Baberton

Not to be confused with Barberton, Mpumalanga.

Baberton is a suburb of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is known as Baberton Mains, It is south-west of the Edinburgh City Bypass and Wester Hailes and south of the Shotts Line railway line. The village of Juniper Green is situated to the south of Baberton and Baberton Golf Course is to the west.

Most of Baberton Mains comprises a housing estate built in the early 1970s by George Wimpey. All streets take the "Baberton Mains" name but some streets in Juniper Green take the name Baberton and not Baberton Mains.

Although the antiquarian writer James Grant stated Baberton House was the property of King James VI in the early 17th century and he gifted it to Alexander Brand, one of his favourites, prior to his death in 1625,^[1] more modern architectural historians note that Baberton House was designed and built in 1623 for his own occupation by the architect Sir James Murray of Kilbaberton (d.1634), King's Master of Works.^[2][3][4]

Bradshaw's Guide says Baberton House was a hunting lodge of King James VI and that King Charles X of France lived here after the July Revolution of 1830.^[5] Baberton House was the home of the Edinburgh physician Byrom Bramwell, and his friend and colleague Charles Edward Underhill died here in 1908.^[6]

Publications

In addition to city-wide media, the area is covered by “C&B News”, a volunteer-led community magazine (in print and digital formats) covering Baberton as well as nearby Currie, Juniper Green, Balerno and Colinton. Launched in February 1976, and published 10 times a year, the publication features local news and articles, reports from local groups/organisations, political representatives and Community Councils, as well as coverage of local planning applications and developments.^[7]

“Konect Balerno”, part of the family of monthly “Konect” magazines published in West Lothian and Edinburgh West, is delivered to households across Baberton and neighbouring Currie, Juniper Green, Balerno and Ratho.^[8]

References

1. Grant's Old and New Edinburgh vol.6 p. 334.
2. Howard Colvin, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840 (John Murray, 1978), p. 567.
3. Charles McKean, The Scottish Chateau: The country House of Renaissance Scotland (Stroud: Sutton, 2001), pp. 193–194.
4. Historic Environment Scotland. "Baberton House, including gates, gatepiers and boundary walls (Category A Listed Building) (LB6129)". Retrieved 28 March 2019.
5. Bradshaw's Guide, 1863: Midcalder
6. British Medical Journal May 1908
7. "C&B News". C&B News. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
8. "Konect Balerno". Retrieved 7 July 2023.

55°54′43″N 3°17′7″W