Powderhall

A small district of N Edinburgh, Powderhall lies on the south bank of the Water of Leith, to the east of Beaverbank and the northeast of Canonmills. It takes its name from Powder Hall, a mansion located on what is now Powderhall Road, which appears on maps of the 1830s surrounded by formal gardens but was probably built in the early 18th century. This property gained its name from the gunpowder mill set up next to the Water of Leith c.1695 by James Balfour of Pilrig House. Powder Hall was owned by the Mylne family of masons and architects in 1750, with Thomas Mylne dying here in 1763 and for a time remained the Edinburgh home of his son Robert Mylne (1733 - 1811). It was later the property of Sir John Hunter Blair, son of Sir James Hunter Blair (1741-87) who had been Lord Provost of Edinburgh.

More recently the area was known for Powderhall Stadium, laid out as an athletics track c.1870. Eric Liddell (1902-45) won events at the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association Championship here in 1922. The stadium then became synonymous with greyhound racing. From 1977, the stadium was also used for motorcycle speedway and became home to the Edinburgh Monarchs, who moved to Armadale in West Lothian when Powderhall closed. The area was redeveloped to provide housing between 1999 and 2004.

Powderhall Waste Transfer Station was built as an incinerator in 1893 but now loads Edinburgh's waste onto railway wagons for removal from the city.


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