Niddrie, Edinburgh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Niddrie
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 Niddrie
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| OS grid reference | NT296716 |
| Council area |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | EDINBURGH |
| Postcode district | EH16 |
| Postcode district | EH15 |
| Dialling code | 0131 |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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Niddrie is a neighbourhood located in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is found in the south-east part of the city. Niddrie is south-west of the seaside area called Portobello. It is also west of Musselburgh in East Lothian, close to the Fort Kinnaird shopping park. A part of western Niddrie is also known as Craigmillar.
Contents
Exploring Niddrie's Past
The name Niddrie likely comes from an old language called Brythonic. It means "new settlement." In the past, it was known as Niddry Marischal. This helped people tell it apart from other nearby places like Longniddry.
The Wauchope Family and Their Land
For a long time, up until the 1930s, the Wauchope family owned most of the land in Niddrie. A famous member of this family was Robert Wauchope. He was born in Niddrie Marischal around 1500 and became an important church leader. The Wauchopes' family home was called Niddrie Marischal House. It was located near where the Jack Kane Centre sports complex is today. Eventually, the Wauchope family gave their lands to the city of Edinburgh.
In 1839, an architect named John Henderson designed the entrance and gates for the Wauchope mansion. The main house was later taken down. However, a special vaulted tomb-house that was connected to it still stands. It is now a protected historic building.
Niddrie's Coal Mining History
From the mid-1800s, the Wauchope family started developing the area for coal mining. Many coal pits were dug, and a lot of small houses were built for the miners. This was a big part of Niddrie's history.
Building New Homes in Niddrie
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Edinburgh Corporation (like the city council today) built many new homes in Niddrie Mains. These were council houses, designed by the City Architect, Ebenezer James MacRae. These new homes were part of a plan to clear out older, crowded areas in Edinburgh. Families from these old areas, along with local coal mining families, moved into the new Niddrie homes.
Today, most of these original council houses in Niddrie Mains have been taken down. The land is now being used to build new private homes. A group called PARC, which is part of the City of Edinburgh Council, is in charge of this new development. They are also building a new primary school for the area. This new school will bring together students from the old Niddrie Mill Primary School and St Francis Primary School onto one campus.
Getting Around Niddrie
Niddrie used to have its own railway station. This station was on the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway line. Today, the closest train stations are at Brunstane and Newcraighall. Both of these stations are on the Edinburgh Crossrail and Borders Railway lines.
Bus Services in Niddrie
Lothian Buses provides several bus routes that serve the Niddrie area. These buses connect Niddrie to many other parts of Edinburgh and beyond:
- Bus 2: Travels between Hermiston Gait and Asda, passing through Niddrie.
- Bus 14: Connects Muirhouse to Greendykes, with a stop in Niddrie.
- Bus 21: Goes from the Royal Infirmary to the Gyle Centre or Clovenstone, stopping in Niddrie.
- Bus 30: Runs from Queen Margaret University to Clovenstone, including Niddrie.
- Bus 46: Travels from Rosewell to Musselburgh, passing through Niddrie.
- Bus 48: Connects Gorebridge to Musselburgh, with a stop in Niddrie.
- Bus 400: An airport bus that goes from Edinburgh Airport to Fort Kinnaird, stopping in Niddrie.
- Night Bus N30: A night service from Westside Plaza to Musselburgh, including Niddrie.
Community Arts and Culture
Niddrie is very close to Craigmillar. It is also part of Edinburgh City's Craigmillar/Portobello political area. Niddrie was once home to the Craigmillar Festival Society. This was a community arts group started by a local mother named Helen Crummy. She was even called a "Woman Of Achievement" for her work.
