View source for Midlothian

{{Short description|Council area of Scotland}}
{{About|a municipal district in Scotland|other uses|Midlothian (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Midlothian
| native_name             = {{Unbulleted list
 |{{native name|gd|Meadhan Lodainn}}
 |{{native name|sco|Midlowden}}
 }}
| settlement_type         = [[Lieutenancy areas of Scotland|Lieutenancy]] and [[Subdivisions of Scotland#Council areas|council area]]
| image_skyline           = 
| imagesize               = 
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = 
| image_flag              = 
| flag_alt                = 
| image_shield            = Coat of arms of Midlothian District Council.svg
| shield_alt              = 
| shield_link             = 
| image_blank_emblem      = 
| blank_emblem_size       = 
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| etymology               = 
| nickname                = 
| motto                   = 
| image_map               = Midlothian UK location map.svg
| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = Midlothian shown within [[Scotland]]
| coordinates             = {{coord|55|53|39|N|3|04|07|W|region:GB_type:adm2nd|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type        = [[Sovereign state]]
| subdivision_name        = [[United Kingdom]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[Countries of the United Kingdom|Country]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Scotland]]
| subdivision_type2       = 
| subdivision_name2       = 
| subdivision_type3       = [[Lieutenancy areas of Scotland|Lieutenancy area]]
| subdivision_name3       = 
| subdivision_type4       = 
| subdivision_name4       = 
| established_title       = Unitary authority
| established_date        = [[Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994|1 April 1996]]
| established_title1      = 
| established_date1       = 
| established_title2      = 
| established_date2       = 
| named_for               = 
| seat_type               = Administrative{{nbsp}}HQ
| seat                    = [[Dalkeith]]
| parts_type              = 
| parts                   = 
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes    = <ref name="Council leadership">{{cite web |url=https://www.midlothian.gov.uk/info/591/your_council |title=Your council |website=Midlothian Council |access-date=22 December 2024}}</ref>
| government_type         = [[Local government in Scotland|Council]]
| governing_body          = [[Midlothian Council]]
| leader_title            = [[Political make-up of local councils in the United Kingdom|Control]]
| leader_name             = {{UK council control|GSS=S12000019}}
| leader_title1           = 
| leader_name1            = 
| leader_title2           = 
| leader_name2            = 
| leader_title3           = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MPs]]
| leader_name3            = [[Kirsty McNeill]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|L]])
| leader_title4           = [[Member of the Scottish Parliament|MSPs]]
| leader_name4            = {{Collapsible list |title=2 MSPs
 |[[Colin Beattie]] ([[Scottish National Party|SNP]])
 |[[Christine Grahame]] ([[Scottish National Party|SNP]])
 }}
<!-- Area -->
<!-- ALL fields with measurements have automatic unit conversion -->
| area_footnotes          = <ref name="popstats">{{UK subdivision statistics citation}}</ref>
| area_total_km2          = {{UK subdivision area|GSS=S12000019}}
| area_land_km2           = 
| area_water_km2          = 
| area_rank               = [[Subdivisions of Scotland#Council areas|{{Scottish council area rank|GSS=S12000019}}]]
<!-- Population -->
| population_footnotes    = <ref name="popstats" />
| population_as_of        = {{UK subdivision statistics year}}
| population_total        = {{UK subdivision population|GSS=S12000019}}
| population_rank         = [[Subdivisions of Scotland#Council areas|{{Scottish council population rank|GSS=S12000019}}]]
| population_density_km2  = {{UK subdivision density|GSS=S12000019}}
| population_demonym      = 
<!-- demographics (section 1) -->
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<!-- demographics (section 2) -->
| demographics_type2      = 
| demographics2_footnotes = 
| demographics2_title1    = 
| demographics2_info1     = 
| timezone1               = [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]]
| utc_offset1             = +0
| timezone1_DST           = [[British Summer Time|BST]]
| utc_offset1_DST         = +1
<!-- Codes -->
| postal_code_type        = [[Postcodes in the United Kingdom|Postcode areas]]
| postal_code             = 
| area_code_type          = [[Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom|Dialling codes]]
| area_code               = 
| iso_code                = [[ISO 3166-2:GB|GB-MLN]]
| blank1_name             = [[GSS coding system|GSS code]]
| blank1_info             = S12000019
| website                 = {{URL|midlothian.gov.uk}}
}}

