All About Edinburgh
Grange - Marchmont Area
Grange-Marchmont Area is south of Bruntsfield Links and stretches from Morningside to Newington.
In early history the area was part of the Burghmuir, an area of hills and forests. With a few mansion Houses.
The area on the south side of what was the Burgh Loch now Meadows.
Bruntsfield House
Grange - Marchmont Area
Bruntsfield House being the oldest mansion known circa 1450. It stands in the Gillespie High School grounds. Named after James Gillespie of Spylaw. The residents of the houses nearby in the early 1960s believed the house to be haunted and the old locals told stories of a coach going over the cobbles and stopping at the old House. Lights flickering even though the house was empty. The children of the area would stay away at night.
St Margaret’s Convent
Grange - Marchmont Area
Another famous fact is St Margaret’s Convent built 1835 was the first Catholic convent built in Scotland after the reformation, which ended in 1648. This is now called the Gillis Centre after changing its name from Gillis College which was named after James Gillis (1802–1864) a Roman Catholic bishop. The Convent was dedicated to St Margaret Queen of Scots.
White House
Grange - Marchmont Area
Another large mansion called the White House which gave its name to White House Loan where it stand. Owned by David Chrystie and handed down to his son James Chrystie who lived here from 1671 -1726 when purchased by the Davidson family who live ere till 1767 when MacLeod of MacLeod became owner. It is said that the famous play written by John Home in 1820 “Douglas” was written in the White House.
The Elms
Grange - Marchmont
The Elms is a Victorian mansion house which was completed in 1858 for a Edinburgh Merchant Mr A Hamilton. Large mansion houses were being built over the area that was once owned by Sir Thomas Dick Lauder the feuing of the Grange Estate was sanctioned by a private Act of Parliament in 1825. This allowed Sir Thomas Dick Lauder to split his land and sell it to individuals to build houses on. The Elms is now a care home.
Two plaques, one with the letters AH entwined and the other with a coat of arms 1858 and inscription;
IN ARDUIS FORTITUDO ( In difficulty comes strength).
East Morningside House
Grange - Marchmont Area
East Morningside House was the Summer Home of Susan Ferrier. She was a writer at the same period as Susan Ferrier was born in Edinburgh’s old town in 1782 at 2 years in 1784 she moved with her parents to a house in George street in the new town. They lived there until the death of her father in 1829 who she cared for. Susan had her first book published in 1818.
Her second novel was written at the summer residence in East Morningside House in the countryside. East Morningside House was built in Morningside circa 1725. Inscribed on the plaque; Susan Ferrier 1728 1854 Satirical Novelist lived here. On the Gate Post, East Morningside House | Susan Ferrier born 2nd Sept 1782 died 5 Dec 1854
East Morningside House Do’cot
Grange - Marchmont Area
East Morningside House Do’cot stands in the grounds in Clinton Road of White house Loan.
Bruntsfield Hospital
Sophia Jex-Blake opened Edinburgh Provident Dispensary for Women and Children at 73 Grove Street in 1878. This was the fore runner of Bruntsfield Hospital. Bruntsfield Hospital was previously Sophia Jex Blake’s home and she sold it to the Hospital committee in 1899. The renovated it and made it into the first general hospital for women.
The Hospital finally closed in 1989
Sophia Jex Blake
Sophia Louisa Jex-Blake born 21 January 1840 became a doctor and teacher. She was the leader of a campaign to secure women access to a University education. Known as the Edinburgh Seven when she and six other women banded together and protested outside the medical school. Which gave recognition to the women wanting to study medicine and the University of Edinburgh granted them the rights to study for a degree in medicine in 1869. She was the first practising female doctor in Scotland (1878).
Living in 4 Manor Place Edinburgh she erected a brass plate inscribed with Doctor Sophia Jex Blake. The little outpatient clinic in Grove Street became the Edinburgh Hospital and Dispensary for Women.
This was Scotland’s first hospital for women staffed entirely by women.
Grange Cemetery
Grange - Marchmont Area
Grange Cemetery in Grange-Marchmont area. The cemetery has a number of well-known Edinburgh names from its history buried here. In the cemetery are over 20.000 burial sites with headstones.
