Bellsquarry

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Bellsquarry
Bellsquarry - geograph.org.uk - 990225.jpg
Surviving houses from the era before Livingston
West Lothian UK location map.svg
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Bellsquarry
Location within West Lothian
OS grid reference NT050652
Civil parish
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town LIVINGSTON
Postcode district EH54
Dialling code 01506
Police Scotland
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
55°52′16″N3°31′01″W / 55.871°N 3.517°W / 55.871; -3.517 Coordinates: 55°52′16″N3°31′01″W / 55.871°N 3.517°W / 55.871; -3.517

Bellsquarry is a suburban area located in the south-west of Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland. Bellsquarry is located to the west of the Murieston area of the town and to the south of the Dedridge area of the town. The Brucefield industrial estate lies on its western edge.

Contents

History

Along with the settlements of Livingston Village and Livingston Station, Bellsquarry became part of Livingston new town on its designation in 1962. [1]

The name Bellsquarry originates from a former Burdiehouse Limestone quarry and the surname of its owner, Mr Bell. [2] The quarry was in operation by 1782 and continued until the early 20th century, when it was used as a rubbish dump before being tidied and covered. [2] Some of the former limestone kilns still remain around throughout the area. [2] [3]

Brucefield Farm is a former substantial farmhouse built circa 1800 that is now in use as a restaurant. [4]

Buildings

As one of the older settlements in Livingston, there are several 19th and early 20th century buildings in Bellsquarry, including Bellsquarry Village Hall. [5] [6] [7]

The Elm Tree Inn located at the village square, re-opened in early 2005 as a pub (downstairs) and restaurant (upstairs).

There is one primary school in Bellsquarry, constructed in 1909 by the architect James Graham Fairley. The school has its own adventure trail. [8]

Culture

There is a children's play park and several recreation fields in the centre of Bellsquarry. There is also a 17.75 ha (43.86 acres) wooded area known as Bellsquarry Wood, with ponds, and with trails connecting Bellsquarry to Murieston. [3] Bellsquarry wood and the area to the south of the original village was once part of the estate of Newpark House. [3] The house built in 1806 still survives, being incorporated in a series of new housing developments in the late 20th century. [9] The original orchard exists as part of a new community orchard created in 2011. [3]

Transport

Bellsquarry is situated just south of the Edinburgh to Kilmarnock A71 road.

Newpark railway station was a railway station that served Bellsquarry on the Cleland and Midcalder Line between Edinburgh and Glasgow but it closed in 1959. [10] Since then the nearest railway station to Bellsquarry is Livingston South railway station.

Related Research Articles

Midlothian Council area of Scotland

Midlothian is a historic county, registration county, lieutenancy area and one of 32 council areas of Scotland used for local government. Midlothian lies in the east-central Lowlands, bordering the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian and the Scottish Borders.

West Lothian Council area of Scotland

West Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and was one of its historic counties. The county, which was known as Linlithgowshire, was bounded geographically by the Avon to the west and the Almond to the east. The modern council area occupies a larger area than the historic county. It was reshaped following local government reforms in the late 20th century: some areas in the west were transferred to Falkirk; some areas in the east were transferred to Edinburgh; and some areas that had formerly been part of in Midlothian were added.

Livingston, West Lothian New town and administrative centre in Scotland

Livingston is the largest town in West Lothian, Scotland. Designated in 1962, it is the fourth post-war new town to be built in Scotland. Taking its name from a village of the same name incorporated into the new town, it was originally developed in the then-counties of Midlothian and West Lothian along the banks of the River Almond. It is situated approximately fifteen miles (25 km) west of Edinburgh and thirty miles (50 km) east of Glasgow, and is close to the towns of Broxburn to the north-east and Bathgate to the north-west.

Uphall Human settlement in Scotland

Uphall is a village in West Lothian, Scotland. It is a swiftly growing village in a conurbation with Broxburn to the east, Dechmont to the west and the major town of Livingston to the south west. Uphall is 30 miles from Glasgow and 14 miles from Edinburgh in the Scottish Lowlands. Uphall Station and Pumpherston are separate villages that lie to the south of Uphall.