'''Midlothian''' ({{IPAc-en|m|ɪ|d|ˈ|l|oʊ|ð|i|ə|n}}; {{langx|gd|Meadhan Lodainn}}) is [[registration county]], [[lieutenancy areas of Scotland|lieutenancy area]] and one of 32 [[council areas of Scotland]] used for local government. Midlothian lies in the east-[[central Lowlands]], bordering the [[City of Edinburgh council area]], [[East Lothian]] and the [[Scottish Borders]]. The modern council area was formed in 1975 when the [[Midlothian (historic)|historic county of Midlothian]], also known as Edinburghshire, was altered substantially as part of local government reforms; its southern part formed a new Midlothian [[Districts of Scotland|District]] within the [[Local government areas of Scotland 1973 to 1996|Region]] of [[Lothian]], whilst areas on the peripheries were assigned to other districts and the city of Edinburgh, which had always been autonomous to an extent, was formally separated as the [[Edinburgh (district)|City of Edinburgh]] District. In 1996 Midlothian became a unitary authority area, using the same name and territory as in 1975.

==History==
{{for|the history of the pre-1975 county|Midlothian (historic)}}
[[File:Modern & Historic Midlothian.svg|thumb|Map contrasting the area comprising Midlothian council (dark blue) within the historic county of Midlothian (light blue).]]
Midlothian County Council was abolished in 1975 under the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973]], which abolished Scotland's counties and burghs as administrative areas and created a new two-tier system of upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. Most of Midlothian's territory went to a new district called Midlothian within the [[Lothian]] region. The Midlothian district was smaller than the area of the pre-1975 county, parts of which went to other districts:<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973|year=1973|chapter=65|accessdate=24 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Boundaries viewer |url=https://maps.nls.uk/geo/boundaries/#zoom=7&lat=57.0000&lon=-4.4000&dates=1880&point=0,0 |website=National Library of Scotland |access-date=24 December 2022}}</ref> [[Currie]], [[Balerno]], [[Ratho]] and [[Newbridge, Edinburgh|Newbridge]] to the [[Edinburgh (district)|city of Edinburgh]]; [[Musselburgh]] burgh and parish of [[Inveresk]] (which included the villages of [[Inveresk]], [[Wallyford]] and [[Whitecraig]]) to [[East Lothian]]; [[East Calder]], [[Mid Calder]] and [[West Calder]]) and the Midlothian part of [[Livingston, West Lothian|Livingston]] to [[West Lothian]]; [[Heriot, Scottish Borders|Heriot]] and [[Stow, Scottish Borders|Stow]] parishes to the [[Ettrick and Lauderdale]] district of the [[Scottish Borders|Borders]] region. 

The boundaries of the historic county of Midlothian, including the city of Edinburgh, are still used for some limited official purposes connected with land registration, being a [[registration county]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ros.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/14921/LandMassCoverageReport2015-proofed.pdf |title=Land Mass Coverage Report |publisher=Registers of Scotland |access-date=2015-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232505/https://www.ros.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/14921/LandMassCoverageReport2015-proofed.pdf |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Midlothian [[lieutenancy areas of Scotland|lieutenancy]] area corresponds to the current council area rather than the historic county.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Lord-Lieutenants (Scotland) Order 1996|year=1996|number=731|accessdate=16 December 2022}}</ref> The last [[lord-lieutenant]] of the county of Midlothian was made lord-lieutenant for the new district of Midlothian when the reforms came into effect in 1975.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Lord-Lieutenants Order 1975|year=1975|number=428|accessdate=27 November 2022}}</ref> The former county council's headquarters in Edinburgh became the offices of the new Lothian Regional Council, whilst the Midlothian District Council established its headquarters in Dalkeith.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=19730|page=1163|date=2 September 1975|city=e}}</ref> 

In 1991 the council built itself a new headquarters called Midlothian House at 40-46 Buccleuch Street in [[Dalkeith]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Remember when |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/remember-when-2133772 |access-date=24 December 2022 |work=Edinburgh Evening News |date=7 September 2016}}</ref>

The Lothian region was abolished in 1996. The four districts in the region, including Midlothian, became unitary [[council area]]s.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994|year=1994|chapter=39|accessdate=16 December 2022}}</ref> The reconstituted [[Midlothian Council]] continues to be based at Midlothian House in Dalkeith.{{Cn|date=February 2025}}

===Central government===
[[File:Midlothian House, Dalkeith.jpg|thumb|Midlothian House, Dalkeith]]
There is a [[Midlothian (UK Parliament constituency)|Midlothian constituency of the House of Commons]].

