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Eskbank
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Melville Castle |
Further downstream is Melville Castle, a castellated mansion designed by James Playfair and built in 1786 on the site of the old castle for Henry Dundas, the first Lord Melville, once known as 'Scotland's uncrowned king'. Lord Melville planted specimens of all the trees native to Britain on the estate. Walter Scott was inspired to write of Melville's beechy grove, sadly no longer there. In the 1980s, the castle suffered from neglect but open to the weather and with floors collapsing, it was saved from ruin and opened as a popular hotel in 2003, still in a beautiful wooded setting. Melville was often visited by Mary, Queen of Scots and during one of her visits in the 1560s, David Rizzio, her secretary and companion, is said to have planted a sweet chestnut tree near the banks of the river as a token of his love for her. The trunk of the tree now has a huge girth of 7.63 metres (25 feet). |
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view to the bridge from Viaduct |
The
route of the diverted A7 now passes near to Melville Castle, the
huge modern bridge over the river is so high above that you can
hardly see it from the water's edge. Just a little downstream is
Elginhaugh Mill, a flour mill owned by Mr Gray about 100 years ago.
The site of a Roman Fort is also nearby, one of several marching
camps in the area, situated to protect the crossing place of the
Roman Road over the North Esk
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Elginhaugh |
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Glenesk Viaduct |
The
Glenesk Viaduct which carried the first railway line in Midlothian,
opened in 1831 connecting Dalkeith with Edinburgh. The first trains
were horse-drawn and because of the idyllic setting and excellent
safety record, Dr Robert Chambers, writer and publisher, was inspired
to refer to the 'innocence of the railway' giving it the name of
the 'Innocent Railway'. One interesting byelaw forbade drivers from
allowing their horses to graze whilst pulling trains. The viaduct
was recently restored and now forms part of the railway walk which
starts in Penicuik and follows the track to Sheriffhall. If the
proposed Waverley line goes ahead, there will be massive reconstruction
works in the area and many of these beautiful walks will be lost.
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Eskbank Railway Walk |
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Ironmills Memorial Bridge |
the water tower |
| Close to the viaduct is the weir which harnessed the water to provide power for the industries in Ironmills Park. An iron foundry was established there in 1648 manufacturing a range of products - iron bars, sheet iron, tools, iron clogs for the colliery workers, and gates and railings for the Duke of Buccleuch. The mill was converted into a corn mill and later still, served as an engine house to pump water to the water tower from a new bore in the park, the pipe crossing the river on the Memorial Bridge, a new footbridge built in 1913. The octagonal Water Tower was built by the Town Council in 1879 to provide a clean supply of water to Eskbank and this wonderful example of Victorian industrial architecture is now a private house. Further downstream are the old flour mill buildings in Grannies Park, a corruption of Grains Park. |
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Ironmills |
Ironmills Weir |
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