this: Leith, Scotland

Formerly a municipal burgh, Leith ( ) is a district in the north of the city of Edinburgh at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is the port of Edinburgh, Scotland. It lies on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, in the unitary local authority of City of Edinburgh.

History

Historically Leith and Edinburgh were separate burghs, but growth over the centuries means that Leith and Edinburgh now form a contiguous urban area. Leith was merged with Edinburgh in 1920 following an unofficial referendum in which the people of Leith voted five to one against the merger.

Leith has a long and prominent role in Scottish history. As the major port access to Edinburgh, Leith has served as the staging point for many of Scottish history's significant events. Mary Queen of Scots' mother - Mary of Guise - ruled Scotland from Leith, as Regent for her daughter in 1560. At that time the Scottish Court was situated in Leith. The Regency ended in disaster with French Catholic troops being ousted by Scottish forces aided by English Protestant troops. The following year Mary Queen of Scots arrived in Leith to begin her ill-fated six year reign.

About a century later, Leith was both a battleground and ultimately headquarters for Oliver Cromwell forces. An archway of the old Leith Citadel stands as the only remnant of extensive Cromwellian fortifications forced upon Leith following the move north of a roundhead army.

The remains of the battlefield are now a park called the Leith Links and the grassy mounds mark former cannon emplacement earthworks. This was also where the earliest record of golf was found; it was the subject of a ban by King James II in 1457 as it interfered with the more useful sport of archery. The links are the site of an early five hole golf course built in the 18th century. Leith bolsters its claim to being "the home of golf" because the official rules of golf, initially formulated at Leith in 1744 by the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, were later adopted by St Andrews.

During the American war of independence John Paul Jones, a Scotsman who is credited as founder of the US Navy, led a flotilla of three former French vessels against Leith. The heavily armed warships were, reputedly, repulsed by appalling weather. Leith built fortifications after this event to prevent any repeat threat to the port and to Edinburgh. Part of Leith is still known as "The Fort" to this day, although all of the 18th century buildings, save a gatehouse, are long since gone.

In June 1811 a statistical population census was carried out, which gave the population of South Leith as 15,938; North Leith 4875. With a procession and ceremony, the foundation stone of the new church for the parish of North Leith was laid on 11 April 1814.

Leith was the port of entry for the visit of King George IV to Scotland, and The Old Ship Hotel and King's Landing was then given its new name to mark the King's arrival by ship's boat at Leith Shore for this event which popularised symbols of Scottish national identity.