Duke of Buccleuch - Curious Edinburgh

Granton Industries

Jan 152019

This Powderhall Bronze sculpture "Going to the Beach" by Vincent Butler, which shows a man, woman, two children, and a dog walking

This Powderhall Bronze sculpture is entitled ‘Going to the Beach’ by Vincent Butler (1933-2017).

Waterfront Avenue, Edinburgh EH5 1RS

Near this site, lots of industrial activity took place. AB Fleming introduced rosin oil in 1852, a by-product of refining turpentine from dead pine wood. Due to expansion, Fleming leased a large area of land from the Duke of Buccleuch and built a new factory. ‘Granton Oils’ became popular all over the world. Later on, the company manufactured inks for books, newspapers, fine half tone work, letterpress and lithography, and had the largest capacity anywhere in the world, operating globally. Next to AB Fleming was Caroline Park Foundry, started in 1880 by Robert Mushet, who was instrumental in perfecting a forerunner of today’s steels. The Granton Ice Company (1906) was also nearby and supplied the fishing industries of Granton and Newhaven, with premises originally located on the Middle Pier of Granton Harbour. A new factory was built near the site of Granton Castle. By 1952 it was the most modern factory of its kind in Britain. Water to make the ice came from Granton Burn’s, stored in a pond behind Caroline Park, and piped down in lead pipes which still run beneath Granton Castle’s walled garden.

Advertisement for the A.B. Fleming & Co Scottish Printing Ink Factory

Advert for A.B. Fleming & Co Scottish Printing Ink Factory

Advert for The Granton Ice Co.

Granton Castle Walled Garden

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Jan 152019

Photograph of the exterior of Granton Castle's Walled Garden — The wall, please walk along this stretch and view Social Bite village and Granton Gasworks

Path, Caroline Park Avenue, Edinburgh EH5 1QJ

With the building of Granton Harbour in the mid 1800s, the Duke of Buccleuch saw great financial opportunity with land either being leased or sold off for commercial and industrial development in the area. As a result, the Castle became neglected and by the mid 18th century it was already described as being in a ruinous state. Following the First World War, the Castle was bought in 1928 by a quarrying company Bain and Brown who demolished it to quarry the stone underneath it, but left sections of the wall in place. The Walled Garden survived and was bought by John Smith, market gardener and the business stayed in the family until 2005 when it was sold to the City of Edinburgh Council. Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden are now working to ensure that this beautiful community asset is safeguarded for the future.

Black and white engraving of the ruins of Granton Castle in the 19th century — The castle already lying in ruins in the 19th century

Photograph of the Social Bite village with the Gas Works behind it — The new Social Bite village in the shadows of the Gas Works. Photo from the John Dickson collection

Close-up photograph of a section of the Granton Castle Walled Garden — Detail of Granton Castle Walled Garden. Photo from the Gina Fierlafijn Reddie collection

Painting, titled "Granton Castle Walled Garden" by Harry Mafuji — The walled garden by Harry Mafuji

Find out more:

Canmore website, with more photos of Granton Castle

The Building of Granton Harbour

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Jan 152019

Photograph overlooing the west harbour of Granton Harbour — This road is located on the original middle pier. Looking towards Leith, the west harbour is now used for leisure purposes

Lochinvar Drive, Edinburgh EH5 1GT

The idea of building a harbour at Granton is said to have been suggested in 1834 by R.W. Hamilton, the manager of the General Steam Navigation Company. A deep water port, unlike Leith harbour, which was tidal, would allow Edinburgh to import and export goods. The 5th Duke of Buccleuch, who owned land in the area, saw the opportunity to build this new harbour on part of the estate he owned, which included Caroline Park House. Robert Stevenson, the lighthouse engineer and grandfather of Robert Louis Stevenson, advised on the harbour’s design and it was built using stone from the Granton Sea Quarry. Construction was completed in 1863, although part of the harbour, the Central Pier, was opened much earlier on 28 June 1838, the day of Queen Victoria’s Coronation.

Color photograph of pilot boats on the Forth — Pilot Boats on the Forth

Vintage map of Granton Harbour and the surrounding neighbourhood — The development of Granton Harbour

Sepia photograph of Walter Francis Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch, 7th Duke of Queensberry

Colorful painting of two boats in Granton Harbour by Jenny Haslam

Red, yellow, and turquoise abstract illustration of boats in Granton Harbour by Louise Montgomery — Boats at Granton Harbour by Louise Montgomery

New Curious Edinburgh tours

On October 23 we will be officially launching our newest tour on the History of Witchcraft in Edinburgh during an event at the Edinburgh Futures Institute starting at 3pm. Please register here and hope to see you there!

On International Women’s Day 2024, we launched a new tour featuring locations in Edinburgh connected to amazing women in STEM. Celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion in STEM by taking a look at Edinburgh-connected women who have made an impact in a wide range of STEM fields.

Check out our new bird trail! We are currently working on the development of coastal trails, in collaboration with Traveltech for Scotland and the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Young Academy Scotland’s Coastal Knowledge map. Here you can upload your own experiences of the coast, including birds you have spotted.

Last year we added the Second World War tour developed by academics from the schools of Social and Political Science and History, Classics and Archeology.