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Revision as of 07:32, 19 August 2005
- This article is about Leith, Scotland; see also other places called Leith.
Leith is a town at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is the port of Edinburgh, Scotland. It lies on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, in the unitary local authority of City of Edinburgh.
History
Historically Leith and Edinburgh were separate, but growth over the centuries means that Leith and Edinburgh now form a contiguous urban area. Leith merged with Edinburgh in 1920.
Leith gained a charter as a royal burgh after the English army was successfully repelled at the Battle of Leith. An archway of the old Leith Citadel still stands.
The remains of the battlefield are now a park called the Leith Links. This was also the site of an early five hole golf course built in the 18th century. Leith lays claim to being "the home of golf" because the official rules of golf were initially formulated at Leith then later adopted by St Andrews.
The docks at Leith underwent severe decline in the post Second World War period, with the area gaining a reputation for roughness, drugs and prostitution.
Other points of interest
Leith is home to Hibernian FC, who play at the Easter Road ground.
Many of Irvine Welsh's books, most famously his debut novel Trainspotting, are partly set in Leith.
The Proclaimers had a hit with "Sunshine on Leith" describing the saviour of the football team they support Hibernian Football Club.
The Pop Artist and sculptor Eduardo Paolozzi came from Leith.
Grand Theft Auto computer game developers Rockstar North are based in Leith.
Notable streets in Leith
Constitution Street | Great Junction Street | Leith Walk | Timber Bush
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The Newtown of Leith
After the troubles in the post war era, Leith began to see redevelopment of the port area, initially because The Scottish Office, a government department - now the Scottish Executive - purchased a low cost site for one of its civil service offices. This in turn led to further service and tourist development including the Ocean Terminal complex and the permanently moored Royal Yacht Britannia.
The newtown of Leith is in the docklands, and is expected completed by about 2020. Ocean Terminal is the first sign of a new Leith. 70 shops, restaurants and a cinema, and within four years of it opening, it already needs to be extended. An entertainment complex and a water sports complex are intended for the Western Harbour quay as well as a cruise liner terminal. The western edge of the harbour is a luxury new residential area designed by Robert Adam (not the same one that designed Edinburgh's newtown!), featuring Platinum Point, the Element, a fitness centre, and later, a central park surrounded by narrow streets and grand crescents and avenues. All of this will take between 10-15 years to complete.
The Dock plans are not as well developed as the Western Harbour is. Alexandra Dry Dock, Victoria Dock, Prince of Wales Dock, Albert Dock and Edinburgh Dock are all expected to remain. Find out more about the newtown at http://www.edinburgh-forthside.co.uk/forthside/
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