Piershill
Encyclopedia
Piershill is a suburb of north east Edinburgh
, Scotland
, in the shadow of Arthur's Seat
.
It is mainly residential, with local amenities including a large Morrisons
supermarket
and filling station
, bank, public library, optician, pharmacy, several takeaway restaurants and specialist retailers along with public houses.
The name Piershill is thought to come from a Colonel Piers who built a house on the high land overlooking Restalrig, land which subsequently became the cavalry
installation at Piershill Barracks.
Piershill is adjoined by Mountcastle
and Willowbrae to the south, Jock's Lodge
and Meadowbank
just to the west, Portobello
to the east and Restalrig and Craigentinny to the north.
between Edinburgh and London
lies to the immediate north of the estate. Smoky Brae lies immediately west of Piershill, being the local name for the route to Restalrig
which travels beneath the railway line. Immediately before the first bridge on the high wall to the right can be seen the remains of the original back gate to Piershill Barracks, now walled up but still with the legend BACK GATE visible on the wall; there is also a bricked up doorway to the left of the back gate.
As well as the East Coast Main Line
railway there is also a busy crossroads, the main A1 road trunk route
between Edinburgh and London and the A1140 to Portobello
making it something of a transport nexus. The area is well served by Lothian Buses.
, a famous illusionist known as The Great Lafayette, along with his dog Beauty, and George Wilson
, a recipient of the Victoria Cross
, are buried here. There is also a large Jewish burial section, including a memorial dedicated "to the memory of the Jewish soldiers of Edinburgh who gave their lives in the World War 1914-1919", fighting in various regiments of the British Army. The cemetery was the first in Scotland to permit an officially designated animal burial section.
(NHS). Staffed full time by a coordinator, with additional staff from various agencies supporting the project on a weekly basis, the Community Flat is run in partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council
and NHS Lothian
. It currently offers services including a resident's group; a parent and toddler group; stop smoking services; state benefits advice; social groups; links to Working Towards Health; and links to Action for Jobs with Jobcentre Plus
. The flat is predominantly for use by residents of the two squares in Piershill, Portobello Road and the top of Restalrig Road South, but from March 2007 will be part of the greater Regeneration Outcome Agreement area of Restalrig, Lochend
and Craigentinny.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, in the shadow of Arthur's Seat
Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh
Arthur's Seat is the main peak of the group of hills which form most of Holyrood Park, described by Robert Louis Stevenson as "a hill for magnitude, a mountain in virtue of its bold design". It is situated in the centre of the city of Edinburgh, about a mile to the east of Edinburgh Castle...
.
It is mainly residential, with local amenities including a large Morrisons
Morrisons
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons formerly Morrison's, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies...
supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
and filling station
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
, bank, public library, optician, pharmacy, several takeaway restaurants and specialist retailers along with public houses.
The name Piershill is thought to come from a Colonel Piers who built a house on the high land overlooking Restalrig, land which subsequently became the cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
installation at Piershill Barracks.
Piershill is adjoined by Mountcastle
Mountcastle, Edinburgh
Mountcastle is a suburb of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is east of the city centre and lies to the north-west of the neighbouring area of Portobello. Mountcastle is primarily a residential area, with a large number of early-mid 20th century houses....
and Willowbrae to the south, Jock's Lodge
Jock's Lodge
Jock's Lodge is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is bordered by Meadowbank to the west, and Piershill to the east. The origin of the name is uncertain, but it occurs as early as 1650. Jock is thought to be the name of a local shepherd in the early 17th century, with a small house near the...
and Meadowbank
Meadowbank, Edinburgh
Meadowbank is a suburb of Edinburgh in Scotland. It is best known for Meadowbank Stadium. The A1 road and East Coast Main Line railway to England run through this way.-External links:*...
just to the west, Portobello
Portobello, Edinburgh
Portobello is a beach resort located three miles to the east of the city centre of Edinburgh, along the coast of the Firth of Forth, in Scotland. It is now a suburb of Edinburgh, with a promenade fronting on to the wide sand beach....
to the east and Restalrig and Craigentinny to the north.
