Colinton

Colinton (Baile Cholgain) is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland situated southwest of the city centre. Up until the late 18th century it appears on maps as Collington. It is bordered by Dreghorn to the south and Craiglockhart to the north east. To the north west it extends to Lanark Road (the A70) and to the south west to the City Bypass. Bonaly is a subsection of the area on its southern side. Colinton is a designated conservation area.

Originally sited within a steep sided glen on a convenient fording point on the Water of Leith, and expanding from there, Colinton's history dates back to before the 11th century. Close to the Water of Leith is Colinton Parish Church, correctly called St Cuthbert's Parish Church, which was founded as the Church of Halis (Hailes) around 1095 by Elthelred, third son of Malcolm III and Queen Margaret. The current exterior largely dates from 1907 but the structure dates from 1650. The entrance is marked by a lych gate, rare in Scotland and more common in southern England. The cemetery (on the lower slopes to the south) contains the village war memorial. One notable grave within the cemetery is that of a Norwegian soldier, Olaf Vennesland. In May 1599 an English adventurer Edmund Ashfield came to Colinton and met James VI, and in September another English visitor Henry Lee with David Foulis watched James VI hunting from the tower of the castle, then he stopped there for a meal. The village was occupied by ten companies of General Monk's Regiment (now known as the Coldstream Guards) on 18 August 1650 prior to their attack on Colinton Castle and Redhall during the English Civil War. The nearby 15th century Colinton Castle, in the grounds of what is now Merchiston Castle School, was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell during his invasion of Scotland. Following repair, the castle was subsequently partially demolished by the artist Alexander Nasmyth in order to create a picturesque ruin. Other notable figures with connections to Colinton include: Robert Louis Stevenson who spent the summers of his childhood at the manse when his grandfather was the village's Parish Minister; the philanthropist James Gillespie; and architects Sir Robert Rowand Anderson and John James Burnet, who all lived in the village. A number of innovative Arts and Crafts style cottages were also constructed in the village in the early 1900s by the architect Sir Robert Lorimer. Between 1909 and 1915, the War Office constructed Redford Barracks to the east of the village. The barracks represent the largest military installation built in Scotland since Fort George in the Highlands and they provide military accommodation, together with offices and training facilities. As part of the UK government's defence spending review, Redford and Dreghorn Barracks are deemed surplus to requirements and earmarked for disposal. The village was the location for mills producing textiles, snuff, and paper. The Caledonian Railway Company constructed a spur line connecting Slateford and Balerno in 1874, with a station at Colinton. This line continued to carry passengers until 1943, but closed altogether when the carriage of freight was discontinued in 1967. Colinton Parish was amalgamated into Edinburgh on 1 November 1920. As of 2007, it forms a core part of the Colinton/Fairmilehead multi member ward for the City of Edinburgh Council.

Although now a well established suburb of Edinburgh, the original heart of Colinton is still referred to as "Colinton Village", with small speciality shops and many original buildings remaining intact. The Dell extends along the Water of Leith Walkway from Colinton Parish Church towards Slateford, and contains a mixture of mature and ancient woodland. It is a natural habitat for wildlife. The walkway and cycle path pass by original mill buildings and an old tunnel that dates back to when the path was part of the local railway line. Spylaw Park is situated within the area. Colinton is served by Colinton Primary School, Bonaly Primary School, Firrhill High School. Merchiston Castle School, east of the village, is an independent all boys boarding school. The major route to the city centre, Colinton Road, runs from Colinton through Craiglockhart to Holy Corner, a part of Burghmuirhead between Morningside and Bruntsfield. Along the road are a number of significant Victorian and Edwardian villas, some of which were designed by Edward Calvert.

In addition to city wide media, the village is covered by "Colinton Magazine", currently published twice a year by the Colinton Amenity Association. The magazine includes reports from CAA officers and articles of general interest about Colinton and neighbouring Bonaly. Since 2014, Colinton has also been included within the distribution area of "C&B News" (originally "Currie & Balerno News"), a monthly volunteer led community magazine also covering neighbouring Juniper Green, Baberton Mains, Currie, and Balerno along the Water of Leith valley. "The Dell Directory", part of the family of monthly "Konect" magazines published in West Lothian and Edinburgh West, is delivered to 5,500 households across Colinton and neighbouring Craiglockhart and Kingsknowe.