There was a [[Midlothian (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Midlothian constituency of the Scottish Parliament]] up to the 2011 elections when it was divided between [[Midlothian North and Musselburgh (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Midlothian North and Musselburgh]] and [[Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale]].{{Cn|date=February 2025}}

==Geography==
[[File:Glencorse Reservoir - geograph.org.uk - 412620.jpg|thumb|The [[Glencorse Reservoir]] in the [[Pentland Hills]]]]
The Midlothian [[council area]] contains the towns of [[Dalkeith]], [[Bonnyrigg]] and [[Penicuik]], as well as a portion of the [[Pentland Hills Regional Park]], [[Rosslyn Chapel]] and [[Dalkeith Palace]].{{Cn|date=February 2025}}

==Settlements==
{{Location map+|Scotland Midlothian
 |caption={{left|The largest settlements in Midlothian.}}
 |float=right
 |width=500
 |places =
  {{Location map~|Scotland Midlothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.874|-3.1031}}|position=bottom|label='''[[Bonnyrigg]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Midlothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.826|-3.220}}|position=right|label='''[[Penicuik]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Midlothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.895|-3.0583}}|position=bottom|label='''[[Dalkeith]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Midlothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.871|-3.036}}|position=right|label='''[[Mayfield, Midlothian|Mayfield]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Midlothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.843|-3.05}}|position=right|label='''[[Gorebridge]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Midlothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.878|-3.148}}|position=top|label='''[[Loanhead]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Midlothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.913|-3.106}}|position=right|label='''[[Danderhall]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Midlothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.853|-3.1356}}|position=bottom|label='''[[Rosewell, Midlothian|Rosewell]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Midlothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.858|-3.169}}|position=left|label='''[[Roslin, Midlothian|Roslin]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Midlothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.869|-3.179}}|position=left|label='''[[Bilston, Midlothian|Bilston]]'''|label_size=}}

<!-- Bordering council areas -->
  {{Location map~|Scotland Midlothian|coordinates = 
{{coord|55.918|-2.94|}}|position=right|label=''[[East Lothian#Settlements|East Lothian]]''|marksize=0|label_size=120}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Midlothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.72|-3.09|}}|position=right|label=''[[Scottish Borders#Settlements|Scottish Borders]]''|marksize=0|label_size=120}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Midlothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.932|-3.22|}}|position=right|label=''[[City of Edinburgh (council area)#Settlements|City of Edinburgh]]''|marksize=0|label_size=120}}
}}

Largest settlements by population:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Settlement
!Population ({{Scottish settlement population citation|year}})<ref name="auto">{{Scottish settlement population citation}}</ref>
|-
|[[Bonnyrigg]]
|{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Bonnyrigg}}
|-
|[[Penicuik]]
||{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Penicuik}}
|-
|[[Dalkeith]]
||{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Dalkeith}}
|-
|[[Mayfield, Midlothian|Mayfield]]
||{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Mayfield}}
|-
|[[Gorebridge]]
||{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Gorebridge}}
|-
|[[Loanhead]]
||{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Loanhead}}
|-
|[[Danderhall]]
||{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Danderhall}}
|-
|[[Rosewell, Midlothian|Rosewell]]
||{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Rosewell}}
|-
|[[Roslin, Midlothian|Roslin]]
||{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Roslin}}
|-
|[[Bilston, Midlothian|Bilston]]
||{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Bilston}}
|-
|}

==Places of interest==
*[[Arniston House]]
*[[Borthwick Castle]]
*[[Castle Law|Castlelaw Fort]]
*[[Crichton Castle]]
*[[Dalhousie Castle]]
*[[Dalkeith Palace]]
*[[Flotterstone]]
*[[Hawthornden Castle]]
*[[Midlothian Snowsports Centre]], Hillend
*[[National Mining Museum, Scotland|National Mining Museum]]
*[[Loanhead Memorial Park]]
*[[Mavisbank House]]
*[[Melville Castle]]
*[[Newbattle Abbey]]
*[[Pentland Hills]]
*[[Roslin Castle]]
*[[Roslin Glen Country Park]]
*[[Roslin Institute]]
*[[Rosslyn Chapel]]
*[[Tyne-Esk Walk]]
*[[Vogrie Country Park]]
*[[Wallace's Cave]]

