Pilton is a residential area of northern Edinburgh, Scotland.[1] It is to the north of Ferry Road, immediately east of Muirhouse, and to the west and south of Granton (the Boswall, Royston Mains and Wardieburn neighbourhoods).
Description[edit]
Sometimes considered to be part of the larger neighbouring area of Granton, Pilton consists of two housing schemes - West Pilton and East Pilton. These neighbourhoods, particularly West Pilton,[2] are regarded as among the most economically deprived areas in Edinburgh and suffer from high crime rates and anti-social behaviour especially young joyriders stealing powerful motorbikes and cars, or otherwise damaging vehicles.[3][4]
Most of West Pilton was formerly social housing constructed by the council between the 1930s and 1950s (with a hiatus during the Second World War) but now these properties are largely privately owned. The housing mostly takes the form of maisonettes and three storey blocks of flats.[5] There are also two 1960s ten-storey tower blocks (Inchcolm Court and Inchgarvie Court)[6][7] and one with 16 storeys (Northview Court).[8][9] In addition, new housing developments have been built by the private sector and the area is currently[when?] undergoing revitalisation. There are local shops and community services.[10][11]
Built on the lands of East Pilton Farm in the 1930s[12] by Glasgow-based builder Mactaggart & Mickel to a street layout by the Edinburgh City Architect Ebenezer James MacRae, the streets of East Pilton mainly take various names beginning Crewe or Pilton. The original estate comprises mostly four-in-a-block flatted villas[13] similar to those by the same builder at Carrick Knowe, Colinton Mains and elsewhere in the city as well as in several districts of Glasgow. Streets in a new development on the site of the demolished Bruce Peebles & Co. Ltd. engineering works[14] (destroyed by fire in 1999)[15] take the East Pilton Farm name.
Sport[edit]
Spartans F.C. are based in the area, playing off Pilton Drive at Ainslie Park since 2008; a public leisure centre of the same name is immediately adjacent to the ground. Their previous home City Park was two blocks to the south-east – housing now occupies the site.
Ethnicity[edit]
| Pilton compared[16] | Pilton | Edinburgh |
|---|---|---|
| White | 88.8% | 91.7% |
| Asian | 3.6% | 5.5% |
| Black | 6.0% | 1.2% |
| Mixed | 0.9% | 0.9% |
References[edit]
- ^ Pilton, Gazetteer for Scotland
- ^ West Pilton, Gazetteer for Scotland
- ^ "Joyriders making Pilton 'Wild West' of Edinburgh -". Edinburgh Evening News. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
- ^ Residents say area is getting 'out of hand' after car is flipped in Pilton, Edinburgh Evening News, 7 November 2019
- ^ Edinburgh, West Pilton, General, Canmore
- ^ Edinburgh, West Pilton Grove, Canmore
- ^ West Pilton Grove, Tower Block | University of Edinburgh
- ^ Edinburgh, Muirhouse, West Pilton Crescent, Northview Court, Canmore
- ^ Muirhouse Temporary Housing Area III, Tower Block | University of Edinburgh
- ^ West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, Joined In Edinburgh (Community Learning)
- ^ Pilton, Y People
- ^ East Pilton, Gazetteer for Scotland
- ^ SAR029101 SCOTLAND (1957). Pilton Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. An oblique aerial photograph taken facing South/East, Britain From Above
- ^ Bruce Peebles Factory, EdinPhoto
- ^ Bruce Peebles Transformer Factory Fire, EdinPhoto
- ^ "Total Craigroyston" (PDF).
External links[edit]
Media related to Pilton, Edinburgh at Wikimedia Commons
55°58′20″N 3°14′12″W / 55.97222°N 3.23667°W
