Bernard Street, Edinburgh facts for kids
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Bernard Street is a well-known street in Leith, which is part of Edinburgh, Scotland. It stretches from the area where Constitution Street and Baltic Street meet, all the way to the Water of Leith river at a place called The Shore. For a long time, Bernard Street marked the northern edge of what people used to call 'Old Leith'.
Contents
Discovering Bernard Street's History
Many people once thought Bernard Street was named after an inn owner named Bernard Lindsay. They believed King James VI gave him land here in 1779. However, this idea isn't quite right. Old maps from 1777 already show the street named "St Bernard Street." This name likely connected it to other streets nearby, like St Giles Street and St Andrew Street. Also, if it were named after Lindsay, it would probably be called Lindsay Street!
In 1780, something very important happened on Bernard Street. Scotland's very first public sewer was built here! It carried waste water into the Water of Leith. You can still see the old iron cover of this sewer near the bridge at the end of the street.
At the eastern end of Bernard Street, there's a statue of the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns. It was put there in 1898 and was created by an artist named David Watson Stevenson. Other interesting buildings on the street include the Leith Merchants Club and the old building of the Leith Banking Company. Today, many of these historic buildings have new lives. They are now pubs, cafes, or offices for companies that work in media, marketing, and publishing.
For a long time, Bernard Street has been important for travel. From the mid-1700s, a stagecoach service ran from here to Edinburgh's Old Town. Bernard Street is still a key part of the main road that goes around the northern coast of Edinburgh.
Trams and Transport
Bernard Street has a long history with trams. From 1905 to 1955, electric trams ran along the street as part of Leith's tram system. Now, trams are returning! As part of the new Edinburgh Trams project, which started building in 2020, Bernard Street will have a new tram stop. This stop will be located where Bernard Street meets Constitution Street and is expected to be called 'Port of Leith'. This shows how Bernard Street continues to be a vital part of Leith's transport network.
Historic Buildings to See
Bernard Street is home to several interesting old buildings:
- Kings Wark: This building dates back to 1702. You can still see the outline of an old outdoor staircase on its northern side.
- Currie Line offices: This building has a unique lead roof and is located in the middle of the street's north side.
- Former Norwegian consulate/Christian Salvesen HQ: This building is on the south side, just west of the old bank building with a dome.
- Waterloo Buildings: This is a very large apartment building (tenement) built in 1816.
- Leith Bank: Built in 1806, this impressive building was designed by John Paterson.
See also
- Edinburgh Street Tramways
Images for kids
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The historic Leith Bank building on Bernard Street.
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A statue of the famous poet Robert Burns on Bernard Street.
