COLINTON, a parish, in the county of Edinburgh,
including the villages of Hailes-Quarry, Juniper-Green,
Longstone, Slateford, and Swanston; and containing
2195 inhabitants, of whom 120 are in the village of
Colinton, 4 miles (S. W.) from Edinburgh. The name
of this place, sometimes written Colington, was formerly
Hailes, a word signifying " mounds " or " hillocks ", and
accurately descriptive of the appearance of the surface
of the parish. About the close of the 17th century the
designation Colinton chiefly prevailed, having for some
time previously been used iu honour of a family of that
name, who had come into possession of the greater part
of the parish. The district appears to have been in remote
times the scene of important military operations; there
were remains of a large encampment lately existing on
the lands of Comiston, and in the same vicinity were until
lately some extensive cairns, whence fragments of old
implements of war had been taken. The Kel Stane, " the
stone of the battle ", which is a large upright stone, from
time immemorial also called Camus Stone, renders it
probable that this spot was originally the encampment of
some Danish forces. In the barony of Redhall formerly
stood a strong castle, which, in 1572, was garrisoned by
the regent Mar, and the king's party. In 1650, it was
defended vigorously against Cromwell and his army, bv
the laird and his veteran band, and upon the castle being
taken, the laird was commended by Cromwell for his
bravery, and set at liberty. The ecclesiastical memorials
of the parish reach back to the llth or 12th century;
the lands were then granted to the monks of Dunfermline
by Ethelred, son of Malcolm Canmore, and confirmed
to them by his brother David I., and in 1234 by Pope
Gregory. The vicarage, however, was taken from the
monks, and given first to the canons of Holyrood, and
afterwards to the canons of St. Anthony at Leith, by
Kennedy, Bishop of St. Andrew's, in the 15th century.
The superiority of the lands of Wester Hailes remained
with the canons till the Reformation, and that of Easter
Hailes continued with the monks of Dunfermline till the
same period.
The PARISH is of an irregular form, about three and
a half miles in length from north to south, and about
three miles in breadth from east to west, and containing
5070 acres. The surface and scenery are richly diversified,
presenting on the south-eastern boundary the
northern range of the Peutland hills, rising I6OO feet
above the sea, and from the skirts of which the ground
slopes gradually to the level of the Water of Leith, which
flows through the lower part of the parish. Colinton
dell, on the bani<s of the Leith, is remarl^able for its
beauties. In the direction of the north-east, the elevations
of the Fir hill and Craig-Lockhart hill form an
interruption to the general declivity, and supply romantic
features in the landscape, which is enriched by elegant
mansions surrounded by gardens and plantations. The
distant views from the higher lands embrace the capital
with its numerous spires and romantic castle, the Firth
of Forth and the coast of Fife, tlie Ochils, and the celebrated
Grampians, which last bound the prospect in the
north-west. The Water of Leith, which is the principal
stream, though subject to repeated sinkings and swellings,
is used to a great extent for the purposes of commerce
and domestic convenience, turning no less than
sixteen mills, and having a considerable bleachfield on
its banks. There is also a variety of copious and excellent
springs, from which, for a very long period, water
was conducted in a regular and uniform manner for the
supply of Edinburgh.
About 3436 acres are either in tillage or fit for tillage;
1356 are hilly grounds under pasture, and 278 are in
plantations. The arable lands lie from 250 to 600 feet
above the level of the sea, and produce good crops of all
kinds of grain, potatoes, turnips, beans, peas, &c. Few
sheep are kept, except on the Pentland hills and on
Craig-Lockhart, consisting chiefly of Cheviots, with a
few Leicesters; the number of cattle reared is likewise
small. Very considerable improvements in husbandry
have been made of late years, chiefly by deep draining,
and a proper system of cropping. A.s, however, a large
proportion of the ground rests upon a subsoil of stiff
clay, the furrow drain and deep plough are still requisite,
to facilitate the productive powers of the land. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £12,314.
The great abundance and variety of the subterraneous
contents of the parish give it altogether an interesting
geological character. The Pentland hills consist of claystone,
porphyry, and felspar-porphyry; the crags of
Caerketan are clayey felspar, strongly mixed with black
oxide of iron. Among the Pentlands are also found
boulders of granite, gneiss, &c., with jaspers and malactite.
Craig-Lockhart hill is basaltic rock, and the bed
of the Leith Water abounds with highly interesting
mineral productions, among which are fossil remains of
fishes and vegetables. There are two freestone- quarries,
large quantities of the contents of which have at different
times been conveyed to Edinburgh for building materials;
the value of one of the quarries to the lessor, some years
ago, was £9000 a year, but at present it is not more than
£1500.
Several beautiful mansions adorn the parish. Colinton
House was built in the beginning of the present century,
and is agreeably situated, commanding extensive prospects
to the north and east. Dreghorn Castle, built
about the same time, stands encompassed by plantations,
and is also adorned with some ancient beech-trees, conferring
a venerable and majestic appearance. Comiston
House and Craig-Lockhart House were both built but a
few years ago, and are pleasantly situated, especially the
latter, having for its site a wooded bank gently declining
to the margin of the Leith Water. In a hollow which
commands the pass through the Pentland hills stands a
Peel tower, in the midst of beautifully romantic scenery:
it was built by Lord Cockburn as an addition to the
small house at Bonally, and forms a very interesting
feature. The villages of Colinton and Slateford have
each a post-oflice. Facility of communication is afforded
by the road from Edinburgh to Lanark; by the Caledonian
railway, which has a station at Slateford; and
by the Union canal. Of the mills ten are meal-mills,
one is for sawing wood, another for beating hemp and
lint, one for grinding magnesia, and the others are employed
in the paper manufacture, which has existed in
Colinton for upwards of a century. Ecclesiastically the
parish is within the bounds of the presbytery of Edinburgh
and synod of Lothian and Tvi'eeddale; patrons,
the whole communicants in the parish who belong to
the Established Church. The minister's stipend is about
£221, with a manse, and a glebe let at £27 per annum.
The church, which is very ancient, is beautifully situated
in the vicinity of Colinton House; it was rebuilt in I771,
in I8I7 was new-roofed, and in the year 1S37 was enlarged
and re-seated. There is a place of worship for
members of the Free Church near Juniper-Green, and
at Slateford is a meeting-house for the United Presbyterian
Synod. A parochial school is supported, in which
the ordinary branches of education are taught, and classical
and mathematical instruction, with French, maybe
obtained; the master's salary is £34, exclusively of fees,
&c., and a house and garden. There are two libraries;
and a gardeners' society awards small premiums for the
superior cultivation of vegetables, fruits, and flowers.