Merchiston Heritage in Pictures: Here are 24 fascinating photos of the Edinburgh neighbourhood in the 1950s and 1960s

The first historical mention of Merchiston was in the 1266 Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, when it was a private estate.

Taking its name from ‘Merkinstoun’, meaning ‘merchant’s town’, Edinburgh merchant Alexander Napier acquired the land from King James I in 1436 and his family built the landmark Merchiston Tower in the mid 15th century.

The tower was long the residence of the Lairds of Merchiston, including 8th Laird John Napier who invented algorithms, but was sold to Merchiston Castle School by the 14th Loard in 1914.

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While that school still bears the name of the area, it moved to nearby Colinton in 1930. The tower became part of the new Napier College (now University) in 1964.

Located just over a mile from Edinburgh City Centre, the area is now a very desirable place to live with its mix of late Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian villas, alongside more modern blocks of flats - famous residents over the years have included Gavin and Scott Hastings, J.K. Rowling, Alexander McCall Smith and Ian Rankin.

Here are 24 pictures from The Scotsman archives to take you back to the Merchiston of the 1950s and 1960s.

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