56-478: Hopetoun House is a country house near South Queensferry owned by the Hopetoun House Preservation Trust, a charity established in 1974 to preserve the house and grounds as a national monument, to protect and improve their amenities, and to preserve the furniture, paintings, manuscripts, and other articles of historical interest associated with the house. The south wing of the house is occupied by
112-598: A sundial at first floor level. On Pierhead stands the small hexagonal Light Tower, moved from its original site on the Tower House in 1817 and now restored, marking the old ferry pier. The Waterloo Memorial in Main Street is a bell-shaped stone gable carved with an anchored ship and dated 1816. It stands in front of the Waterloo Well with its Victorian iron pump and was a watering stop for horses. There are other wells at
168-533: A Deas Chas Chaolais means "[the] Southern Side of [the] Steep Strait". The name "Cas Chaolas" (Steep Strait) is older than the English name; it can be applied to either North or South Queensferry, or both. The queen referred to is Saint Margaret of Scotland who is believed to have established a ferry at this point for pilgrims on their way north to St Andrews. She died in 1093 and made her final journey by ferry to Dunfermline Abbey . Her son, David I of Scotland , awarded
224-477: A Tuath Chas Chaolais" means "[the] Northern Side of [the] Steep Strait". The name "Cas Chaolas" (Steep Strait) is older than the English name "Queensferry" and older than the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of the English name, which is "Port na Banrighinn" (the port of the queen). "Cas Chaolas" can be applied to either North or South Queensferry, or both. The village takes its name from Saint Margaret of Scotland ,
280-570: A base is all that remains of his design. Work on the current bridge eventually began in 1883, under the supervision of Benjamin Baker and John Fowler . The construction of the bridge altered life in North Queensferry drastically. At its peak, the construction of the bridge employed over 4,000 men. The Forth Bridge was opened on 4 March 1890, by the then Duke of Rothesay (later to become King Edward VII ). North Queensferry railway station opened
336-595: A bridge to be built over the Forth. The idea of a bridge across the Forth had been debated frequently in the past, but the depth of the water and the hard whinstone rock base found underneath had discouraged any attempts. Work on a Suspension Bridge of a different design to the current bridge was started by Thomas Bouch in 1878 but was dropped when faith in Bouch dried up after the Tay Bridge Disaster . A small Lighthouse with
392-584: A local school-girl as the Ferry Fair Queen, accompanied by a Ferry Fair Court of other school-children, a procession of floats, pipe bands, and competitive events such as the Boundary Race. The Fair had a dedicated radio station, Jubilee1 , which in May 2007 was awarded a licence to evolve into a full Public Service Community Station for North and South Queensferry. Queensferry hosts the strange annual procession of
448-543: A straw, whilst enthusiastic children go from door-to-door collecting money on his behalf. The key landmarks on the tour are the Provost's office and each pub in the village. The name "Loony dook" is a combination of "Loony" (short for " lunatic ") and "dook", a Scots term meaning "dip" or "bathe", and is an event whereby people dive into the freezing waters of the Firth of Forth on New Year's Day , often in fancy dress. In recent years
504-709: Is also a school brass band that has won the Community section of the Scottish Youth Brass Band Championships in 2005 and 2006. St Mary's Episcopal Church , also known as the Priory Church, is the town's oldest building, built for the Carmelite Order of friars in the 1450s. It is the only medieval Carmelite church still in use in the British Isles, and is a Category A listed building . After
560-538: Is also an old whinstone quarry. North Queensferry has three hotels, bed and breakfast establishments and holiday homes to let. Near the station is the village primary school (a large pink sandstone category B listed Art Nouveau building dating from 1912 to 1914), a small general store and a community centre (all in Brock Street). The church, on Ferryhills Road, is twinned with Hohoe in Ghana . North Queensferry lies on
616-520: Is believed that the destruction of the Chapel of St James by Cromwell's men took place at this time. In the 18th century, the chapel ground became a cemetery for members of the North Queensferry Sailors' Society. The Town Pier, the main ferry terminus for many years, was designed by John Rennie and built between 1810 and 1813. The Harbour Light Tower was erected on its current site in 1817 and
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#1733105408468672-418: Is designated on account of its exceptional plant life. The rare dropwort , field gentian and bloody cranesbill are all found here, along with some notable species of millipede and centipede. The reserve is also of interest because of its geology and is a good place to observe sea birds; fulmars nest on the old quarry cliffs at the north side of the reserve. Killer whales or orcas have been known to come up