==Transport==
Midlothian has a modern road network as well as some rural single-track roads. The [[Borders Railway]] runs between Tweedbank to Edinburgh, with four stations in Midlothian – [[Shawfair railway station|Shawfair]], [[Eskbank railway station|Eskbank]], [[Newtongrange railway station|Newtongrange]] and [[Gorebridge railway station|Gorebridge]].{{Cn|date=February 2025}}

==Notable people associated with Midlothian==
{{Further|:Category:People from Midlothian}}
*[[William Drummond of Hawthornden]] (1585–1649), Scottish poet.
* [[Margaret of Scotland (1598–1600)|Princess Margaret of Scotland]] (1598–1600), daughter of [[James VI and I|James VI and I of Scotland and England]] (born [[Dalkeith Palace]])
*[[John Clerk of Penicuik]], 2nd Baronet (1676–1755), was a Scottish politician, lawyer, judge, composer and architect.
*[[William Robertson (historian)|William Robertson]] (1721–1793), historian, minister in the Church of Scotland, and Principal of the University of Edinburgh
*[[Robert Smith (architect)|Robert Smith]] (1722–1777), American architect, based in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]], born in Dalkeith
*[[Hector Macneill]] (1746–1818), poet and songwriter, born near [[Roslin, Midlothian|Roslin]]
*[[John Clerk, Lord Eldin]] (1757–1832), Scottish judge, lived in [[Lasswade]] for several years.
*[[Sir Walter Scott]] (1771–1832) wrote the novel ''[[The Heart of Midlothian]]'' and lived at Lasswade Cottage (now Sir Walter Scott's Cottage) in [[Lasswade]] from 1798 to 1804, where he wrote his ''Grey Brother'', translation of ''[[Goetz von Berlichingen]]'', etc. and was visited by [[Wordsworth]].
*[[William Tennant (poet)|William Tennant]] (1784–1848), the author of ''Anster Fair'', was parish schoolmaster in [[Lasswade]] from 1816 to 1819.
*[[Thomas de Quincey]] (1785–1859), author of ''[[Confessions of an English Opium-Eater]]'' (1822), lived in Man's Bush Cottage (now De Quincey Cottage), [[Polton]], from 1840 until his death in 1859.
*[[Thomas Murray (writer)|Thomas Murray]] (1792–1872), the Gallovidian author, died in Lasswade.
*[[Anne Richelieu Lamb]] (1807–1878), feminist writer
*[[William Ewart Gladstone]] (1809–1898), MP for Midlothian 1880–1895 and conducted his famous [[Midlothian campaign]] across the UK in 1880
*[[Patrick Edward Dove]] (1815–1873), mainly remembered for his book ''The Theory of Human Progression'', born at Lasswade
*[[John Lawson Johnston]] (1839–1900), the creator of [[Bovril]], born at Roslin.
*[[Charles W. Nibley]] (1849–1931), Scottish-American religious leader in [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] (LDS Church). Nibley was served as second counselor in the [[First Presidency (LDS Church)|First Presidency]] to [[Heber J. Grant]] (1925–31), and [[Presiding Bishop (LDS Church)|Presiding Bishop]] (1907–25).
*[[Charles Thomson Rees Wilson]] (1869–1959) of [[Glencorse]], Nobel prize-winning physicist.
*[[George Forrest (botanist)|George Forrest]] (1873–1932), a plant collector who gained fame with his expeditions to the far east who spent a significant part of his early years in Loanhead.
*[[William MacTaggart|Sir William MacTaggart]] (1903–1981), artist, and grandson of the artist William McTaggart, he became President of the Society of Scottish Artists, President of the [[Royal Scottish Academy]], and Trustee of the [[National Museum of Antiquities (Scotland)|National Museum of Antiquities]].
*[[Charles Forte, Baron Forte]] (1908–2007), the hotelier, worked in an Italian cafe in Loanhead, on his arrival in Scotland from Italy.
*[[Karl Miller]] (1931–2014), founding editor of the ''[[London Review of Books]]'' and Lord Northcliffe Professor of Modern English Literature at [[University College, London]] (1974–1992), born in [[Straiton, Loanhead|Straiton]].
*[[Annette Crosbie]] (born 1934), actress, born in [[Gorebridge]]
*[[Ishbel MacAskill]] (1941–2011), heritage activist and traditional Scottish Gaelic singer and teacher
* [[Fish (singer)]] (born 1958), former lead singer [[Marillion]] 1981-1987 and song based on his birth county, [[Heart of Midlothian (Royal Mile)]]  
*[[Gary Naysmith]] from Loanhead (born 1978), international Footballer, played for [[Heart of Midlothian F.C.|Heart of Midlothian]] and [[Everton F.C.|Everton]], named Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year in 1998, won the Scottish Cup with Hearts in 1998
*[[Darren Fletcher]] (born 1984), from Mayfield. international footballer, holds the record of being the youngest player to captain the national side, was part of the Manchester United squad that won the UEFA Champions League in 2008
*[[Steven Whittaker]] from Bonnyrigg, (born 1984), international footballer, played mainly for Hibernian and Rangers

