Leith - South Leith V. North Leith

South Leith V. North Leith

Up until the late 16th century Leith (originally designated Inverleith, i.e. the mouth of the Water of Leith, on early maps), comprised two separate towns on either side of the river.

South Leith was the larger and was controlled by the lairds of Restalrig, first the Leiths and then the Logan family. It was based on trade and had many merchants' houses and warehouses. This was where ships offloaded their cargoes at the Shore where they were collected by Edinburgh merchants.

North Leith was smaller but proportionately richer, coming under the jurisdiction of Holyrood Abbey. It was effectively one street, now Sandport Street and Quayside Lane. Burgage plots ran down to the river from each house. This was the shipbuilding side of Leith. Several wet and dry docks existed, including the first dry dock in Scotland (1720). A small peninsula of land on the east bank also came under the same jurisdiction on what is now Sheriff Brae/Sheriff Bank. The first bridge to link both banks of the river was built in 1496 by Abbot Bellenden, who controlled the church at North Leith. Dating from the same period, it is reputedly Leith's oldest building (albeit considerably altered). The bridge was demolished in 1780 to allow ships to sail further upstream. The bridge to that date was a toll bridge, the revenue supplementing the church's income.