1698

That's the date inscribed on this stone, the front-door lintel, rescued from Dreghorn Mains Farmhouse when it was demolished to make way for the Edinburgh City By-pass. It was mounted here, near the Redford Road entrance, in 2016 as part of Woodland Improvements. 

The farm ('mains' being the title for the principal farm on a Scottish estate) provided for Dreghorn Castle (lots of information here). Its water supply is said to have been drawn from Donald's Well (extra 1), a spring to the north, the Donald in question being a servant responsible for carrying the buckets to the house (note: the map labels 'Donald's Well' along the burn, this is in error, it should read Howden Burn).

Dreghorn Castle was visited by many eminent individuals, each of whom planted a tree on the estate. The only one positively identified is a Giant Redwood planted in 1909 by the Prince of Siam (extra 2, with a six-foot tall Mr Flum for scale) although there are other redwoods of similar girth.
The woods came to public notice a few years ago when it was discovered that the several trenches within were used for training soldiers in WWI and also for WWII, the estate being the property of the MOD from 1913.

Our walk took us right round the wood on excellent paths;  a few years ago there was no path on the north side of the Braid Burn but was a sea of mud, the improvements have been most effective.