The first interment in the Grange was that of Dr Thomas Chalmers, in June 1847 when it first opened.
The Grange Cemetery in 1976 was taken over by the City of Edinburgh District Council.
A cemetery does not require to be attached to a church. A graveyard is always next to a church.
Cremation became available in Edinburgh in 1929.
Major General William McBean VC
Major General William McBean VC (1818-1878) winner of the Victoria Cross. Major Allan Ker VC (1883-1958) Victoria Cross recipient. John Bartholomew who founded Bartholomew’s Maps in 1826.
Andrew Usher
Andrew Usher born on 5th January 1826, heir to the Ushers whisky business. Andrew donated a sum of money and had a concert hall built “The Usher Hall” which was completed in 1914. He died in 1898 before the Usher hall was built.
Thomas Guthrie
Thomas Guthrie was born on 12 July 1803. He opened first Ragged School in Scotland which he founded it in 1847. Thomas Guthrie Died in 1873 His statue is in West Princes Street Gardens facing Princes Street and the School is in Ramsay Lane of Castlehill Edinburgh.
Hugh Miller
Hugh Miller 1802 – 1856 Plaque Royal Mile High Street Edinburgh. He was a Geologist Naturalist and Folklorist. There is a bust of Hugh Miller in the Hall of Heroes at the Wallace Monument in Stirling. Hugh Miller was editor of Witness, an evangelical newspaper established in 1840 by the Scottish geologist and writer. He committed suicide in December 1856. A shocked Western world mourned him, and his funeral procession was among the largest in the memory of Edinburgh residents. He lived in the seaside area of Portobello.
William Joseph Kinloch-Anderson
William Joseph Kinloch-Anderson (1846-1901) founder of the kilt-making company that opened in 1868 and has had Royal customers since 1903 when King Edward VII first became a customer. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles also are customers.
Canon Edward Joseph Hannan
Canon Edward Joseph Hannan was born in Limerick Ireland. He was founder of Hibernian Football Club. Hannan came to Edinburgh in 1861 and he became Priest of St Patrick’s Church in the Cowgate. He died in 1891 after serving as Hibernian Football club’s first Manager and club President until his death.
Professor Sir Robert Philip
Professor Sir Robert Philip opened the worlds’ first tuberculosis dispensary in Bank Street Edinburgh in 1887. Sir (Dr) (Professor) Robert Philip pioneered the management, prevention, detection and treatment of tuberculosis (TB). On the wall in Bank Street a blue Plaque reads “Near this place in 1887, Dr Robert Philip founded a tuberculosis dispensary, the first clinic in the world dedicated to fighting a disease of which he foretold Man’s eventual mastery. That vision has brought hope to many lands.” Tuberculosis (TB) was the biggest killer in the UK by the middle of the 19th century and due to Sir Robert Philip it has been almost eradicated. Sir Robert Philip died at home in 9 Palmerston Road, in the Grange area of Edinburgh, on the 25th January 1939.
The Carlton Cricket Club
Grange Edinburgh
The Carlton Cricket Club in Edinburgh is a part of an estate which once surrounded Grange House. Carlton Cricket club was founded in 1863 and first played in the Meadows Edinburgh where cricket is still played to this day. In 1904, Carlton moved to its present ground. The ground was cleared and a cricket pitch prepared, a pavilion constructed and on 17th May 1905 the new home of Carlton Cricket Club opened with a challenge match against the West of Scotland.
Grange House
Grange-Marchmont Area
Grange House was demolished in 1936 built by Walter Cant in 1592. All that remains of Grange House is a gate posts with a Lauder Griffin on the top, one at the corner of Lover's Lane.
Astley Ainslie Hospital
Grange-Marchmont Area
Astley Ainslie Hospital opened to patients in 1923 as convalescent home for patients from the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. The Hospital grounds and three house were purchased with a gift of money from David Ainslie for the sole purpose of building a Hospital which had been stipulated in his nephews will, on him receiving the inheritance from John Ainslie.
The Hospital buildings the first of which was Canaan Park was used for patients. The other two properties were converted and others were built over several years and is still in use today.
There is a display in Canaan House of David’s sheep breeding trophies are on display and his nephew John's portrait hangs.