Bonnington Mill - Local history

I love exploring local areas of interest, past and present, and here is one just down the road from where I live:

History of Bonnington

The village of Bonnington 'Bonny toon' marked the boundary between the independent towns of Leith and Edinburgh. It was an important river crossing point, initially as a ford, followed by a bridge and toll. Lying on a natural flat plain 'haugh' formed at the bend of the river, the area was ideal for milling and its history can be traced to the 12th century. In 1617, the lands and mills of Bonnington became part of Edinburgh as they were sold to the Town Council by the Logans of Restalrig.

Water Wheel and Lade

This waterwheel is the only surviving example of dozens that once powered mills all along the Water of Leith. It originates from the Bonnington Mills, of Newhaven Road, and was moved to this site in the old mill lade following its restoration in the 1980's.

Today the wheel sits on a small section of the old mill lade. Sluice gates at Redbraes weir would have controlled a man made flow of water along the canal-like lade. The lade flowed across the 'haugh' to the mill, where the water would have rushed under the wheel causing it to turn and generate power, then the water would return to the river.

The power generated by this and many other 'undershot' wheels in Bonnington was used to mill grain, weave cloth, tan leather and manufacture paper.

The Houses of Bonnyhaugh Lane

In 1620, the town council invited Dutch textile dryer, Jeromias van Der Heill, to teach his craft to the locals and arranged for Bonnyhaugh House to be built as his residence. The low cottage at its side soon followed as the dyeing room, later becoming a blacksmith's smiddy. From 1640, where the mills manager's house and workers cottages were built, the milling community of Bonnyhaugh was established.

It is hard to imagine that the fields that once surrounded this point were used for laying out cloth to bleach it in the sun, a practice reflected in the name to the nearby street Bleachfield. In 1832, the fields were taken over by Robert Burns' skin works which required one million gallons of water from the Water of Leith every day. The Skinners' cottages and Burns Tenements originate from this time. When the mills and tanneries closed, all of these houses deteriorated through neglect but were rescued in the 1970's and now serve as unique family homes.

In the early 18th Century, Bonnyhaugh House passed to Bishop Robert Keith, author and Jacobite sympathiser who corresponded with exiled Bonnie Prince Charlie. He died in the house in 1757.

'The Wheels of the Water of Leith turn no more.' The buildings and wheel remind us of the river's industrial past. Today, the Water of Leith is a haven for wildlife and you can explore its length along the Water of Leith Walkway east to Leith and west takes you through the city to Balerno near the Pentland Hills. The way is dotted with the river's milling heritage.