728-610: Is now administered by the City of Edinburgh Council . It lies ten miles to the north-west of Edinburgh city centre, on the shore of the Firth of Forth between the Forth Bridge , Forth Road Bridge and the Queensferry Crossing . The prefix South distinguishes it from North Queensferry , on the opposite shore of the Forth for postal services. Both towns on the Forth derive their name from
784-532: Is the world's smallest working lighthouse. North Queensferry is bounded by two sites of special scientific interest ( SSSIs ): The entire shoreline of the Firth of Forth and the Carlingnose Point Nature Reserve. The Forth shoreline is an SSSI both on account of its geology and its biological habitats, such as its mudflats which support numerous species of sea birds, many of which are to be seen and heard in and around North Queensferry. Carlingnose
840-458: Is whinstone, or quartz dolerite, an extremely hard igneous rock found here as a geological sill . Dates vary, but the quarry has been worked at least since the 1820s. The quarry has been non-operational since 2009, although Planning Permission was granted by Fife Council in 2012 for further working. The stone from the sill was crushed down to various sizes, most valuably the 10 to 14 mm size used for road surfacing. In earlier times stone from
896-590: The Battle of Jutland (1916) who were brought here for burial. It is maintained and operated by the City of Edinburgh Council. It superseded the small graveyard on The Vennel in the centre of town. Opened in March 2007 by Dakota Hotels , the 'black box' seen from the A90 is a hotel, Bar & Grill. In 2012 as part of the excavations for the new Forth road crossing archaeologists excavated
952-636: The Cowdenbeath constituency which falls within the Mid Scotland and Fife electoral region. As of 2022, the constituency is represented by Annabelle Ewing of the Scottish National Party . North Queensferry has an active Community Council. One of North Queensferry's biggest attractions, other than the extensive views it offers of the three bridges crossing the Forth, is Deep Sea World , and aquarium opened in 1993. The oldest inhabited house in
1008-625: The Fife Coastal Path , and was the southern terminus for the route until it was extended west to Kincardine in 2011. The path follows the B981, continues past the Waterloo Memorial at the foot of the Brae and heads along the coast to Inverkeithing via Carlingnose Point, and then Port Laing, a cove with a sandy beach and steep wooded slopes. Due to North Queensferry's importance for medieval pilgrims, it
1064-521: The Firth of Forth , 9 mi (14 km) from Edinburgh city centre. Located on the North Queensferry Peninsula, it is the southernmost settlement in Fife . The town derives its name from the ferry service established by Queen Margaret in the 11th century; the prefix North serves to distinguish it from South Queensferry , on the opposite shore of the Forth. The Forth Rail Bridge (1890),
1120-665: The Forth Road Bridge (1964) and the Queensferry Crossing (2017) all meet the Fife coast at North Queensferry. Today, the village is a tourist destination, home to 43 listed buildings by Historic Scotland . The village has a population of 1,076 (2011), with a significant share working in nearby Edinburgh. Notable present and former residents include Prime Minister Gordon Brown and author Ian Banks . North Queensferry lies on Fife Pilgrim Way and Fife Coastal Path , one of Scotland's Great Trails . The Scottish Gaelic name "Taobh
1176-451: The ITV drama series Belgravia were filmed at the castle. In the 2020 film The Princess Switch: Switched Again , Hopetoun House was used for the exterior of the fictional Montenaro Royal Palace. South Queensferry Queensferry , also called South Queensferry or simply "The Ferry", is a town to the west of Edinburgh , Scotland . Traditionally a royal burgh of West Lothian , it
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#17331054084681232-653: The Scottish Reformation of 1560 it served as the parish church until 1635. In 1890 it was reconsecrated for the Scottish Episcopal Church . The Old Parish Church on The Vennel dates from 1633 and has an interesting early graveyard. The church became known as the South Church in 1929, and served the Church of Scotland congregation until 1956, when it united with St Andrew's Church. The old South Church building
1288-535: The isthmus between the North Queensferry peninsula and Inverkeithing and Rosyth . The battle gave Cromwell control of Fife and the Firth of Forth. Troops of the New Model Army under Major-General John Lambert crossed the Forth from Leith over several days. They landed at Cruickness, the point to the south of Inverkeithing Inner Bay, and took up position on the Ferry Hills. On 20 July as they moved north across