Buildings
The Piershill Square East/West/Portobello Road tenements, containing 342 dwellings, were built 1937-8 by the Edinburgh Corporation Council. They were designed by Ebenezer James MacRae (1881–1951), Edinburgh's City Architect and members of his architectural team. MacRae was City Architect for twenty years and his infill developments and reinterpretation of Scots vernacular architecture are an important part of Edinburgh's inter-war heritage. These tenements reflect MacRae's tours of Europe in their planning and layout. Sadly, many of the original multi-pane sash windows have been lost. They were built on the site of Piershill Cavalry Barracks, and re-used the stone facings from the old buildings. They are a reinterpretation of the traditional tenement, a housing type more usually associated with the Nineteenth century.Transport
The East Coast Main LineEast Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
between Edinburgh and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
lies to the immediate north of the estate. Smoky Brae lies immediately west of Piershill, being the local name for the route to Restalrig
Restalrig
Restalrig is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located east of the city centre, west of the A199 road, and to the east of Lochend, with which it overlaps. Restalrig Road is the main route through the area, running from London Road at Jock's Lodge, to Leith Links at the south edge of...
which travels beneath the railway line. Immediately before the first bridge on the high wall to the right can be seen the remains of the original back gate to Piershill Barracks, now walled up but still with the legend BACK GATE visible on the wall; there is also a bricked up doorway to the left of the back gate.
As well as the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
railway there is also a busy crossroads, the main A1 road trunk route
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
between Edinburgh and London and the A1140 to Portobello
Portobello
-Places:England* Portobello, West Midlands* Portobello Road, London* Portobellow, an estate in Wakefield, West YorkshireIreland* Portobello, Dublin, IrelandNew Zealand* Portobello, New ZealandPanama* Portobelo, PanamaScotland* Portobello, Edinburgh...
making it something of a transport nexus. The area is well served by Lothian Buses.
Piershill Cemetery
Sigmund NeubergerSigmund Neuberger
Sigmund Neuberger, or Sigmund Newburger, was born on 25 February 1871 in Munich, Germany and died on 9 May 1911 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was otherwise known as famous illusionist The Great Lafayette and was the highest paid magician of his time....
, a famous illusionist known as The Great Lafayette, along with his dog Beauty, and George Wilson
George Wilson (VC)
George Wilson VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, a recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, are buried here. There is also a large Jewish burial section, including a memorial dedicated "to the memory of the Jewish soldiers of Edinburgh who gave their lives in the World War 1914-1919", fighting in various regiments of the British Army. The cemetery was the first in Scotland to permit an officially designated animal burial section.
Community Flat
Piershill Square West has a "Community Flat", run by the National Health ServiceNHS Scotland
NHS Scotland is the publicly funded healthcare system of Scotland. Although they are separate bodies the organisational separation between NHS Scotland and the other three healthcare organisations each commonly called the National Health Service in the United Kingdom tends to be hidden from its...
(NHS). Staffed full time by a coordinator, with additional staff from various agencies supporting the project on a weekly basis, the Community Flat is run in partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council
Politics of Edinburgh
The politics of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, are evident in the deliberations and decisions of the council of Edinburgh, in elections to the council, the Scottish Parliament, the House of Commons and the European Parliament....
and NHS Lothian
NHS Lothian
NHS Lothian is one of the fourteen regions of NHS Scotland. It provides healthcare services in the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Mid Lothian and West Lothian areas. Its headquarters are at Waverley Gate, Edinburgh-Headquarters:...
. It currently offers services including a resident's group; a parent and toddler group; stop smoking services; state benefits advice; social groups; links to Working Towards Health; and links to Action for Jobs with Jobcentre Plus
Jobcentre Plus
Jobcentre Plus was a government agency for working-age people in Great Britain. The agency was formed when the Employment Service, which operated Jobcentres, merged with the Benefits Agency, which ran social security offices, and was re-named Jobcentre Plus on 1 April 2002...
. The flat is predominantly for use by residents of the two squares in Piershill, Portobello Road and the top of Restalrig Road South, but from March 2007 will be part of the greater Regeneration Outcome Agreement area of Restalrig, Lochend
Lochend, Edinburgh
Lochend is a suburb of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is south of Leith.Lochend have a youth football club, playing at Seafield Park.-Sources:...
and Craigentinny.
See also
- Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven RailwayEdinburgh, Leith and Newhaven RailwayThe Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway, which later became the Edinburgh, Leith and Granton Railway, was a railway in Edinburgh. It carried passengers and freight between the city centre and the northern ports. It was Edinburgh's second railway, after the Duke of Buccleuch's Edinburgh and...
- Edinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction RailwayEdinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction RailwayThe Edinburgh Suburban and South Side Junction Railway is a freight and former commuter railway which runs in a loop across the southern suburbs of Edinburgh, Scotland. It opened in 1884 for both freight and passenger services...