28-531: Midland Mills is a former flax mill on Silver Street in Holbeck , Leeds , West Yorkshire , England, in the Holbeck Urban Village regeneration area. Since the 1980s it has been used for light industrial work. John Jubb built the first mill on the site in 1793 but sold his business and mill in the early 19th century. The new owner took advantage of the expansion of the flax spinning industry in
56-467: A Category B listed Scottish Arts and Crafts style house. The house was designed by Dunn & Findlay in 1898 and then substantially altered between 1906/1907 by Robert Lorimer . Balerno has two churches (the parish church and St Mungo's Church). Balerno Parish Church is part of the Church of Scotland . The church was designed in a Gothic style by James Graham Fairley and completed in 1888. It
84-462: A disagreement between the two brothers saw their firm go bankrupt in 1812. Taylor and Wordsworth, two employees of the Drabble brothers, bought the site in 1812 and established Taylor, Wordsworth and Co . By the early 1850s both Taylor and Wordsworth had died but the company continued to trade under the same name but under new management. In the 1930s Platts bought the factory, Platts soon became
112-525: A mill at Adel near Leeds, where he built an improved spinning machine for John Marshall . In 1791, Marshall built another mill in Holbeck near Leeds. Murray later became a noted textile engineer as a partner in Fenton, Murray and Wood. Ditherington Flax Mill in Shrewsbury , built in 1797, is the world's first iron-framed building, and hence a forerunner of all skyscrapers . In 1805, Malleny Mill
140-579: Is Category C listed, rectangular in shape and composed of sandstone and Ashlar . It was originally designed as a church for a United Presbyterian congregation. St Mungo's Church is part of the Scottish Episcopal Church . The church was designed by Robert Rowand Anderson and completed in 1869. The church is finished in white harling and is Category B listed. The nearby former St Joseph's Catholic Church closed in August 2006, with
168-637: Is a volunteer-led “local community news magazine” (available in print and as a downloadable PDF ) covering Balerno and neighbouring Currie , Juniper Green , Baberton Mains and Colinton . Originally launched in February 1976, and published 10 times a year, the magazine features local news and articles, contributions from local political representatives, and updates on local planning issues—all voluntarily submitted by local residents. The magazine published its 500th issue in October 2024. A bespoke edition of
196-622: Is held in Balerno Main Street on the second Saturday of each month. The Balerno Farmers Market is run by Balerno Village Trust. 2013 saw the launch of Balerno Village Screen - a community cinema project with free admission and funded by donations. The screenings are shown monthly on the first Saturday of every month in the Ogston Hall and the St Joseph's Centre. So far around 400 villagers have turned out per screening to watch
224-619: Is now located at Binny Plants near Ecclesmachan . The gardens are home to one of the largest rose collections in Scotland. The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals operates an Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre on Mansfield Rd in Balerno. The SSPCA opened the centre in 1930 as a Rest Farm for working horses. The centre cares for and rehomes thousands of neglected and mistreated animals every year. A farmers' market
252-513: Is now the Water of Leith Walkway . In 1938, the Royal Bank of Scotland building was erected in the village. It is category C listed and the building is now in use as a dentists. From 1951 onwards, Balerno was expanded with the creation of a new housing estate under the builders Mactaggart & Mickel. In 1975, the village became part of the city of Edinburgh. Also in 1975, part of the village
280-633: Is serviced by the 32 bus route to Cramond and the 44 to Wallyford, both of which is operated by Lothian Buses . The route connects Balerno to Currie, Slateford , the City Centre, Brunstane and East Lothian . The village was also served by the E&;M Horsburgh service 24 bus route, which connected it to Juniper Green in one direction and East Calder and Livingston , but this has been terminated. Balerno Community High School provides secondary education for local children of S1 to A6 age groups and
308-423: Is situated in the Holbeck Urban Village regeneration area. 53°47′26″N 1°33′22″W / 53.7906°N 1.5560°W / 53.7906; -1.5560 Flax mill Flax mills are mills which process flax . The earliest mills were developed for spinning yarn for the linen industry. John Kendrew (an optician ) and Thomas Porthouse (a clockmaker ), both of Darlington developed
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#1732782446341336-475: Is thought that Sir James Murray of Kilbaberton was the designer of the main house building. While the house is not open to the public the gardens are and consist of a 3-acre (12,000 m ) walled garden set in approximately nine acres of woodland. The gardens feature four 100-year-old yew trees known as the Four Apostles and was home to Scotland's National Bonsai Collection, which left around 2000 and
364-521: The Balerno line , a spur line from Slateford , via Colinton , which connected Balerno railway station to the centre of Edinburgh. The line saw an upsurge in housebuilding in Balerno. The last passenger train to run on the line was in 1943, and a High School was placed on the site of the goods station in 1983. The line runs adjacent to the Water of Leith river. The A70 runs near the village. The village
392-780: The Member of the Scottish Parliament is Gordon MacDonald . Balerno is also covered by the Lothian electoral region which gives the area seven additional MSPs. Balerno is represented within the constituency of Edinburgh South West in the House of Commons . The current Member of Parliament (MP) is Scott Arthur . The 17th century Malleny House and Garden are owned by the National Trust for Scotland . The house incorporates parts of an early house dated to 1589. It
