With its busy port and docks, it was a burgh in its own right until officially joining up with Edinburgh in 1920.
The old boundary is still marked by a plaque on Leith Walk, the main thoroughfare from the city centre.
Leith has changed greatly over recent decades, shrugging off its industrial past and establishing a new identity as the Shore, Edinburgh’s fashionable waterfront district.
Nowadays it is home to hipster bars and cafes, artists’ studios and top-notch restaurants run by A-list chefs.
This ‘gentrification’ has seen a raft of new developments springing up across the northern shore area and a rise in traditional property prices.
To get your own home in Leith will cost upwards of £130,000 for the smallest bolthole. Meanwhile, at the other end of the market, prices for a newly released luxury three-bedroom apartment in the Moorings complex could set you back more than £1.3 million.
Here we have gathered together a selection of properties currently for sale in the Leith area.
5. Waterfront Plaza, Ocean Drive
A three-bedroom high-spec home in this new development at Ocean drive starts at £495,000. Contact Cala Homes for further details. Photo: Rightmove
6. 200 Great Junction Street
Located on one of Leith’s most iconic streets, this new-build development at 200 Great Junction Street offers a variety of contemporary flats - from studio to duplex and everything in between - on the banks of the Water of Leith. Contact Rettie & Co for further details. Photo: Rightmove
7. Prospect Bank Gardens
This three-bedroom terraced house is spacious and well presented, with its own garden and driveway, set in a quiet street in the leafy Leith Links area. Contact Your Move , Edinburgh, for more details. Photo: Rightmove
8. Gladstone House
For those who prefer a more traditional property, this three-bedroom conversion at Gladstone House is available at a fixed price of £375,000. Contact Rettie & Co for further details. Photo: Rightmove