Winchburgh is a village in the council area of West Lothian, Scotland. It is located approximately 10 miles (16 km) west of the city-centre of Edinburgh, 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Linlithgow and 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of Broxburn.
| Winchburgh | |
|---|---|
 Winchburgh, viewed from the south | |
  Winchburgh Location within West Lothian | |
| Population | 3,840 (2022)[1] |
| OS grid reference | NT086750 |
| Civil parish | |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BROXBURN |
| Postcode district | EH52 |
| Dialling code | 01506 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Demographics
editThe 2001 census recorded around 2,000 persons in Winchburgh.[2] In 2015, the population of Winchburgh was cited as having increased to 2,430 persons.[3] As a result of new developments (still ongoing), the 2020 population had increased by over 50% to 3,840.[1]
History
edit
Prehistory and archaeology
editArchaeological excavations in 2013 in advance of the construction of a housing development by CFA Archaeology found the remains of a sub-circular double-ditched enclosure. Not many artefacts were found and radiocarbon dates from waterlogged wood and animal bone were between 1600–200 BC, indicating the people had been living or working in Winchburgh at least a thousand years before the earliest records of the town.[4]
Medieval history
editThere has been a settlement in Winchburgh for over one thousand years. Early spellings include Wincelburgh (1189); Wynchburghe (1377); from 'wincel' and 'burh' meaning 'Town in the nook or angle'. It is possible that it was named after the bend in the Niddry Burn that runs through the village. The early settlement was probably near to Niddry Castle.
After the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, Sir James Douglas followed King Edward II and the remnants of his army to Winchburgh. Both sides rested at Winchburgh before riding on to Dunbar, where King Edward took ship for England.
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
Auldcathie is an historic parish and ruined pre-reformation church that lies on the western edge of Winchburgh.[5]
In 1568, Mary, Queen of Scots, escaped from Loch Leven Castle, and was met by Lord Seton, before crossing the Firth of Forth from South Queensferry. Mary stayed at Niddry Castle, Seton's property in Winchburgh, on 2 May 1568. From the 1600s to the 1860s, Winchburgh was a small hamlet, which other than a few houses contained an inn and staging post.[6]
19th to 21st centuries
edit
In the 19th century, Winchburgh had a thriving oil shale mining industry, the remnants of which are the distinctive red "shale bings", large hill forms, created by the deposition composed of used shale.[6] The bings support a variety of flora and fauna, such as bushes and heather, rabbits and, occasionally, old deer. The bings are also known locally as "tips", although it is a generally less common name for them.
On 13 October 1862 on the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway a mile and a half northwest of Winchburgh was the scene of a head-on rail crash in which 15 people were killed.[7]
The late 19th century saw the development of several dozen miners' rows, built in redstone and on an interlocking L-plan to the east of the canal.[6] The road names come from places around the estate of Hopetoun House.[6] This period also saw the development of a public school on Main Street (which was expanded in 1902 and 1907).[8] The school is now closed but remains Category C listed and some of the buildings been converted to residential use.[8][9] In the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1892–1896), Winchburgh is described:
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.[10]
In 1904, a police station in ashlar stone was built.[6] After the police station was closed, the building became a pharmacy but has since been converted to residential use.[6] In 2000, a war memorial was erected in Winchburgh for those from the area who had lost their lives in the First World War and Second World War.[11]
The early 21st century has seen the construction of several new private housing estates on the periphery of the village towards Auldcathie. The developments are being built to the design of a 'masterplan' with the aim to expand Winchburg into a new town.[12][13] The plan incorporates ideas relating to the '20-minute Neighbourhood' concept.[12] The total expansion is estimated at £1 billion, with some 3,800 new homes in the area to allow the village to achieve 'town status'.[12][13] In August 2022, plans were lodged to create a new marina, alongside a new public park 'Daisy park' as part of the new towns masterplan, to be built on the site of the historic brickworks.[14]
Economy
editThere are a number of amenities in the town of Winchburgh including a grocery store, several takeaway food shops, several convenience stores, butcher shop and deli, pharmacy, doctor's surgery, post office, community centre. The Tally Ho pub and beer garden, a bowling club and there are also several places of worship in the town.
Housing Includes 19th century miner's cottages, council housing built in the 1950s, several new housing developments, sheltered housing and a care home for the elderly.
Education
edit
Winchburgh has two secondary schools, two primary schools and three Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Nurseries for children below school age.[15]
Holy Family Primary School serves Roman Catholic pre-secondary school children, whereas Winchburgh Primary is a non-denominational school. Both of these are state run schools.[15]
Until August 2022, Secondary School aged children mostly attend schools in neighbouring Linlithgow, Livingston, Queensferry and Broxburn. To alleviate overcrowding in Linlithgow Academy and to allow for the growth of Winchburgh into a new town, a new academy has been built. Winchburgh Academy opened for pupils in August 2022.[16] The Academy takes in pupils from Winchburgh Primary and other local areas. A second academy has also been built in Winchburgh. Sinclair Academy takes pupils from Holy Family Primary and other Catholic primary schools in surrounding areas and opened to pupils in August 2023.[15][17]
There are currently plans to open a third Primary school in the east of the town, a non-denominational school, called Hawkhill Primary School. As of February 2024, planning permission was granted and the new Hawkhill Primary awaits construction, with the school expected to open for pupils in August 2025.[18]
Transport
editRoad
edit
The main road through Winchburgh is the B9080 road, which meets the B8020 road (Niddry road) that curvers around the western side of the Niddry bing. The M9 motorway passes to the north of Winchburgh.[19] In April 2022 work began to create a new junction to join Winchburgh to the motorway at an estimated cost of £40 million.[20] In February 2023, the northbound junction 1B opened for local access.[21][22]
There are regular scheduled buses to and from surrounding places including Edinburgh, Linlithgow, Falkirk, South Queensferry and Broxburn.
