Author : William F Hendrie
ISBN : 9781840332964
Cover : paperback
Price : £7.50

Although Ratho has a church dating from Norman times, the village really began to prosper in the early nineteenth century when the Union Canal was cut through it. This placed it on what was then a high-speed passenger route between Scotland's two biggest cities, and also provided a catalyst for industrial development in the area. With an excellent transport link in place, the output of Ratho's quarries could be shipped to valuable markets in Edinburgh, while cheap coal and other heavy goods could be imported into the village in what was a win-win situation. Later on, intercity rail links and the modern-day motorway network continued to enhance Ratho's location in the countryside, but with excellent access to the cities. The collection of pictures in this book provides a revealing historical insight into not only Ratho but the other settlements that lie nearby, all of which are now desirable dormitory villages. There are rural harvesting scenes, pictures of the canal and its traffic, plus views of the famous Bridge Inn, the focus of an infamous nineteenth-century murder trial that centred on the then landlord's son. Norton Quarry is featured, as are many of the big houses in the area, and a view of Turnhouse Airport, the forerunner of Edinburgh's modern airport.