1344-657: The 17th century, with a clock-tower built in 1720. The Hawes Inn, dating from the 17th century, lies east of Queensferry, almost under the Forth Bridge on its south side. It features in Robert Louis Stevenson 's novel Kidnapped . Opposite the Hawes Inn is the pier which served the ferry (from which the town derives its name) until the opening of the Forth Road Bridge. The pier is now used by tourist boats including
1400-595: The Burry Man during the Ferry Fair. This unique cultural event is over three hundred years old, and likely pagan in origin. The name 'Burry Man' almost certainly refers to the hooked fruits of the burdock plant - burrs - in which he is covered, although some have suggested that it is a corruption of 'Burgh Man', since the town is traditionally a royal burgh. A local man is covered from head-to-toe in sticky burrs which adhere to undergarments covering his entire body, leaving only
1456-446: The Firth of Forth as far as Queensferry and have been observed from the coastal path which passes through the reserve. While transport and especially the railways and ferries have been North Queensferry's most obvious industries, one local industry that pre-dated the arrival of the railway is quarrying. In the north east of the peninsula on which North Queensferry stands there is a vast quarry, Cruicks Quarry, owned by Tarmac . The stone
1512-485: The Firth of Forth. Queensferry has a community brass band that evolved from being a school brass band to a youth band and finally to its present status as a competing adult band. It came third in the 2006 Scottish Brass Band Championships 4th section contest and fourth in 2007. In addition to competing, it takes part in many community events including the Ferry Fair and Christmas in Queensferry light switch-on event. There
1568-529: The High Street built in 1626. When the original owner, a sea-captain, was lost at sea, his maid was accused of paying a beggar-woman to cast a spell. Both women were burned for witchcraft. Plewlands House is a 17th-century mansion in the centre of the village. It was restored in the 1950s as flats, and is now managed by the National Trust for Scotland . South Queensferry Tolbooth , on the High Street, dates from
1624-528: The contract for building with William Bruce, on 28 September 1698. The master mason was Tobias Bachope of Alloa . The plumber and glazier was John Forster of Berwick. The house was the site of the departure of King George IV on 29 August 1822 after his Scottish visit and the knighthood of Captain Adam Ferguson and Henry Raeburn . The English garden style landscape park in which it lies were laid out in 1725, also by William Adam. The east front centres on
1680-467: The crossing became known as the Queen's Ferry . Margaret died in 1093 and made her final journey by ferry to Dunfermline Abbey , where she remains buried. Her son, David I of Scotland , awarded the ferry rights to the abbey . A settlement was likely around the present site of the village long before Margaret's time. The site of the village, on the narrowest part of the Firth of Forth, with added advantage of
1736-414: The distant isle of Inchgarvie and North Berwick Law . The walled garden dates from the late 18th century. In the grounds an 18th-century mound was excavated in 1963 to reveal the remains of the earlier manor house, Abercorn Castle , dating from the 15th century. In 1974, Charles William Frederick Hope, 3rd Marquess of Linlithgow created The Hopetoun House Preservation Trust to ensure Hopetoun House and
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1792-639: The estate were preserved for future generations. During the summer months, parts of the house and gardens are open to visitors. Classical musical recitals are occasionally put on at Hopetoun House. Chilean pianist Alfredo Perl once performed recitals of Chopin at the house. The site can also be let for weddings, conferences, and filming. First seen as the Duke of Sandringham's home, Hopetoun House has been used in seasons 1, 2 and 3 of Outlander , to recreate scenes in Scotland, England and Paris. In 2020, some scenes for
1848-638: The evening of 3 September 1964, and docked at North Queensferry shortly after. The very next day, Elizabeth II opened the new Forth Road Bridge , and 800 years' continual use of the Queen's Ferry were brought to a close. North Queensferry forms part of the Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy Westminster constituency, currently held by Melanie Ward MP for the Scottish Labour Party . For the Scottish Parliament North Queensferry forms part of
1904-660: The event for charity. It has grown to become part of the official Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations although originally organised solely by locals who utilised facilities at the Queensferry Arms Hotel (now Orocco Pier) for many years for access and changing before and after the event. As the popularity of the event grew participants later paraded ahead of the dook from the Moorings pub (now the Inchcolm) but from 2011, due to factors such as increased crowds, safety issues and popularity,