The town is served by 2 main bus services operated one each by McGill's Scotland East and Lothian Country:
X38 - Edinburgh - Newbridge - Kirkliston - Winchburgh - Linlithgow - Falkirk (McGill's)
72 - Kirkliston - Winchburgh - Broxburn - Uphall - St. John's Hospital - Livingston Centre (Lothian Country)
Rail
editThe mainline railway between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street goes through the Winchburgh Tunnel, under the village.[23] Construction of the tunnel began in 1939 and it has been in operation since 1842.[23] The tunnel is 367 yards long and 20 ft high.[23]
Until it was closed in 1930, there was a passenger station at the north end of the tunnel. The construction of the Winchburgh Tunnel was supervised by the noted Scottish Civil Engineer, John Gibb. West Lothian Council have been promoting a plan to reopen the station as the town grows.[24] In June 2022, it was reported that a commitment to create a new railway station was still part of the new town's plans.[25]
Winchburgh and the Union Canal
edit
The Union Canal passes through Winchburgh.
The canal no longer operates as a transport link, but is now used for fishing, magnet fishing and some leisure boating. It has a towpath previously used by the horses which drew canal bargess and which is now used as a footpath, the foot paths are popular places for dog walkers, bikers, runners and walkers
The Bridge 19-40 Canal Society (a non-profit) has a base at Winchburgh on the canal, and it operates seasonal boat trips departing from Port Buchan located in neighbouring Broxburn on West Main Street.
Sport
editNiddrie Castle Golf Club has an 18-hole, 5914 yards long, par 70 golf course, located in and around the grounds of the historic Niddry Castle. The club was established in 1926.
Winchburgh Bowling Club was established in 1913 by local miners and the clubhouse has a 150-capacity function room for social occasions, such as weddings.
In July 2007, parents from local schools formed a boys' football team, taking the name of the former Winchburgh Albion, which had folded in the 1970s. This evolved over the next decade and there now exists multiple girls, boys and joint underage teams registered with the SFA under the banner of the Winchburgh Albion Youth Football Club.
The original Winchburgh Albion FC had produced several senior football players, including Willie Thornton who had a long career with Rangers as player and later, assistant manager, after managing Dundee and Partick Thistle. John Gorman is another former Winchburgh player; he started his senior career with Celtic, before going on have playing success with Carlisle, Tottenham Hotspur and as a coach with several clubs, including his present role at MK Dons. He was also assistant manager of the England international team from 1996 to 1999, under the management of Glenn Hoddle.
In November 2021 the 2012 boys football team broke away from Winchburgh Albion YFC to form Winchburgh Violets Youth Football Club. The Violets play in the West Lothian Soccer Development Association league, and play their home games at the newly opened Winchburgh Sport and Wellbeing Hub.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
- ^ "Village of the Future". Retrieved 28 August 2010.
The existing Winchburgh village had a population of around 2,500 at the time of the last census in 2001.
- ^ "Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh Ward Profile". West Lothian Council. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ "Vol 82 (2019): Excavation of a Double-Ditched Enclosure at Winchburgh, West Lothian | Scottish Archaeological Internet Reports". journals.socantscot.org. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
- ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Auldcathie Church (49172)". Canmore. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Jaques and McKean (1 September 1994). West Lothian - An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Scotland: The Rutland Press. pp. 45–46. ISBN 978-1873190258.
- ^ "Accident at Winchburgh on 13th October 1862 :: The Railways Archive". www.railwaysarchive.co.uk.
- ^ a b Historic Environment Scotland. "WINCHBURGH, MAIN STREET, FORMER WINCHBURGH PRIMARY SCHOOLS INCLUDING BOUNDARY WALLS AND OUTBUILDINGS (Category C Listed Building) (LB49194)". Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ "Historic 19th century West Lothian school is converted into luxury family home". Edinburgh Live. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland. 1892–1896. Retrieved 11 March 2008.
- ^ "Winchburgh and Niddry". IWM. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ a b c "West Lothian plans new 'town of tomorrow' with futuristic neighbourhood". Edinburgh Live. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Stunning plans for new town centre as part of £1 billion expansion of West Lothian village". DailyRecord. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ "Sir Tom Hunter's Winchburgh Daisy Park plan lodged". The Herald. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ a b c "Planning approval has been grant for the construction of three new schools in Winchburgh, West Lothian". West Lothian Council. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "New Winchburgh Academy complete". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "Work starts on new Sinclair Academy". West Lothian Council. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "Proposal to Establish a New Non‐Denominational Primary School at the Hawkhill Site, Winchburgh and Associated Proposals". West Lothian Council. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
- ^ "M9 Winchburgh Junction". Transport Scotland. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ "Work begins on Winchburgh's M9 junction". Daily Record. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ "New M9 junction at Winchburgh to open on Friday". Edinburgh Reporter. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ "Motorway junction construction marks major milestone in Winchburgh's masterplan". Project Scotland. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ a b c Historic Environment Scotland. "Winchburgh Tunnel (278830)". Canmore. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ "Winchburgh Rail Station - West Lothian Council". Archived from the original on 2 April 2016.
- ^ "Winchburgh Railway Station plans still on table as planning consent stretches into 2030s". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
External links
edit
- Winchburgh to Linlithgow - A selection of images on the Union Canal.
- Niddry Castle
- Winchburgh Church website