Streets ahead

[rathbone]

On the Where is Portobello thread I said that I'd found a lot of information on Portobello streetnames. So here it is:

ABERCORN TERRACE:
From the Marquis of Abercorn who purchased the land in 1745 from the Duke of Argyll.

ADELPHI GROVE / PLACE:
To commemorate that great Edinburgh architect Robert Adam, whose 'Adelphi' was demolished in 1772

ARGYLE CRESCENT / PLACE:
From land recorded as owned by the Duke of Argyll in 1730 ( which he later sold to the Marquis of Abercorn)

[rathbone]

BAILEYFIELD ROAD:
From the house built here in 1833 by William Bailey, the first Provost of Portobello.

BATH PLACE / STREET:
From the public baths which were built at the bottom of the street in 1766 and later emolished to build Marlborough Mansions

BEACH LANE
Simply because it leads to the beach!

BEDFORD TERRACE:
The second Marquis of Abercorn married Lady Louisa Jane Russell in 1832. She was the daughter of the Duke of Bedford.

BELLFIELD LANE / STREET / TERRACE:
Named after Bellfield House which stood on the site.

BRIDGE STREET / LANE:
From the bridges over the Figgate burn at the top and bottom of the street.

BRIGHTON CRESCENT / PLACE
Named in 1820 as a compliment paid by the 'Brighton of the North' to its elder sister. (In other words, a cynical marketing ploy).

BRUNSTANE ROAD:
From the 1545 mansion of Crichton, Laird of Brunstane

[rathbone]

CHRISTIAN PATH:
Major Christian was twice Provost of Portobello in the 1880s

COILLESDENE AVENUE / CRESCENT / DRIVE / GARDENS / LOAN / TERRACE:
From the coal mine which is under the site. Coille = coal. Dene = pit.
Hence the subsidence problems in the area?

DALKEITH STREET:
From the daughter of the first Duke of Abercorn who married the Earl of Dalkeith.

EASTFIELD GARDENS:
Literally the most easterly of the fields on the Abercorn estate.

ELCHO TERRACE:
Ther third Duke of Abercorn married Lady Bingham in 1894. The Binghams were related by marriage to Lord Elcho.

ESPLANADE TERRACE:
A posher name for the Promenade.

[rathbone]

FIGGATE BANK / STREET
After the Figgate burn. Portobello was originally called Figgate Whins.

HARBOUR ROAD:
The road which led to the long departed Portobello harbour.

HENDERSON ROW:
Alexander Henderson was the founder of the National Bank of Scotland and Lord Provost of Edinburgh in 1823.

HOPE LANE:
Mr. Hope owned the land over which it runs.

JAMES STREET / LANE
After James Hamilton, Marquis of Abercorn.

JOHN STREET / LANE
After John Hamilton, Marquis of Abercorn

JOPPA GARDENS / GROVE / PARK / ROAD / TERRACE
After the biblical Joppa, a village beside the sea

[rathbone]

KINGS ROAD
To commemorate the visit of George IV in 1822 when he reviewed the troops on Portobello sands.

LAING TERRACE
from David Laing (1792 - 1878) bookseller and antiquarian who occupied East Villa on the site (now demolished)

LEE CRESCENT
The land was originally owned by Mr. J.B.W. Lee

MARLBOROUGH STREET (originally Wellington Street)
Not after the battle, but, ironically, to remember Marlborough Mansions which used to stand at the bottom of the street, between it and Bath Street, and which were demolished at the same time as the street name was changed.

[rathbone]

MARYFIELD
After Mary Wilson, wife of Mr. Wilson who owned the site in 1804

MENTONE AVENUE
Built on land owned by Duncan McLaren, Lord Provost of Edinburgh in 1851. He used to go on holiday to Mentone on the French Riviera and named the land after his holiday home.

MILTON DRIVE / GROVE / ROAD / TERRACE
Lord Milton sold the lands of Figgate Whins (later to be Portobello) to Baron Mure in 1862, who then sold them to Mr. Jameson for development.

MORTON STREET
Mr. Morton was clerk to Mr. Jameson.

MOUNT LODGE PLACE
From the house which used to stand on the site.

[rathbone]

ORMELIE TERRACE
Lord Ormelie was the eldest son of Lord Bredalbane. What connection he had with the Abercorns - I don't have the foggiest.

PIPE STREET / LANE
From the large pipes which brought water from the Figgate Burn to large storage tanks which stood at the end of the road, next to Rathbone House.

PITTVILLE STREET / LANE
Originally Pitt Street, named after prime minister William Pitt. The rather crude name change was after one of the houses in the street.

PROMENADE
Where the visitors to the Brighton of the North could walk to take the sea air.

RAMSAY PLACE
After Alan Ramsay, the author of The Gentle Shepherd

REGENT STREET / LANE
Another commemoration of the 1822 visit of George IV (Prince Regent)

[rathbone]

ROSEBANK LANE
Strangely enough after a garden on the site in which roses were cultivated!

ROSEFIELD AVENUE / LANE / PLACE / STREET
After Rosefield House which occupied the site in 1814

ST MARKS LANE / PLACE
After St Marks Church built in 1825

SANDFORD GARDENS
After Bishop Sandford who consecrated the episcopal chapel which used to stand on the site now occupied by St. John's

SEAVIEW CRESCENT / TERRACE
Does this really need an explanation?

[rathbone]

WILSON'S PARK
After Mr. Wilson who owned the site in 1804

WINDSOR PLACE
Another commemoration of George Iv's 1822 visit

WOODSIDE TERRACE
I haven't a clue!!!!!

[ecm]

Rathbone,

You have been busy!

Interesting stuff.
I had always wondered where the name "Elcho" came from in Elcho Terrace (one of my very favourite streets in Portobello).

Thanks.

[Porty]

[bearcub]

Good stuff Rathbone - always wondered where some street names get their name, although as a Marlborough St resident was hoping the explanation would be a bit more grand!

[Epykat]

[Sandra]

[Gemini]

[ecm]

[rathbone]

[Lizzie]

Excuse me Rathbone - Rathbone Place IS at the bottom of Pipe Street , when did you last have a walk along this end of Porty - I know cause I have been living here for many years, and there is another 11 houses in Rathbone Place as well as ours.

[Lizzie]

Oh I forgot to say - Woodside Terrace , well thats simply because it was built beside a wood no where near Rathbone Place

[rathbone]

[Lizzie]

No offence taken Rathbone, just a tap on the wrist will do fine Actually I know you don't live in Portobello, we have met before you know

[rathbone]

[Porty]