All About Edinburgh
Newhaven Edinburgh
Newhaven Village and Harbour
Newhaven Edinburgh, Newhaven (new harbour) is located on the River Forth and has a small harbour that services a number of local fishing boats. It is now part of Edinburgh but once was a small independent village where the local people lived of the sea, between fishing and shipbuilding. The reason that ship building took place here was due to the depth of the sea. The locals people were known as Bow tows. The Newhaven area has history as far back as the 1400s and connections with King James III and James IV who had the largest ships of their time built in Newhaven. One of which was the Great Michael, a Man-O-War which was part of the Royal Scottish Navy. Now around the Harbour are a number of restaurants and a hotel on the seaside. This is also where cruise liners, dock on their stop in Edinburgh.
The Armada Stone
Newhaven Edinburgh
The Armada Stone, a bronze plaque is a famous Newhaven artefact. No one knows its origin but speculation has it, it is a memorial to the sinking of a Spanish ships in the Spanish Armada, that had been defeated by the English navy when in August 1588 they sailed past the Firth of Forth, where a large number of ships were destroyed by storms,
as the Armada made its way home to Spain.
Ships built in Newhaven
The Great Michael
The largest Ship to be built in Newhaven wa the Great Michael in 1511 for James IV 200 foot long and 36 foot wide the main ship of the Scottish Navy. Sold by the Duke of Albany in 1514 to Louis XII of France. The Great Michael was known world wide due to its size and guns, the largest vessel of that time on the sea.
Ships built in Newhaven
HMS Sirius
HMS Sirius built in Leith was the flagship of the First Fleet. The HMS Sirius set out from Portsmouth, England, in 1787 to establish the first European colony in New South Wales, Australia.
Catherine Sinclair Fountain
Newhaven Leith
The Sinclair Drinking Fountain one of many donated by Catherine Sinclair to Edinburgh Stood in the centre of the junction between Lothian Road and Princes Street in Edinburgh . Close to the walkway at the corner where St John’s Church stands. The Sinclair Fountain was to give water to the public dogs and horses. The Sinclair Fountain stood circa 14 foot high, the top part can be seen in Gosford Place Gardens of Ferry Road near to the Water of Leith Walkway.
The inscriptions on each side of Catherine Sinclair Fountain read;
Drink and be thankful | Water is not for man alone | A blessing on the liver
King Edward VII
Newhaven Edinburgh
There is a statue of Queen Victoria’s eldest son Edward who became king on her death in Victoria Park, Newhaven Road Edinburgh. King Edward VII was educated at the University of Edinburgh, Oxford University and Cambridge University and went on to marry Alexandra, eldest daughter of King Kristian IX of Denmark.
Chapel of St Mary & St James
Newhaven Edinburgh
The chapel of St Mary’s and St James was built circa 1508 part of the walls still exist today. The chapel has not been in use since the reformation in 1560 and over the next 100 years became ruins. The area within the ruined walls was used by the Society of Free Fishermen as a burial ground until 1848.
Armada Stone
War Memorial
Newhaven Edinburgh
Nemo Me Impune | Lacessit | 1588 | In the nean of God | The Newhaven Stone with Two Globes | Quadrant | Cross | Staff | Anchor | Virtute Sydera War Memorial with Armada Stone which is on wall of school in Main Street Newhaven. Inscription reads; To the honoured memory of the men and women of Newhaven who fell in the world war 1939 – 1945
Victoria School
Newhaven Edinburgh
A school was first agreed to be built in Newhaven Village in 1844 and completed in 1861. This is one of very few original buildings that can still be seen intact. Newhaven Village was built circa 1505 and was occupied by a mixture of nationalities Flemish Dutch and French as we as local tradesmen . Newhaven was a shipbuilding and fishing village for around 10 years until the shipbuilding stopped circ 1520 and was left with fishermen.
Starbank Park
Newhaven Edinburgh
Starbank Park is a few minutes west from Newhaven harbour. Theis community park has won awards and is well worth a visit with seating to take in the views of the forth and Fife. there are also a great mixture of plants, trees, herbs, fruit trees, shrubs, ferns, herbaceous plants and bedding plants. There are also a children's nature trail.
