Stockbridge

Why go

Stockbridge offers a smaller scale than the planned streets of the New Town, with independent shops and a river running through the district. St Bernard’s Well places a classical temple beside the water, while Raeburn Place adds a sporting connection. It works well as a combination of street browsing and outdoor walking.

What to look for

• St Bernard’s Well is a circular classical temple supported by ten Doric columns.
• The Water of Leith provides a quieter walking line through the district.
• Raeburn Place hosted the first international rugby match in 1871.

The full story

Stockbridge began as a village and was later incorporated into Edinburgh. Its name refers to a timber bridge, while the bridge built in 1801 spans the Water of Leith. The river still explains the district’s geography and its difference from the larger streets of the adjoining New Town. St Bernard’s Well recalls the period when mineral springs attracted visitors seeking health benefits. Lord Gardenstone commissioned Alexander Nasmyth to design a new pump room in 1788, and work began the following year. The circular temple has ten Doric columns and a central statue of Hygieia, the Greek goddess of health. Raeburn Place adds a sporting connection: Edinburgh Academy’s ground hosted Scotland against England in 1871, the first international rugby match. Together these sites give a village-scale walk layers of health, recreation and sport.

Useful to know

• Allow around an hour and a quarter for village streets and a river walk, adding time if browsing shops.
• Include St Bernard’s Well along the river and check current walkway restrictions before setting out.

Your next visit

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