Historic Gorebridge

Gorebridge gets its name from the river "Gore" of which a Bridge was once over. Gorebridge has a strong industrial history, including the first Gunpowder works in Scotland (1794 - 1875).

There were a number of small coal mines in the area but following the development of more powerful water pumps in the mid 19th century, Robert Dundas opened the much deeper Emily Pit, named after his wife. Gorebridge expanded to house the miners and the mains street housed many shops and local traders. The railway was extended to allow the coal to be taken to the Edinburgh market and tourists made weekend trips to the area. The remnants of these industries have left some amazing recreational areas for us to enjoy.

The Gallery

Articles

We have collected a treasure trove of articles written by local historians for display here. If you would like to submit an article for inclusion please contact us.

Click here to go to the articles page.