Addiebrownhill

Settlement in Midlothian

Scotland

Addiebrownhill

Sheep at the gate In the shade of the trees at Rusha — Sheep at the gate Credit: Jim Smillie

Addiebrownhill is a small village located in Midlothian, Scotland. Situated approximately 10 miles southeast of the city of Edinburgh, it is nestled within the picturesque countryside of the region. The village is part of the wider community council area of Bilston, which encompasses several surrounding rural settlements.

Despite its small size and relatively secluded location, Addiebrownhill offers a tranquil and idyllic setting for its residents. The village is characterized by a mix of traditional stone-built cottages and modern housing developments. The surrounding landscape is dominated by rolling hills, open fields, and patches of woodland, providing ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, and wildlife spotting.

While primarily a residential area, Addiebrownhill benefits from its proximity to nearby towns and amenities. The village is conveniently located for access to the bustling city of Edinburgh, with its wide range of cultural attractions, shopping centers, and transport links. Additionally, the town of Dalkeith is just a short drive away, offering further amenities including supermarkets, schools, and recreational facilities.

The community spirit in Addiebrownhill is evident through the presence of local clubs and organizations, which promote social engagement and a sense of belonging. The village also hosts various events throughout the year, such as summer fairs and charity fundraisers, which bring residents together and foster a strong community bond.

Overall, Addiebrownhill provides a peaceful and scenic living environment for its residents, combining the benefits of rural living with convenient access to nearby towns and cities.

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Addiebrownhill Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 55.842597/-3.616179 or Grid Reference NS9862. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Sheep at the gate

In the shade of the trees at Rusha

Jim Smillie

Farmhouse: Rusha

Substantial stone building

Jim Smillie

Livestock sheds

With a very neat stone dyke running alongside the road

Jim Smillie

Old Bridge near Site of Rusha Quarry

The bridge allows passage across Longhill Burn, which further downstream turns into West Calder Burn, the village of West Calder being, in the main, built on its Southern side. Rusha Quarry, which old maps show was operational between at least the mid 1800s and early 1900s, was situated on the right hand side of the burn past the bridge. It seems unlikely that the bridge was connected with the quarry, as there was a track leading to the quarry from the road which Rusha farm was (and still is) situated on. The only old map showing a continuation of the track over the bridge shows it as stopping just short of the former farm of Dykehead, which itself could be reached from another road, so it was probably built just to get produce and livestock across without faffing about with fords. In the OS naming books, compiled during the surveying of their initial maps, the quarry is described as being "of considerable note". Some kind of firestone called 'lake-stone' (which doesn't appear in any dictionaries) was extracted here, and must have been of very high quality as small amounts were apparently shipped to America for use in ovens and fire safes. The quarry gets its name from the farm of the same name. Having done a bit of digging it turns out that the name, disappointingly, has no connections to Russia itself. Pre-OS maps call it both Rushaw and Raeshaw. My hunch is that it is an eliding of 'Rush Shaw'. Lots of place-names just East of here have 'Rash' (a Scottish version of 'rush') at the start, and "shaw' is generally agreed to have denoted a wood, or something wood-related in Middle English, a common dialect of which was spoken in the Southern Scotland and Northern England in mediaeval times.

Ian Dodds

Heather moorland

Between the A71 and railway line

Jim Smillie

A71 heading east

Long straight stretch crossing Nether Longford Moss

Jim Smillie

Wooded slope

This is the western end Addiewell Bing Nature Reserve.

Jim Smillie

Addiewell Bing Nature Reserve: Path

Walking towards the west the path became more difficut to follow Link

Jim Smillie

Sycamore tree

Hanging on to the edge of Addiewell Bing

Jim Smillie

Field near Addiewell

Looking towards St Thomas RC church on right and row of former miners' cottages on left

Jim Smillie

Breich Water

View to woodland on north bank

Jim Smillie

Area of cleared forestry

Former triangular area of forestry beside Breich Water

Jim Smillie

Large rocks: Breich Water

The bank on the right has been reinforced.

Jim Smillie

Former Railway Bridge Abutments near Stoneyburn

The fact that maps show no trace of anything having ever been round here would normally imply that the passage under the railway was created for farm access. However, as the land behind camera could also be accessed from the West Calder to Blackburn Road, just to the West of here, it is possible that the track which used to go under the railway at this point did once lead somewhere, the maps before and after the railway's introduction being 40+ years apart. The line which was once here went by the misleading name of the Loop Line. A loop, to my mind anyway, refers to something that returns to, or returns very close to its starting point. In this case, while it did meander a bit and have some sweeping bends, the railway was essentially a short detour from the still operational Edinburgh - Shotts - Glasgow route. It branched off from the main line in what is now the Southern half of Polbeth, passed through Stoneyburn, and rejoined the main line in between Addiewell and Breich, heading in the same direction. Study of older maps nearby shows that it wasn't part of a larger loop either, as I had previously assumed.

Ian Dodds

Entrance to Meadowhead

Originally a farmhouse dating from the 18th century. The present building was extended and remodelled by a local architect in the 1890's. It was a popular hotel 1960's-1980's

Jim Smillie