1960-406: The event has attracted people from all over the world, including many people visiting Edinburgh to celebrate Hogmanay . A proposal to charge people to participate in this event was introduced in 2011, the proceeds of which benefit RNLI Queensferry. The event was conceived in 1986 as a joking suggestion by three locals for a New Year's Day hangover cure. The following year it was decided to repeat
2016-716: The event has been handled by the organisers of Edinburgh's Hogmanay, with the parade now starting from the Hawes Promenade at the other end of the town. Up to 2016 two of the original Dookers, James MacKenzie and Ian 'Rambo' Armstrong, have the distinction of taking part in every Loony Dook and the two wore specially designed T-shirts with 30yrs to celebrate the achievement. The event has inspired similar, though smaller in scale, annual New Year Loony Dooks, such as in North Berwick in East Lothian and Kirkcaldy in Fife, both also on
2072-465: The family of Adrian Hope, 4th Marquess of Linlithgow . The house is a Category A listed building and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland . The house was built 1699–1701 and designed by Sir William Bruce with Bruce's master mason Tobias Bauchop in charge of the construction and working drawings (aided by his apprentice Alexander Edward ). The house
2128-414: The ferry rights to the abbey. A local showcase of talent and celebration in preparation for Christmas. The community gather together for a series of performances from Queensferry's local people. The night ends with a firework display and a switch on of the towns decoration. A local fair dates from the 12th century. The modern fair, dating from the 1930s, takes place each August and includes the crowning of
2184-534: The ferry service established by Queen Margaret in the 11th century, which continued to operate at the town until 1964, when the Road Bridge was opened. The 2022 census counted 10,216 residents in South Queensferry, as it was listed at that time. Its population at the 2011 census was 9,026 based on the 2010 definition of the locality which in addition to the burgh includes Dalmeny . The Gaelic name Taobh
2240-516: The ferry to Inchcolm . Modern day Orocco Pier, latterly named the Queensferry Arms Hotel, has been a local inn and place of refreshment since 1664. Located opposite the Jubilee Clock Tower, at 17 High Street, its original facade still boasts many of its original features. South Queensferry Cemetery on Ferrymuir Lane at the south end of the town is unremarkable other than for the very large number of Royal Navy war graves, many for casualties of
2296-415: The island of Inchgarvie in between, suggests that it was the natural point of crossing and a vital link to the north of Scotland for centuries before the Queen's Ferry was established. North Queensferry over the centuries remained a small community, with a population of probably no more than 600, and it never achieved the status of burgh like many of the nearby settlements. Yet the numbers passing through
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2352-495: The isthmus they were attacked by the royalist forces under David Leslie . Fighting spread as far as Pitreavie on the far side of Inverkeithing and was said to have been particularly bloody: reputedly the Pinkerton Burn ran red with blood for days and the heaps of the dead resembled stooks in a harvest field. Lambert was victorious and claimed his men had killed 2000 and taken 1,400 prisoners, although these may be exaggerations. It
2408-438: The quarry was used to build the docks at Leith and Liverpool as well as many of the pavements of London . Ferryhills Road, which leads out of the village towards Inverkeithing, skirts the edge of this huge quarry. A viewing platform on the west is now overgrown, but the quarry can be seen by turning right at Jamestown into Cruickness Road, then following the road round to the old weighbridge. The pool occupied by Deep Sea World
2464-474: The remains of a mesolithic dwelling dating to around 10,000 years ago and believed to be the earliest home discovered in Scotland, and possibly the entire UK. Queensferry has four primary schools (Echline Primary, Queensferry Primary, St Margaret's RC Primary and Dalmeny Primary) and one secondary school ( Queensferry High School ), with Kirkliston Primary also part of its catchment area. The local brewery, Ferry Brewery, makes beers named after landmarks around
2520-475: The same year. The ferry crossing continued, and with the coming of the motor vehicle in the 20th century, its importance was restored. By 1960, the Queen's Ferry was handling over two million passengers a year and over 600,000 motor vehicles. This number increased till another bridge was required. The last commercial ferry of the Queen's Ferry was the ship ' Robert the Bruce ' and it left Hawes Pier, South Queensferry on
