni Stanton's piece of invaluable [although decidedly incorrect] information delving into archive material in connection to Walter Scott; he who wrote only PART of Heart of Midlothian during the fine summer months in the garden of Duddingston Manse - not the entire book - as he, Mr Stanton intimated. Signed a Guest User and an avid reader of the late Sir Walter Scott.

Johnni Stanton says

Well, thanks a bunch Anne marie Caustic!!! :( She is right of course, Old Wallie only spent one summer at Duddy!!! Not that I MEANT the entire book. I was merely using dramatic licence! I expect Anne marie to reply to this. I look forward to more Caustic Comments!! :D LOL!!!

Johnni Stanton says

Anne marie's response has been posted in the wrong place. Go to "News" to check it out ... This means war of course .... :D

annamarie causer says

Richt your'e oan forget the phone, Johnni "Ranting" Stanton! Ye are no getting away with this yon pure vis- ceral reply and as fir why? I've gien a Wully Wallace war-cry an fierce Highlander shout. The winds o' change have gusted ma gloves are oaf, dusted ironed and out. And I can assure, reassure mine is /are? by far yin iron fist encased in a glove of velvet (see irrelevant and insignificant reference to Hitler's invasion of Holland) if you get ma jist - cos I dont! I'm jist ranting Stanton! Cheers and God Bless and aw the rest Caustic Causer signing oafx Dinnae go plagarising noo!

annamarie causer says

I already replied tae this, the above on Saturday afternoon - suddenly the whole section - it disappeared in a puff of smoke! Whysofore I'll never know - well in any case the sole reason I replied in the WRANG PLACE i.e. "News" is cos I am relatively new tae this sparring game - I'm unashamed to say - but had Wally - this ACTUAL WORD of which he thoroughly despised - so nae Wally ( hae respect fir the dead.) He maintained in his autobiography that word reminded him of a dug perched at the end o' a fireplace amangst the fire-irons. Quite rightly so! Back tae the case in point had he written said mammoth tome in a few sultry summer months he'd still be there - a mere skeletal figure draped on a black ironmonger's garden chair. When I acquainted maself wi' it - the book - it took me a giud 6 months tae read - so as to writin the entire story- enough said Ranting Stanton - and ma hair is naturally bricht red, jist like mama and her's afore me! Annamarie [Caustic] Causer

annamarie causer says

Ah do so note and secretly gloat Johnni the "Ranting" Stanton is keepng awfy quiet! Mayhap he's perhap oan a lang coffy break. Michty me sparrin wi a mere wummin Noo as Oor Wullie wid say that's really summin. Onyroad by Goad Ah had some juicy news - a tidbit in fact backed in yon cast-iron historical fact regarding RL Stevenson if he wanted? PS Rabby Burns rools ko today Scots wha hey! Cheers and God Bless x Annamarie "Caustic" Causer

annamarie causer says

"The following is an ode to the correct naming of below:and following naming" Duddinstone as be wis thee original name came fae - hae - guess whae? Guid auld RL Stevenson! Firgoat aboot him didn't yea! The term & village "Duddingston" didnae come aboot til much, much later! See yea alligator:D Annamarie "Caustic" Causer

meg reilly says

I enjoyed reading your remarks annamarie, they were fun. keep up the good work and dont let Ranting Stanton put you down. regards Meg

annamarie causer says

Never been onto this site for long enough. (Well that's just tough) no doubt you'll be thinking Meg! Well if truth doth tell, unfortunate for me we fell out - Ranting Stanton and I. Oh me, oh my so I went and had myself a rare, mad and fitful night. Actually gave myself quite a realistic fright. What if I'm all alone and no one would be reading the rest of my bleeding 'caustic' comments, so as I sang my lament and now I find YOU - Heaven sent! Thanks for the boost of confidence. Check out the news section, (a true tale - a phoenix risen from the Ashes)

annamarie causer says

Well all you folks out there we three inadvertently caught sight of this strange looking bird YET again; gave us a ferocious fright. We were walking tippy-toes, careful as ever quietlike, near an old abandoned dyke; stalking a "KESTREL" clutching a massive Roger Rabbit in it's razorlike talons. When well I never the Phoenix has arisen from it's ashes once again in the main!

annamarie causer says

(This is dedicated esp: for Meg Reilly & any t'others fans out there who are interested.) Ain't been and gone and seen another bird of paradise basking in a rainbow, anon. Now that t'would be quite absurd - asking far too much but as such espied 7 kestrels yesterday forenoon circling ahead. My camera worked overtime went click X nine, + zoom I now sit with proof afore me - in my room X:P

annamarie causer says

AN ODE TO AN UNUSUAL BIRD

Halfway up Arthur's Seat,

in sizzling noon day heat,

we witnessed a giant grey

crane

with such an enormous

wingspan,

(probably owning to a pea brain)

slowly flapping,

eyes closed,

looked like it was napping.

It created quite a fuss

huffing and

puffing,

on the hottest day

in the year so far,

and whereas all the numskulls

ensconsed in their car

were quite unaware,

whilst we could only stop, still as statues,

wonder and stare.

Ciao for now X:)

annamarie causer says

My wife is firmly unaware I am enclosing a comment but I just felt I had to write we were together on this hot-filled and beautiful day.

She sat upon a hummock quite near a gorse bush and composed the above rhyme which I found and still find inspiring - she has such a way with words - a real talent.