Craigleith

A largely residential district to the west of Edinburgh city centre, Craigleith lies between Comely Bank and Blackhall. The Western General Hospital to the northeast began as Craigleith Hospital and Poorhouse in 1868. The Royal Victoria Hospital was created in the former Craigleith House in 1894 by Sir Robert Philip for his tuberculosis patients but later refocused on geriatric services. Craigleith House was demolished in 1960, while the other notable property in the area, Craigleith Hill House, had been demolished in the 1950s. Craigleith Quarry provided much of the fine sandstone used in the building of Edinburgh's New Town in the 18th and 19th Centuries. First worked to provide stone for Edinburgh Castle in the 17th Century, the last major project which used Craigleith stone was an extension to Leith Docks in 1895. The monolithic Ionic columns at the front of the University of Edinburgh's Old College represent the largest single pieces of stone cut from the quarry. The quarry site has been redeveloped as a large shopping centre, Craigleith Retail Park, which opened in 1993.


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