==Schools in Midlothian==
===Primary schools===
*Bilston Primary School, [[Bilston]]
*Bonnyrigg Primary School, [[Bonnyrigg]]
*Burnbrae Primary School, [[Hopefield, Bonnyrigg|Hopefield]] 
*Cornbank St James Primary School, [[Penicuik]]
*Cuiken Primary School, Penicuik
*Danderhall Primary School, [[Danderhall]]
*Gore Glen Primary School, [[Gorebridge]]
*Gorebridge Primary School, Gorebridge
*Hawthornden Primary School, Bonnyrigg
*King's Park Primary School, [[Dalkeith]]
*Lasswade Primary School, [[Lasswade]] 
*Lawfield Primary School, [[Mayfield, Midlothian|Mayfield]]
*Loanhead Primary School, [[Loanhead]]
*Mauricewood Primary School, Penicuik
*Mayfield Primary School, Mayfield
*Moorfoot Primary School, [[North Middleton, Midlothian|North Middleton]]
*Newtongrange Primary School, [[Newtongrange]]
*Paradykes Primary School, Loanhead
*Rosewell Primary School, [[Rosewell, Midlothian|Rosewell]]
*Roslin Primary School, [[Roslin, Midlothian|Roslin]]
*Sacred Heart RC Primary School, Penicuik
*St Andrews's RC Primary School Gorebridge
*St David's RC Primary School Dalkeith
*St Luke's RC Primary School, Mayfield
*St Margaret's RC Primary School, Loanhead
*St Mary's RC Primary School, Bonnyrigg
*St Matthew's RC Primary School, Rosewell
*Stobhill Primary School, Gorebridge
*Strathesk Primary School, Penicuik
*Tynewater Primary School, [[Pathhead]]
*Woodburn Primary School, [[Woodburn, Midlothian|Woodburn]]

===Secondary schools===
*[[Beeslack High School]], [[Penicuik]]
*[[Dalkeith High School]], [[Dalkeith]]
*[[Lasswade High School Centre]], [[Bonnyrigg]]
*[[Newbattle Community High School]], Mayfield
*[[Penicuik High School]], Penicuik
*[[St. David's RC High School]], Dalkeith

===Special schools===
*[[Saltersgate School]], [[Dalkeith]]
*Top Services [[Pathhead, Midlothian|Pathhead]]

==Twin towns and sister cities==
Midlothian is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with [[Komárom-Esztergom]], Hungary and [[Kreis Heinsberg]], Germany. Since 1978 it is a sister city with [[Midlothian, Illinois]], a suburb of [[Chicago]] a town of [[Illinois]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.illinoissistercities.org/?page_id=2650|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040120/http://www.illinoissistercities.org/?page_id=2650|url-status=usurped|archive-date=4 March 2016|title=Illinois Member List updated June 2015 »|website=www.illinoissistercities.org|access-date=29 March 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline}}

{{Navboxes
| title = Midlothian
| list =
{{Rugby union in Midlothian}}
{{Midlothian elections}}
{{Wards of Midlothian}}
}}

{{Scotland subdivisions}}
{{Former local government regions of Scotland}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Midlothian| ]]
[[Category:Lieutenancy areas of Scotland]]
[[Category:Districts of Scotland]]
[[Category:Council areas of Scotland]]
[[Category:1975 establishments in Scotland]]