Currie

What whispers echo through the ages here in Currie? Currie, a name etched in time, a village nestled on the fringes of Edinburgh, yet holding a history as rich as the tapestry of Scotland itself. Currie isn’t just a suburb. It’s a time capsule. Traces of human life here date back to the Bronze Age. Imagine a razor from 1800 BC, unearthed at Kinleith Mill, a testament to lives lived millennia ago. And those stone cists at Duncan’s Belt and Blinkbonny, silent witnesses to the rituals of centuries past. Currie’s story is woven into the very fabric of Scotland. Robert of Kildeleith, whose name echoes the nearby Kinleith Mill, rose to become Chancellor of Scotland in 1249. The land here, once a royal wedding gift from Robert the Bruce in 1315, passed through noble hands, shaping the destiny of Currie. Currie’s heart beats around Currie Kirk. The present church, built in 1784, stands as a successor to ancient worship. Picture the original St. Mungo’s, veiled in the mists of time, its presence felt in the ancient graveyard that surrounds its successor. St. Mungo’s Holy Well, with its stone basin, whispers of sacred rituals by the tranquil waters of the Water of Leith. Currie’s history is more than just stones and buildings. It’s a living, breathing narrative. The weaver poet James Thomson, raised in this very village, drew inspiration from the Kinleith Burn, now known as “Poet’s Glen”. His words, like the burn, flowed from Currie to join the grand stream of Scottish literature. Fast forward to the 20th century, and Currie’s transformation into a bustling suburb begins. The construction of council houses and private residences changed the landscape, yet the heart of Currie, with its historic core, remained untouched, preserved as a conservation area. Even today, Currie is more than just a place to live. It’s a community, vibrant and active. Scouts and Guides groups continue traditions that span decades. The Currie Riding of the Marches, held on the first Saturday of May, keeps the spirit of ancient customs alive. The Currie and District Local History Society ensures that the past is not forgotten. Currie. A place where the whispers of the Bronze Age meet the bustle of modern life. A place where history is not just learned, but lived.