Edinburgh, Leamington Road, Ropewalk
Ropewalk (19th Century)
Site Name Edinburgh, Leamington Road, Ropewalk
Classification Ropewalk (19th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Elgin And Mcpake; A Howden
Canmore ID 340778
Site Number NT27SW 4755
NGR NT 24413 72640
NGR Description centred
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/340778
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County Midlothian
Note (20 June 2014)
This rope works, now demolished, at the north end of Leamington Road is depicted and named on the Ordnance Survey large scale plan of Edinburgh, 1:10560 (Edinburgh 1894, sheet III.11.8) as 'Rope Work', but is not depicted or named on the Ordnance Survey 2nd edition 25-inch map (Edinburghshire, published 1896 (revised 1893/4), sheet 003.11). The Rope Work may have been constructed between revisions and publication of the maps in the period 1893-4.
The Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory first lists Elgin and McPake in Leamington Road under 'Rope, Twine, and Sail Makers' in 1895-6 (1895-6, 650, National Library of Scotland website, 'Scottish Post Office Directories' http://deriv.nls.uk/dcn23/8427/84279292.23.pdf [accessed 20 June 2014]) having formerly listed Elgin and McPake at 6A Gilmore Place in 1894-5 (National Library of Scotland website, 'Scottish Post Office Directories' http://www.archive.org/stream/postofficeedinbu189495edin#page/636/mode/2up, 1894-5, 637 [accessed 20 June 2014]) By 1920 the rope works was operated by A Howden who operated a rope works in Gilmore Park (Post Office Edinburgh and Leith Directory, 1920, 1101).
The name is now enshrined in the name 'Rope Walk', a lane within the footprint of the Rope Works which accesses recently constructed canal- front dwellings.
Information from RCAHMS (MMD), 20 June 2014.
