Gilmerton

Gilmerton (Scottish Gaelic: Baile GhilleMhoire, IPA:[ˈpaləˈʝiːʎəˈvɔɾʲə]) is a suburb of Edinburgh, about 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast of the city centre.

Not to be confused with Gilmorton.

Gilmerton
Gilmerton Post Office
Gilmerton is located in the City of Edinburgh council area
Gilmerton
Gilmerton
Location within the City of Edinburgh council area
Gilmerton is located in Scotland
Gilmerton
Gilmerton
Location within Scotland
OS grid referenceNT2969
• Edinburgh4 miles (6.4 km)
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townEdinburgh
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament

The toponym "Gilmerton" is derived from a combination of Scottish Gaelic: Gille-Moire– a personal name and later surname meaning "Servant of [the Virgin] Mary", from which comes the first element, "Gilmer", – and Old English: ton meaning "settlement" or "farmstead". Versions of the name are recorded from the middle of the 12th century.[1]

Below its centre is a series of shallow linked caves collectively called Gilmerton Cove. Traditionally these were attributed to the work of a local blacksmith, George Paterson (d.1735), who began work in 1720 and completed excavations in 1724 occupying these caves under his house and smiddy for eleven years. Paterson's name is incribed on the lintel at the entrance.[2]

History

Gilmerton was owned by the Somervilles of nearby Drum House in the 17th century but in 1685 passed to the Kinloch family who had property on the west side of the village.[3]

Coal mining which began in the 16th century gave way to limestone mining in the 19th century. As a parish, Gilmerton was a quoad sacra parish linked to Liberton Church with a chapel of ease being built here in 1837 on Ravenscroft Street.[4]

Community facilities

Gilmerton Library serves a number of informal learning sessions and community events. Bookbug Sessions, Book groups, Knitting Group, iPads for the visually impaired, Tiger Tales stories and crafts for ages 4 – 8, Friday Fun Club for kids, NHS Lothian Stop Smoking Group, and Local Councillors' surgeries.[5]

Gilmerton Community Centre has a varied daytime and evening programme of educational and leisure activities as well as support groups. The Centre is a vibrant and busy place with a large reception area with 4 computers allowing internet access. Printing and photocopying facilities are also available and there are always staff and volunteers on hand to give help, information and advice. There are 4 general purposes rooms, two crèche rooms, a computer suite, and a small hall all available for hire. A busy café also operates from the centre. A number of outside agencies are based in the Centre including a Women’s mental health project, a Drugs project and a Befriending project for young people.[6]

Ferniehill surgery has 6 doctors and a number of practice nurses, health visitors and district nurses. Surgeries are offered throughout the day from 8.30am to 5.30pm.[7]

A child and family centre was purpose built and opened in 1964. It is part of the City of Edinburgh Councils, Children and Families Department. The Centre has four playrooms to accommodate children aged 0–5. There is also a large kitchen area and separate laundry. The outside area is on two levels, one area is with slabbing which is used for toys including bikes, scooters, sand, water play etc. The other area has soft surfacing and sited climbing frame equipment and chutes.[8]

Gilmerton Primary School and two nearby Secondary Schools (Liberton High School and Gracemount High School) serve the Gilmerton area.

Politics

Gilmerton once used to have its own council ward (ward 56) within Edinburgh city, which included the communities of Ferniehill and Hyvots.[9] Since 2007, The Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland amalgamated Gilmerton with the neighbouring town of Liberton to create the Council ward Liberton/Gilmerton (16) that incorporates Gracemount, Burdiehouse, Southhouse, The Inch and Moredun.[10]

The City of Edinburgh Council election, 2017 saw Liberton/Gilmerton vote in 4 councillors.

Gilmerton is in the Edinburgh South constituency for parliament in Westminster, and is represented by Ian Murray (British politician) (Labour). It falls within the Edinburgh Eastern for the Scottish Parliament, and is represented by Ash Denham (SNP)

Demographics
EthnicityGilmertonEdinburgh
White89.7%91.7%
Asian7.3%5.5%
Black1.1%1.2%
Mixed0.6%0.9%
Other1.3%0.8%

Notable People

Trivia

A street in the Dunedin, New Zealand suburb of Corstorphine, Gilmerton Street, is named after the suburb.[12]

See also

References
  1. Harris, Stuart (2002). The Place Names of Edinburgh.
  2. Grant's Old and New Edinburgh vol.6 p.343
  3. Grant's Old and New Edinburgh vol.6 p.343
  4. Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh by Gifford, McWilliam and Walker
  5. "Gilmerton Library". City of Edinburgh Council. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  6. "Gilmerton Community Centre". southedinburgh.net. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  7. "ferniehill surgery". ferniehill surgery. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  8. "Gilmerton Child and Family Centre". Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  9. "Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland". Maps of electoral wards 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  10. "Council Election 2017 ward maps". The City of Edinburgh Council. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  11. "Councillors by Ward: Liberton / Gilmerton". The city of Edinburgh Council.
  12. Kendall, I., "Scottish Place Names - Dunedin, New Zealand," rampantscotland.com, July 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
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