Merchiston’s story began long ago. The first known mention of Merchiston appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1266. Back then, Merchiston was one of several independently owned estates. These estates lay southwest of the Burgh Muir.
In 1436, Alexander Napier acquired the Merchiston estate from King James I. Alexander Napier was a wealthy Edinburgh merchant and provost. He, or his son, built Merchiston Tower in the mid-15th century.
Merchiston Tower became the home of John Napier. He was the 8th Laird of Merchiston and the inventor of logarithms. In 1914, the Honourable John Scott Napier sold the tower. The buyer was the Merchiston Castle School board. Today, Merchiston Tower is part of Edinburgh Napier University.
The area around Merchiston Avenue is residential. It features a mix of Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian villas. Edward Calvert designed several of the Edwardian villas. There are also some Victorian tenements. In recent years, developers have built flats in the large gardens. The original houses have been divided into smaller flats.
Merchiston Castle School was founded here in 1828. It moved to Merchiston Tower in 1833. In 1930, the school moved to a new site at Colinton. However, it kept the Merchiston Castle name.
Today, Edinburgh Napier University uses Merchiston Tower. The university also uses other buildings in the area. These include former schools and churches. This saves them from demolition or conversion into flats.
Harrison Park is located to the northwest of Merchiston. It is a popular community park. The park offers recreational facilities. These include pitches, a play area, a cycle path and a formal garden.
Merchiston has been home to several notable people. Writers Lin Anderson, Colin Douglas, and Alexander McCall Smith have lived here. So did politician Sir Graham Watson and comedian Dylan Moran. J. K. Rowling once had her Edinburgh home in Merchiston. Ian Rankin lived in Merchiston before moving in 2019. Scotland and British Lions rugby players Gavin Hastings and Scott Hastings spent their childhood here.
By the end of the 19th century, Merchiston’s layout was established. Much of it was built with grey sandstone. The sandstone came from local quarries.
In the 20th century, there were important additions to Merchiston’s townscape. New school buildings opened. Boroughmuir High School opened on Viewforth in 1913. George Watson’s College opened on Colinton Road in 1932.
Napier Technical College complex was completed in 1964. In 1992, the technical college became the main campus of Napier University. The Eric Liddell Centre opened at Holy Corner. It is a community center for Merchiston residents.
The Union Canal was fully restored in the 1990s. Today, the canal is a popular leisure resource. It is also the core of the commercial and housing redevelopment of Fountainbridge.
In the 21st century, Merchiston has been called Edinburgh’s new “Literary Quarter”. Writers like Rhona MacLeod, Inspector Rebus, and Mma Ramotswe live here. Their books are known worldwide.