The New Statistical Account of Scotland
PARISH OF CORSTORPHINE
Drawn up by Thomas Thomson, Esq. W.S.
Presbytery of Edinburgh, Synod of Lothian and Tweeddale.
THE REV. DAVID HORNE, Minister
TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HISTORY
Name. - Corstorphine was anciently written Crostorfin or Crostorfyn, as in the foundation charter of Holyrood House in 1128, and in Ragman's Roll of 1296. Several derivations have been proposed. Chalmers in his Caledonia frequently refers to it as a Celtic word, but in his description of the parish, he interprets it as the Cross of Torphin, acknowledging at the same time that he cannot trace any connection between Torphin, who was grandson of Malcolm II., and died in 1014, and this part of the country. It may, however, be noticed in corroboration of this derivation, that Torphin is the name of a large tract of country in the district of West Calder. Another derivation is from the Norman or French, "Crois d'ore fin", or cross of fine gold, and this we think the more probable of the two, from the circumstance that the earliest proprietors of Crostorfin were Normans, who, in that age, were devoted friends of the church, and fond of the emblem of the cross. Tradition likewise supports this derivation, and connects with it the existence of a golden cross in the chapel of the estate in early times.
Extent and Boundaries.-The present parish of Corstorphine includes within its bounds part of the ancient parish of Gogar, the remainder of which was annexed to the adjoining parishes of Kirkliston and Ratho. It also includes the lands of Ravelston and Saughton, which were detached from St. Cuthberts by the Teind Commission of 1627, and united to Corstorphine in 1633, by an act of the Scotch Parliament. The parish is about 4 miles in length, and its greatest breadth is 2 ¼ miles. It is bounded on the north, by Cramond and Kirkliston; on the east, by St. Cuthberts; on the south, by Colinton, Currie, and Ratho; and on the west, by Ratho and Kirkliston.
Topographical Appearances. - The greater part of the parish consists of a tract of low-lying meadow land, which extends from near Coltbridge to Redheughs. The village is situated in the centre of this tract, and is slightly elevated above the level of the meadows on both sides. Towards the north-east, lies Corstorphine hill, an eminence covered with wood, which rises 474 feet above the level of the sea, and commands most delightful prospects in every direction. To the west of Corstorphine hill, is a ridge of rocky ground called East and West Craigs, which overlooks the western meadow. The ground in the western division of the parish is more diversified and undulated, rising on both sides of the Gogar-burn, and gently sloping towards the water.
Hydrography. - The only streams in the parish are the rivulets of Leith and Gogar; the former running through the south-easter division of the parish, and the latter through the lands of Gogar, and falling into the river Almond, in the adjoining parish of Kirkliston. In former times, there were two lochs in the meadows, which are represented in Blaew's Atlas, in the Map of Lothian, which was prepared about 1640, as situated, one on each side of Corstorphine Caste, and as supplying with water a ditch which surrounded the grounds belonging to the Castle.
There is a mineral spring near the village of Corstorphine, which is very similar in taste to the water of St. Bernard's Well, Edinburgh. Dr. Monro, in his book on mineral waters, Vol I, page 209, says that "it is a weak, sulphureous water, from which Dr. Short got by evaporation eleven grains of sediment from a gallon, composed of sea salt and a calcareous glauber. This water has been used for the cure of scrofulous complaints". For many years previous to the end of the last century, and at the commencement of the present, this well was in great repute, and for the sake of it Corstorphine was much resorted to as a watering place, so much so, that in the month of 1749, a stage-chaise was set up, which travelled between Corstorphine and Edinburgh eight or nine times every week-day, and four times on Sunday. It is said that one of the ladies of the family of Dick of Prestonfield and Corstorphine experienced so much benefit from using the water, that she took up residence in the village, and erected a building over the well, placing a pump on it so as to make it more convenient and accessible to the inhabitants. This erection was allowed to fall into disrepair, when the well lost its popularity, and the last vestige of it was removed about fourteen years ago, and a deep ditch was made on the north side of it, which completely destroyed the spring. As this well was so much connected with the prosperity of its being again fitted for use in a public well, with the concurrence of the adjoining properties. The lease of the farm on which it was situated, still contains an exception of a space of ground round the mineral well, and a footpath to it, from the village, of at least four feet wide.
Climate. - The village has always been considered as very healthy, although, from want of proper drainage, the soil is very wet and the atmosphere very damp. The cause of its salubrity has been said to be its exposure to a rapid and complete circulation of air. When the cholera was prevalent in this country there were no cases in the village of Corstorphine, and only a few of a fatal character at the outskirts of the parish.
Botany. - From its vicinity to Edinburgh, the natural history of this parish has been so fully investigated that it is unnecessary to enter upon here. We shall merely notice one or two of the rarer plants that have been found in it. Phellandrium aquaticum grows in the ditches of the meadows; and Pyrola rotundifolia, Anthyllis vulneraria, Tanacetum vulgar, Listera ovata, and Erythrea centaurea are found at Gogar, and Parietaria officinalis on the ruins of Corstorphine Castle. Among the trees which formerly decorated the park of the Castle there is a very fine sycamore tree, now the old pigeon-house, which has a most beautiful colour in the sunshine, when the leaves first come out in spring.
Quarries. - There were at one time extensive freestone quarries in Corstorphine Hill, upon the lands of Ravelston, from which the stone was taken for the Parliament House, Heriot's Hospital, and other public buildings erected in Edinburgh, between the years 1632 and 1650. These quarries have not been in operation for the last twenty years, but one of them has been lately cleared of water, and the proprietor has advertised for a tenant to work it. There are also two trap or blue whinstone quarries in the parish, one at West Craigs, which is used occasionally for building farm-steadings, but principally for road metal, and the other at Clermiston.
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