GRANTON, a town (growing), in the parish of CraMOND,
county of Edinburgh, 2| miles (N. W.) from
Edinburgh. This place, formerly remarkable only as
the spot where the English troops under the Earl of
Hertford disembarked in the year 1544, now claims importance
for its magnificent and extensive pier. That
truly national work was erected, at his sole expense, by
the Duke of Buccleuch, who is proprietor of the estate
of Caroline Park, formerly called Granton. It was commenced
in November, 1835, and was partially opened
on the 28th of June, 1838, the day of the coronation of
Her Majesty, by Lord John Scott, brother of his Grace,
in the presence of an immense concourse of spectators;
and in commemoration of the day, one of the jetties is
named the " Victoria ". Vessels and steamers of the
largest size can approach the pier, which is 1700 feet in
length, and varies in breadth from eighty to 160 feet:
it has a massive wall with occasional entrances to each
side of the pier, running up the centre; and the whole
is of the most solid and beautiful masonry. The Victoria
jetty, on the west side, extends ninety feet; on the east
side is a jetty of similar dimensions; and two others are
at the distance of about 350 feet seawards. There are
also two slips for shipping cattle; and a lighthouse at
the extremity of the pier. On the Queen's visit to this
part of her dominions in 1842, Granton pier was the
place of Her Majesty's landing, on the 1st of September,
and of her embarkation, on her return to England, on
the 15th of the same month. In July, 1844, an act was
obtained for the extension of the Edinburgh and Newhaven
railway to Granton; the line forms part of the
Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee railway, and in 1849 the
proprietors of that great railway obtained an act for the
construction of a pier and other works here. They had
previously, in 1847, procured an act vesting in them the
pier at Burntisland, and the ferry between Burntisland
and Granton. The company's steamers ply regularly
across the Firth of Forth, in connexion with the trains;
and large moveable slips have been recently erected at
Granton and Burntisland, by means of which, in connexion
with a steam-vessel of peculiar construction,
great facilities are afforded for the transmission of goods,
which are now conveyed across without removal from the
trucks. The vessel, or floating railway, as it may be
called, is 175 feet long by fifty-four feet all over, and is
propelled by two powerful engines, with paddle-shafts
unconnected. Upon the spacious deck of this steamer
are laid three lines of railway, capable of accommodating
a train of from thirty to forty loaded trucks. An elegant
and commodious inn has been some years erected
by the Duke of Buccleuch, and there is already the
nucleus of a handsome town and sea-port. The most
direct road from Edinburgh to Granton is by Inverleith
row, at the head of which is the new road, on the left,
through Wardie grounds.