BonnyriggScots: Bonnyrigg Stadium

Bonnyrigg (Scots: Bonnyrigg) is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, eight miles (13 kilometres) southeast of Edinburgh city centre. The town had a population of 14,663 in the 2001 census which rose to 15,677 in the 2011 census, both figures based on the 2010 definition of the locality which, as well as Bonnyrigg and the adjacent settlement of Lasswade, includes Polton village, Poltonhall housing estate and modern development at Hopefield. The estimated population for 2018 is 18,120, the highest of any town in Midlothian. Along with Lasswade, Bonnyrigg is a twin town with Saint-Cyr-l'Ecole, France.

History

Early maps of the locality show various versions of the village name. It first appears as a small hamlet on William Roy's map of c.1750 as Bonnebrig. From 1763, it is called Bannockrigg or Bannoc Rig. In 1817 the village is named Bonny Ridge, then Bonny Rigg in 1828, Bonnyrig in 1834, Bonny Rig in 1850 until, finally, the Ordnance Survey map of 1850-1852 standardises the name as Bonnyrigg.

In 1865, the villages of Bonnyrigg, Red Row, Polton Street, Hillhead and Broomieknowe combined to form the burgh of Bonnyrigg, and then, in 1881, the village of Lasswade and part of Broomieknowe combined to form the burgh of Lasswade. In 1929 the two burghs joined together to form the burgh of Bonnyrigg & Lasswade. This burgh lasted for 45 years until it was abolished in 1974/75, when local government changes were introduced. Bonnyrigg was a mining village until the 1920s, while its Henry Widnell & Stewart carpet factory was demolished in 1994. 20th century expansions included the Hopefield, Poltonhall and Waverley neighbourhoods.

The town centre mostly dates from the 19th century, though buildings at the main crossroads were rebuilt in the 1960s. In 2006, Bonnyrigg town centre benefited from £1.5m of environmental improvements. Natural stone paving replaced the existing concrete paving slabs in areas across the town centre and new street