Midlothian
Statistics
| Principal Town: | Dalkeith |
| Population (1991): | |
| Area (hectares): | 34966 |
| Entry Updated: | 15-JUL-2019 |
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Local Authority Contact Information
| Address: | Midlothian Council
Midlothian House
Buccleuch Street
Dalkeith
EH22 1DG
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Geography
Midlothian is a landlocked region bounded on the north and west by
Edinburgh and the
Pentland Hills, on the north and east, by
East Lothian, and on the south by the
Scottish Borders and the
Moorfoot Hills. Prior to 1890 Midlothian was known as
Edinburghshire and included the city of
Edinburgh. In 1975, the area became one of four districts of Lothian Region by removing parts of the Borders and East and
West Lothian, notably
Musselburgh. In 1996 Midlothian was reinstated as a unitary authority. The historical county, including
Edinburgh, is still used for the purposes of land registration.
The area is 355 sq. km (137 sq. miles), 61% of which is open countryside, while 9% is developed and another 9% is woodland.
There are several streams and rivers running through the area, the largest being the North Esk and South Esk; there are also several reservoirs, which provide water to Edinburgh.
History
Some of the most wealthy and influential families in Scotland established ties with Midlothian, including the ancient house of Lothian as well as the Dukes of
Buccleuch, Queensberry, and
Douglas. In the Esk valley,
Dalkeith Palace was an important power base, while nearby
Newbattle Abbey was founded in 1140 by David I.
Sir Walter Scott lived near
Lasswade for several years, and the writer
Thomas De Quincey lived in nearby
Polton for almost 20 years before his death in 1859.
Industry
Midlothian has a mixed economy based on agriculture, biotechnology, tourism and 'animal welfare'. Its traditional industries have essentially disappeared, namely lime burning, carpet making, coal mining, paper making and heavy engineering, while gunpowder was manufactured at
Roslin until 1954. Coal was mined by monks at
Newbattle Abbey as early as the 13th century but today mining communities, such as Loanhead, are now facing up to a future without coal. Scientific research has become an important part of the economy, focussed on the
University of Edinburgh's facilities at Bush, the adjacent
Pentland Science Park and the
Roslin BioCentre. A substantial retail park has developed at
Straiton on the border with the
City of Edinburgh, with Ikea and Costco warehouses on the innovatively titled Costkea Way, together with two large supermarkets. The
Pentland Hills Regional Park,
Dalkeith Country Park,
Vogrie Country Park and the
Midlothian Snowsports Centre at Hillend are the principal leisure facilities. Tourism is focused on a handful of attractions including
Rosslyn Chapel (at
Roslin) and the
Lady Victoria Colliery in
Newtongrange (now the Scottish Mining Museum).
References and Further Reading
Baldwin, John (1997) Exploring Scotland's Heritage: Edinburgh, Lothians and Borders.
Second Edition, The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland and The Stationery Office, EdinburghCollard, Mark (1998) Lothian: A Historical Guide.
Birlinn, EdinburghCraig, G.Y. and P.McL.D. Duff (1975) The Geology of the Lothians and South East Scotland.
Scottish Academic Press, EdinburghMcCallum, Alex. (1912) Cambridge County Geographies: Midlothian.
The University Press, CambridgeMcWilliam, Colin (1978) The Buildings of Scotland: Lothian except Edinburgh.
Penguin Books Ltd., Harmondsworth, MiddlesexThomas, Jane (1995) Midlothian: An Illustrated Architectural Guide.
The Rutland Press, Edinburgh
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