2576-430: The shoes, hands and two eye holes exposed. On top of this layer he wears a sash, flowers and a floral hat and he grasps two staves. His ability to bend his arms or sit down is very restricted during the long day and his progress is a slow walk with frequent pauses. Two attendants in ordinary clothes assist him throughout the ordeal, helping him hold the staves, guiding his route, and fortifying him with whisky sipped through
2632-513: The side of Main Street by West Sands and on The Brae. Also on The Brae are pantiled cottages with forestairs, and the Old Schoolhouse, built in 1827. At the station, a large mosaic mural completed in 1990 by local people including children from the nearby primary school marks the centenary of the opening of the rail bridge. The Harbour Light Tower, built in 1817, standing at 23 feet (7.0 m) tall
2688-557: The town, including the Ferry Crossing and the Three Bridges. Queensferry is served by bus services operated by: Lothian Country , McGill's Scotland East and Stagecoach East Scotland . Dalmeny railway station is located to the east of South Queensferry, where ScotRail operates services on its Fife Circle route. North Queensferry North Queensferry is a historic coastal village in Fife , Scotland , situated on
2744-450: The village daily were huge. From noblemen to commoners, from Kings to cattle , all had to use the Queen's Ferry to cross the Forth. It is recorded that Mary, Queen of Scots , used the ferry on the day she was transported to Lochleven Castle where she was imprisoned in 1565. In 1651, during Oliver Cromwell 's campaign against Scottish royalist forces, the decisive engagement known as the Battle of Inverkeithing took place on and around
2800-916: The village, at one time the Black Cat Inn, is in Main Street opposite the late Georgian Albert Hotel. In the early 20th century a tunnel was found beneath the floorboards leading towards the sea. The oldest building in the village is the nearby early 14th century Chapel of St James ("the Greater" – patron saint of pilgrims) founded by Robert the Bruce around 1320–23, abandoned after the Reformation and believed to have been destroyed by Parliamentarian troops in 1651. Very little remains standing. The graveyard walls carry an inscription: THIS IS DONE BY THE SAILERS IN NORTH FERRIE 1752. Houses in Main Street and Post Office Lane are dated 1693 and 1776; Brae House and White House, also in Main Street, are dated 1771 and 1778 and have
2856-424: The wife of King Malcolm III of Scotland , who is said to have established the village to ensure regular ferry crossings across the Firth of Forth for the benefit of pilgrims travelling to St Andrews . Margaret is said to have made her arrival in Scotland here in 1068, and to have regularly used the ferry crossing when travelling between the then capital Dunfermline, and Edinburgh Castle . From around this time,
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#17331054084682912-586: Was designed by Robert Stevenson - a notable Lighthouse engineer. Until this point a Signal House was used by boats as an aid to navigation. Ferries berthed both at the Town Pier and at the Battery Pier (now beneath the Forth Bridge). To accommodate the deeper draughts of the new, larger steam-powered ferries, Thomas Telford extended Town Pier in 1828 to its present length. The Railway Pier, on the far side of West Bay,
2968-446: Was minister from 1971 until his untimely death in 2008. In 1972 he started an annual sponsored walk across the Forth Road Bridge for Christian Aid , so far raising over £1,000,000. In 2009 the Rev. David Cameron transferred from Newton Mearns to Queensferry Parish Church. St Margaret's Roman Catholic church is also located on The Loan. Mass is celebrated daily. Black Castle is a house on
3024-704: Was sold in 1970 and is now a house. The building which now houses Queensferry Parish Church, located in The Loan, was originally built as South Queensferry United Free Church. Following the union of the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church of Scotland in 1929, the UF Church became known as St Andrew's Church and the old Church of Scotland congregation as the South Church. The two congregations were united in 1956, becoming Queensferry Parish Church. The Reverend John Carrie
3080-416: Was the terminus of the new Dunfermline-North Queensferry Railway which opened in 1877. The Railway Pier was used as one of the northern ferry terminals from 1877 to 1890, and in 1920 it replaced the old Town Pier. The ferry's importance diminished during the 19th century, with an alternative ferry crossing operating for a while between Burntisland and Granton . By the 1870s there was an increasing call for
3136-419: Was then hugely extended from 1721 by William Adam until his death in 1748, being one of his most notable projects. The interior was completed by his sons John Adam and Robert Adam . The magnificent entrance hall dates from 1752. The Hope family acquired the land in the 17th century and operated lead mines . Charles Hope , the first occupant, was only 16 years old when his mother, Lady Margaret Hope, signed
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