Newton, a parish of NE Edinburghshire, containing the post-office village of Millerhill, with a station on the Waverley section of the North British railway, 2 miles NNW of the post-town, Dalkeith, and 6 ¼ SE of Edinburgh. Since the Reformation it has comprehended the ancient parishes of Newton (to the SE) and Wymet or Woolmet (to the NW). Bounded SW and NW by Liberton, NE by Inveresk, and SE by Dalkeith, it has an utmost length from NW to SE of 2½ miles, a varying width of 1 3/8 and 2 miles, and an area of 2034 acres, of which 1 ½ are water. Burdiehouse Burn runs 2 ½ miles east-north-eastward along or close to all the north-western boundary; the south-eastern is traced for 1 ¼ mile by Park Burn, next for 3 furlongs by the North Esk, and for the last furlong by the united Esk. Between, the surface rises very gently, at no point much exceeding, and at none sinking much below, 200 feet above sea-level. In the NW the rocks belong to the Carboniferous Limestone series, but elsewhere they are part of the true coal-measures; and coal has been largely worked for nigh three centuries. During the forty years between 1831 and 1871 mining greatly fell off; but a fresh start has since been made by the Benhar Coal Co., with the result that the yearly valuation of minerals rose from £645 to £4565 during 1871-81. The soil along Burdiehouse Burn is strong argillaceous carse land; towards the centre is rich loam; and towards the SE is stiff clay or light and sandy. Save for Edmonstone Park and a narrow strip of Dalkeith Park, both of which are well wooded, nearly all the parish is in a state of high cultivation. Woolmet, 2 ½ miles NW of Dalkeith, though now but a farmhouse on the Wemyss estate, is a fine old building of the Scottish Baronial type; and Woolmet church, hard by, has been converted into the mausoleum of the Wauchope family. From 1240 to the Reformation it was held by Dunfermline Abbey, as from 1158 was the old church of Newton, which, standing near the North Esk's left bank, ¾ mile SE of Millerhill, is now represented only by its tower. Edmonstone House, noticed separately, is the principal residence; and Sir John Don-Wauchope, Bart., the Earl of Wemyss, and the Duke of Buccleuch are chief proprietors. Newton is in the presbytery of Dalkeith and the synod of Lothian and Tweeddale; the living is worth £384. The- parish church, ¾ mile WSW of Millerhill, was built in 1742, and contains 430 sittings. Two public schools, Dalkeith and Edmonstone, with respective accommodation for 196 and 66 children, had (1883) an average attendance of 164 and 39, and grants of £141, 19s. and £24, 19s. 11d. Valuation (1860) £9670, (1884) £11, 874, 9s. 6d., plus £2420 for railways. Pop. (1801) 1060, (1831) 2274, (1861) 1553, (1871) 1181, (1881) 1307, of whom 335 were in Millerhill.—Ord. Sur., sh. 32, 1857.
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