Pumpherston Human settlement in Scotland

Pumpherston is a village in West Lothian, Scotland. Originally a small industrial village housing works for the nearby shale mine and works, it now forms the eastern part of the new town of Livingston, which was constructed to the west of Pumpherston in the late 1960s and quickly grew to incorporate Pumpherston in its wider urban settlement, as defined by the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS). The village of Uphall Station lies immediately to the north.

Balerno Human settlement in Scotland

Balerno is a village on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland situated 8 miles south-west of the city centre, next to Currie and then Juniper Green. Traditionally in the county of Midlothian it now administratively falls within the jurisdiction of the City of Edinburgh Council. The village lies at the confluence of the Water of Leith and the Bavelaw Burn. In the 18th and 19th century, the area was home to several mills using waterpower. In the 20th century, the mills closed and the village now forms a residential suburb of Edinburgh.

River Almond, Lothian River in Scotland

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Winchburgh Human settlement in Scotland

Winchburgh is a village in the council area of West Lothian, Scotland. It is located approximately 10 miles (16 km) west of the city-centre of Edinburgh, 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Linlithgow and 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of Broxburn.

Mid Calder Human settlement in Scotland

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West Calder Human settlement in Scotland

West Calder is a village in the council area of West Lothian, Scotland, located four miles west of Livingston. Historically it is within the County of Midlothian. The village was an important centre in the oil shale industry in the 19th and 20th Centuries. West Calder has its own railway station.

East Calder Human settlement in Scotland

East Calder is a village located in West Lothian, Scotland, about a mile east of Mid Calder and a mile west of Wilkieston. It forms part of 'the Calders, three small neighbouring communities situated west of Edinburgh and south of the "New Town" of Livingston.

Kirknewton, West Lothian Human settlement in Scotland

Kirknewton is a village formerly in the county of Midlothian and, since 1975, in West Lothian, Scotland. The population of the Kirknewton Community Council district is 2200, which includes the village and surrounding areas. It lies south of the A71 from Edinburgh to Livingston, and north of the A70, the high-level road that runs along the north side of the Pentland Hills from Edinburgh to Carnwath and Lanark. Much of the village stands back from the B7031, which links the two main "A" roads. To the south-east of the village is Morton.

Murieston

Murieston is a primarily residential district on the southern edge of Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland. It lies to the south-east of Bellsquarry.

Newpark railway station was a railway station serving Newpark near Bellsquarry in West Lothian, then called Linlithgowshire. It was on the Cleland and Midcalder Line between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Trains on the Shotts Line still pass through the site of the former station.

Murieston Castle

Murieston Castle is a ruined tower house, dating from the 16th century, 2 miles (3.2 km) west of West Calder, west of the Murieston Water, at Murieston Castle Farm, West Lothian, Scotland. It is a scheduled monument and between 1971 and 2018 it was a Category B listed building.

Eliburn Human settlement in Scotland

Eliburn is an area, primarily residential, in Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland. Eliburn is bordered by Deans to the north, Ladywell to the west and Livingston Village to the south.

Almondell Viaduct Viaduct in West Lothian, Scotland

The Almondell Viaduct, also known as the Camps Viaduct, is a viaduct spanning the gorge of the River Almond in Scotland, located in East Calder, West Lothian, as well as the main canal feeder taking water from the Almond to the Union Canal at Lin's Mill near Ratho

Harburn, West Lothian

Harburn is a small village and estate in West Lothian, Scotland. It lies approximately 2 miles south-east of West Calder and just to the north of the Pentland Hills.

References

  1. "Livingston's History". Daily Record. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Mr Bells Quarry". Scottish Shale. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Bellsquarry Wood". Woodland Trust. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  4. Jaques and McKean (1 September 1994). West Lothian - An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Scotland: The Rutland Press. p. 94. ISBN   978-1873190258.
  5. Historic Environment Scotland. "Bellsquarry, 25 Calder Road, Village Hall (206785)". Canmore . Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  6. "Bellsquarry 30 Calder Road". Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  7. "Bellsquarry Village Hall". West Lothian Scotland. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  8. "New Trim Trail". Daily Record. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  9. Historic Environment Scotland. "Newpark (49111)". Canmore . Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  10. "Newpark Railway Station". Geograph. Retrieved 13 March 2021.