Easter road

[suavegav]

Does anyone have any idea how easter road (the street, not the stadium) got its name. Im thinking it might be because its built on the east side of leith, therefore, Easter Rd. Or does it have religious overtures.
Just curious.:confused:

[Peevemor]

Does anyone have any idea how easter road (the street, not the stadium) got its name. Im thinking it might be because its built on the east side of leith, therefore, Easter Rd. Or does it have religious overtures.
Just curious.:confused:

IIRC it was originally the Eastern Road.

[Phil D. Rolls]

This is from the Edinburgh Street Names website:


Leading from Holyrood, at the East end of the Canongate, by the East end of the Calton Hill, to Leith. East road to Leith, D.1827. There were two western roads, one by Leith Wynd and Leith Walk, the other from Broughton Toll by Pilrig to Leith. Both shewn in anon. map circa 1830, as also East road, as above.

I know that Robert Chambers in Traditions of Edinburgh (early to mid 19th century book) speaks about "the easter road".

[suavegav]

Cheers m8. curiousity solved.

[Ants]

Wester Hailes Road.....

Wester Hailes Road was formerly Thieves Road renamed in 1931. This however was the old road not the present day dual carriageway which was named from the district and Wester Hailes Farm which was located where block 5 to 8 Clovenstone Gardens is today. See also "Hailes".

[Jack]

EASTER ROAD
Leading from Holyrood, at the East end of the Canongate, by the East end of the Calton Hill, to Leith. East road to Leith, D.1827. There were two western roads, one by Leith Wynd and Leith Walk, the other from Broughton Toll by Pilrig to Leith. Both shewn in anon. map circa 1830, as also East road, as above.

So now ye know!

[sg7nil]

Quote:
EASTER ROAD
Leading from Holyrood, at the East end of the Canongate, by the East end of the Calton Hill, to Leith. East road to Leith, D.1827. There were two western roads, one by Leith Wynd and Leith Walk, the other from Broughton Toll by Pilrig to Leith. Both shewn in anon. map circa 1830, as also East road, as above.

So now ye know!

But although Leith Walk is shown on early maps, it was in reality just a track through marshy farmland until 1650 hence the fact that it was known as "the walk" as it was not recommended (maybe impossible?) to try and take a vehicle (Probably a horse and cart in those days) up that way into town. There is also a stream shown on many early maps which follows the route taken by the road and has been thought to be responsible for a lot of the subsidence of the buildings in the area. Cromwell famously marched his troops up "the walk" on his way to Edinburgh. A rampart was later built upon the route.

Quote below from the history of Leith...

"Before 1650 what is now Leith Walk was merely a straggling pathway known as Leith Loan, that wound its way over the heathery waste and through the meadows and cornfields that then lay between the city and its port. Leslie’s rampart became a gravelled roadway twenty feet wide, for pedestrians only, which Edinburgh citizens used as their "walk" on their way to enjoy the sea breezes on the pier of Leith, that in those days was merely a continuation of the Shore beyond the Old Signal Tower."

The two main routes for moving between Edinburgh and Leith were Bonnington road.. which was the most direct, but it had a tollbooth on it as merchants had to pay to use it to move goods.. and the Eastern Road which was less direct and did not attract a toll payment.

[Dashing Bob S]

Next week on The Holy Ground: discover how the street Gorgie Road got the name 'sh*ithouse'.

A Yam writes: This was solely due to the introduction of professional soccer into the area, in the form of Heart of Midlothian FC>

[Greentinted]

Next week on The Holy Ground: discover how the street Gorgie Road got the name 'sh*ithouse'.

A Yam writes: This was solely due to the introduction of professional soccer into the area, in the form of Heart of Midlothian FC>

IIRC Gorgie comes from the word Gorgyn meaning 'upper wedge' which is what will be in Vlads back tail when he :bye: ta-ta to the gimp boys!:greengrin

[hibbybrian]

IIRC Gorgie comes from the word Gorgyn meaning 'upper wedge' which is what will be in Vlads back tail when he :bye: ta-ta to the gimp boys!:greengrin

Wikipedia - The area contains Gorgie City Farm, and retains a number of smaller businesses, including two laundrettes. :greengrin