Penicuik (Midlothian)

Lat:55.822 Lon: -3.217

Penicuik is a town in Midlothian, lying on the west bank of the River North Esk.

Penicuik was home to a paper mill established by Agnes Campbell in 1709. The mill was subsequently purchased by Charles Cowan, originally a grocer in Leith, who established the Cowan Valleyfield Mills. In 1796, Charles Cowan brought in his son, Alexander Cowan, to manage the mill. Their enlarged mill led to the need for homes for their workers.

The hamlet of Penicuik was expanded as a planned village by Sir James Clerk of Penicuik, the builder of nearby Penicuik House and by 1800 the population had risen to 1,700. Penicuik became a burgh in 1867.

The last of the town's paper mills closed in 2005.

Features of the area

• Town
• River
• Industry
• Mill

Midlothian Group

Midlothian is one of Scotland’s 32 unitary council areas. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas.

Midlothian Council area was created in 1996, adopting the boundaries of the then Midlothian district of Lothian region.

Elsewhere on the BBC

• BBC Edinburgh, Fife and East Scotland

Elsewhere on the web

• Midlothian Library Services
• Wikipedia entry on Penicuik