Kingscavil

Kingscavil (NT029765) is a small settlement in West Lothian lying between Linlithgow and Bridgend on the old A9 (now the B9080).

Kingscavil

The old school
Kingscavil
Location within West Lothian
OS grid referenceNT033765
Civil parish
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townLINLITHGOW
Postcode districtEH49
Dialling code01506
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament

History

Kingscavil had historically been under the direct control of the Scottish Crown. During King Robert the Bruce's resettlement plans, Kingscavil was granted to Sir James Douglas which was witnessed by Edward Bruce as part of "omnes terras de Kincauill" as well as the village of East Calder.[1][2]

Kingscavil had a quarry located in it. Sandstone quarried from Kingscavil was used to construct Linlithgow Palace.[3] Kingscavil later became a hub for shale oil extraction, with the village being built up with workers going to live there. Kingscavil Church was also constructed in 1902 by the Church of Scotland in English Gothic style to serve the village.[4][5] However, following a collapse in the shale oil industry in the 1930s, the majority of the new village was demolished.[6] This came after an inquiry into conditions in the village was set up by the Department of Health, the first to have been held under the Housing (Scotland) Act 1930. The inquiry was commissioned following West Lothian County Council receiving reports from their inspectors about the sanitary conditions in the new housing. The inquiry found in 1937 that the housing was inadequate and should be demolished with the residents being re-homed in nearby Bridgend.[7]

References
  1. Penman, Michael (2014). Robert the Bruce: King of the Scots. Yale University Press. p. 370. ISBN 0300148720.
  2. "Gift of Kingscavil (WLO) and Calder-Clere (MLO) in free barony". King's College London. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  3. "Mineral resources of the Lothians" (PDF). British Geological Survey. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  4. "Kingscavil Church". Scotlands Churches Trust. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  5. "West Lothian's unique and historic buildings are opening to the public". inlithgow Journal and Gazette. 12 September 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2020 – via Google Cache.
  6. "History uncovered - Linlithgow Journal and Gazette". inlithgow Journal and Gazette. 18 February 2005. Retrieved 28 March 2020 – via Google Cache.
  7. "Kingscavil Village". Scottishshale.co.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
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