Harburn is a small village and estate in West Lothian, Scotland.[1] It lies approximately 2 miles south-east of West Calder and just to the north of the Pentland Hills.
The Harburn estate is a 19th century landscaped park and country house estate, primarily laid out in 1808. Harburn House is a Category B listed 18th century country-house that was built in 1804 for Alexander Young (1757-1842), factor to the Duke of Hamilton.[2] It replaced an early property, Hayfield House and there are also records of a Harburn Castle, recorded as being fortified during Cromwell's invasions. The stables are also early 19th century and are Category B listed.
In 1832, King Charles X of France visited Harburn and a monument to his visit, in the form of a stone column was erected.
Harburn village hill is a local community facility that was built in 1923 as a gift to the community from King George V for the villages contribution to the war effort at the nearby gunpowder mill.[3]
Harburn golf course is an 18 golf course on the western edge of Harburn that was created in its present location in 1932.[4]
Camilty is a plantation and forest area on the southern and eastern edge of Harburn. The area produces trees for sale as christmas trees.[5] Permission was given in 2021 for a six large wind turbines to be built on the plantation.[6]
Camilty Gunpowder mill is a large ruined powder mill on private land near the Harburn estate that produced explosives, primarily for blasting in the local shale industry.[7] [8] In the First World War the facility produced munitions and armaments.[3] The mill was in production from 1890 to 1929 and was operated by Midlothian Gunpowder Company.[7] It was later owned by Curtis and Harvey and then passed to Nobel Enterprises before being closed following a period of decline in shale mining. The mill was powered by a weir built at the end of the 19th century.[7]
Castle Greg is located on the southern edge of Harburn. The castle is the archaeological remains of a Roman fortlet.
The Caledonian Railway line, built circa 1850, cuts through the north-west boundary of the Harburn Estate. The nearest railway station is West Calder railway station. The B7008 forms the south-west boundary of Harburn. The A70 road connecting Edinburgh with Lanark lies to the south-east of Harburn.