420-771: The Holbeck area by diversifying into the manufacture of textile machinery. This machinery was sold to local and national mills, including the mills of Leeds entrepreneur Benjamin Gott . The mills changed ownership a few years later when the owners moved to premises on Meadow Lane, selling the Midland Mills site to the Drabble Brothers who were in the employment of John Marshall at the same time as Matthew Murray . Drabble Brothers continued to manufacture textile machinery and also patented designs for cart axles until
448-743: The Main St dating from this period. These include the Grey Horse Inn (circa 1850), the late 19th century Malleny Arms Hotel (now the Balerno Inn), the Balerno Hardware and Pharmacy Buildings, as well as the buildings at 28-32 and 34 Main Street. In 1877, a primary school 'Deanpark' was built in the village. While the school moved to a new building in 1970, the original school, school Masters building and late annexes still exist and
476-589: The building purchased by Balerno Parish Church and renamed "The St Joseph's Centre" . Balerno is home to Currie RFC , who play at Malleny Park. Currie won the Scottish Rugby Union Scottish Premiership Division One in 2007 and 2010. Balerno Bowling Club situated in the heart of the village dates back to 1885, plays lawn bowls in the Water of Leith league, Edinburgh & Leith Bowling Association. C&B News – originally Currie & Balerno News –
504-562: The films. 2008 saw the launch of Balerno's music festival with events held at Balerno Parish Church, Balerno Bowling Club, Balerno Parish Church New Hall, the Grey Horse Inn and the St Joseph's Centre. Red Moss is one of only four raised bogs of sphagnum moss surviving in the Lothians and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest . It is currently managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. The Caledonian Railway built
532-591: The jurisdiction of the City of Edinburgh Council . The village lies at the confluence of the Water of Leith and the Bavelaw Burn. In the 18th and 19th century, the area was home to several mills using waterpower. In the 20th century, the mills closed and the village now forms a residential suburb of Edinburgh. Balerno's name derives from the Scottish Gaelic Baile Àirneag , meaning "townland/town of
560-571: The largest textile machine-makers in the world, employing over 15,000 people. Unfortunately the economic turbulence of the 1980s caused recession and the decline of manufacturing in the UK. The factory ceased trading in 1981 and Platts followed in 1982. The closure of Midland Mills marked the end of the textile industry in Leeds. Since 1981 Midland Mills has been divided into industrial units. Most of these have been used for light industrial work. Midland Mills
588-820: The process from Richard Arkwright 's water frame , and patented it in 1787. The first machine was set up in Low Mill on the River Skerne at Darlington, which Kendrew used to grind glass. They then each set up a mill of their own, Kendrew near Haughton-le-Skerne and Porthouse near Coatham Mundeville , both on the same river. They also granted permits, enabling others to build similar mills, including in northeast Scotland , where early mills included those in Douglastown , Bervie and Dundee . Others were built in Leeds . Matthew Murray moved from Darlington to set up
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#1732782446341616-556: The sloe trees". The earliest written records of Balhernoch or Balernach are found in the late 13th century. The 18th century brought substantial development to the area, with several new flax, snuff and paper mills springing up around the Water of Leith and its tributary, the Bavelaw Burn (evidence of flax production can be seen in Harlaw Woods). The largest of these mills was the Balerno Bank Paper Mill which
644-487: The spired Bell-cot is a focal point of the centre of the village. The school was expanded on at least 3 occasions between 1880 and 1914 and the main building now serves as the village library. After the First World War house building began in earnest in the area and since then residential development has increased ahead of commercial and industrial development. There was a short loop railway running over what
672-481: Was built on the eastern edge of Balerno to process Flax. Flax mills in New Zealand Balerno Balerno ( / b ə ˈ l ɜːr n oʊ / ) is a village on the outskirts of Edinburgh , Scotland situated 8 miles (13 kilometres) south-west of the city centre, next to Currie and then Juniper Green . Traditionally in the county of Midlothian it now administratively falls within
700-549: Was designated as a conservation area (with the boundaries enlarged in 1997). In 1997, the village erected a memorial to a local resident Willie Shanks ( BEM ) for services to the people and children of Balerno. Balerno is governed by the City of Edinburgh Council and is also served by a local community council. Balerno is in the Edinburgh Pentlands constituency for the Scottish Parliament and
728-404: Was founded in 1983. Dean Park Primary School is the local primary school and is located in the south of Balerno. The current school was built in 1972. Harmeny School is a grant-aided special school for primary school aged children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties that was established in 1958. As well as new buildings, part of the school occupies the former Mansfield House,
756-431: Was later used as a grain mill but was damaged by fire internally in 1910. It repaired in 1920 and converted into a ladies school. It is now housing but is Category C listed and the mills give their name to this area of Balerno. In 1825, a Scotch whisky distillery was established in Balerno but it was shortlived and closed by 1830. In the 19th century, the village expanded with most of the present day stone buildings on
784-468: Was located near the centre of the old village. The Balerno Bank Paper Mill was founded in 1810 and closed in the early 1990s. While the former site has been converted to housing, the former offices (built in a Scottish baronial style ) and lodge are still extant. They are Category B and C listed respectively. On the eastern edge of Barlerno, the Malleny Mill was built in 1805 as a flax mill . It
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