BROXBURN, WEST LOTHIAN

Broxburn is a small town in West Lothian, Scotland located 12 miles (19 km) west of Edinburgh on the A8 road. It is situated approximately 5 miles (9 km) from Edinburgh Airport. It had a population of 12,892 according to the 2001 Census.
A commuter town serving the M8 corridor into Edinburgh and the industrial areas of Livingston, Broxburn has seen a recent increase in immigration, especially from Poland, broadening its cultural diversity. There have also been a small number of businesses in the town long established by people of Asian descent. Broxburn has two separate small industrial areas, the Greendykes Industrial Estate and the East Mains Industrial Estate which provide employment for local people. The largest employers are Campbells Prime Meat Limited, Glenmorangie and Broxburn Bottlers Limited (part of Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd). The headquarters of Kwik-Fit, the automotive repair company, are also located in Broxburn.
The Union Canal flows through Broxburn. It is no longer operates as a transport link, but is now used for fishing and some leisure boating. It has a towpath previously used by the horses which drew canal barges and which is now used as a footpath.
Broxburn is the birthplace of director Michael Caton-Jones (director), Andrew Fairlie (actor)[1] , Mark Burchill (footballer) and English cricketer Gavin Hamilton.

Contents

History

Education

Sports and health

General information

External links

History

The village that later became Broxburn probably originated around 1350 when Margery le Cheyne inherited the eastern half of the Barony of Strathbrock (Easter Strathbrock) on the death of her father, Sir Reginald le Cheyne III. The hamlet that grew up around her residence was then called Eastertoun (eastern town) after the land on which it stood. The lands of Strathbrock were earlier owned by Freskin the Fleming, granted to him under a charter from King David I of Scotland
Eastertoun was burned to the ground sometime in 1443-4 during a conflict between William Douglas, Lieutenant-General of Scotland, and William Crichton, Chancellor of Scotland. It was destroyed again in 1455 during fighting between the Douglases and King James II of Scotland. After the conflict was resolved the village was gradually resettled.
The village was renamed Broxburn in 1600 by Sir Richard Cockburn of Clerkington, Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland, almost certainly after Broxburn, East Lothian. The name most likely derives from Brooks burn - brook (or bourn) meaning a boundary, and burn meaning a stream. Later Brooks burn became Brox burn and so Broxburn.
Broxburn remained an agricultural community until the development of the shale oil industry in the area during the second half of the nineteenth century. This brought in a rapid influx of workers, greatly expanding the local population. Broxburn is still known for its association with the industry, pioneered by the inventor and industrialist James Young. Many shale spoil tips are still in evidence around the town.

Education

Broxburn has three schools, all state funded, Broxburn Primary, St Nicholas Primary (RC) and Broxburn Academy. It is the location of Oatridge Agricultural College.
There are several privately run nursery schools in the town.

Sports and health

Broxburn is home to the junior football club Broxburn Athletic. There are sports and health facilities publicly available, including a sports centre, swimming pool and bowling club. There are also privately owned snooker and bowling clubs.
Speedway racing, then known as Dirt Track racing, had a very brief stay in the town. A track was built but was refused a licence by the ruling body. A few demonstration events were staged in 1928 and in 1929 a race at a local motorcycle was cut short after two laps when one of the competitors fell.

General information

The Area Code for Broxburn is 01506 when dialed within the United Kingdom (+44 1506 internationally) and the UK postcode prefix is EH52. It is in the Livingston constituency of the British Parliament and the Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh constituency of West Lothian Council. Broxburn is in the Livingston constituency of the Scottish Parliament. The nearest bus terminal is in Livingston and the nearest railway station is at Uphall Station. The local hospital is St. John's Hospital at Howden in Livingston. Broxburn has its own health centre at the Strathbrock Partnership Centre. It has five churches, Broxburn Baptist Church, Broxburn Catholic Church, Broxburn Parish Church, Hopehall Evangelical Church and St Nicholas United Free Church of Scotland. There are also some other religious groups active in the town, including Jehovah's Witnesses and several evangelical Christian organisations.

External links

★ Undiscovered Scotland, Broxburn

★ Sure Start Local Infomation on Broxburn

★ Broxburn Community Council

★ West Lothian Council

★ Ss John Cantius and Nicholas