Balgreen

Balgreen
Scottish Gaelic: *Baile Griain*
Balgreen Scottish Gaelic: Baile Griain;
	Corstorphine Hill, seen in the south from a residential street in Balgreen
	Balgreen Location within the City of Edinburgh council area Balgreen Location within Scotland
OS grid reference	NT2188427537
Council area	City of Edinburgh;
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Edinburgh
Postcode district	EH12, EH11
Dialling code	0131
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Edinburgh West;
Scottish Parliament	Edinburgh Central;
	List of places UK Scotland 55°56′34″N 003°15′23″W / 55.94278°N 3.25639°W

Balgreen (/bɔːlˈɡriːn/ or /bɔːˈɡriːn/) (Scottish Gaelic: Baile Griain) is a suburb of Edinburgh, located approximately two miles west of the city centre, most commonly known for its primary school, Balgreen Primary. It is located to the west of Murrayfield and Saughtonhall, to the east of Corstorphine, and to the north of Gorgie. It is bound to the north by Corstorphine Hill, to the west by Carrick Knowe Golf Course, and roughly to the east by Water of Leith.

Etymology

The name comes from Balgreen House once situated where Balgreen School now stands and is probably derived from Scottish Gaelic, perhaps being Baile na Grèine (sunny farm ) or Baile Griain (gravel farm) from the gravel on the riverbank, or perhaps from Baile Grianain (farm of the sunny enclosure). It does not, as some etymologies have suggested, come from "Ball Green". The Gaelic "Bal-" (farm) prefix can also be found in Balerno and is not unusual in the area. The placename Balgreen is also found near Murieston and Ecclesmachanin West Lothian.^[1]

Amenities

The Water of Leith flows through here with the Water of Leith Walkway connecting the area to Stockbridge to the north east and Colinton and Balerno to the south west. There is also a library, primary school, and a large park here, with facilities for football (soccer) etc., and a children's playpark.

Transport

Tram

Balgreen tram stop is located off Balgreen Road, adjacently north of the main Glasgow to Edinburgh railway line.

Preceding station		Edinburgh Trams		Following station
Murrayfield towards Newhaven		Newhaven - Edinburgh Airport		Saughton towards Airport

Buses

Lothian Buses

12,26,31 (Corstorphine Road)
1,2,22,30 (Western Approach Road)
38 (Balgreen Road/ Saughtonhall Drive)

McGill's Scotland East

21 and 22 (Corstorphine Road)

Rail

Balgreen was served by Balgreen Halt railway station which was closed in 1968.

Notable residents

William Stevenson (1772–1829), Scottish nonconformist preacher and writer, farmed in this area.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b Bell, Raymond MacKean (2017). Literary Corstorphine: A reader's guide to West Edinburgh. Edinburgh: Leamington Books. ISBN 9780244644406.

Cant, Michael, Villages of Edinburgh volumes 1 & 2, John Donald Publishers Ltd., Edinburgh, 1986-1987. ISBN 0-85976-131-2 & ISBN 0-85976-186-X
Harris, Stuart (1996). The Place Names of Edinburgh. Edinburgh: Gordon Wright Publishing. p. 144. ISBN 0-903065-83-5.

[Bell-1] Bell, Raymond MacKean (2017). Literary Corstorphine: A reader's guide to West Edinburgh. Edinburgh: Leamington Books. ISBN 9780244644406.

[1]