A BRIEF HISTORY OF MUIR WOOD PARK
Muir Wood Road Park, commonly known as Muir Wood Park, is a remnant of
the old Muir Wood, which in the past extended from Gillespie Crossroads
to Currie. The 1855 Ordnance Survey map shows an area of trees extending
to what is now Muir Wood Road, located on the edge of agricultural
fields. Its geometric outline suggests a policy woodland. Kirkwood's map
of 1817 shows a number of trees in the area of the Nether Currie
settlement.
Mollie Tweedie,widow of local historian John Tweedie,
now in her 90's, recalls happy family outings with her children in the
Muir Wood.In his well respected book "Our District" published in the
1960's. John Tweedie writes as follows :
"Muir Wood Road, of course is very different today
from what it was 15 years ago.Then it was a narrow rutted, unsurfaced
track, but very popular with local shift workers ( from the paper mills)
for a "quiet daunder".The wood was also popular with families, and
there the bairns could run wild and have a glorious time hiding in the
bushes, climbing trees or playing in the burn.Wild honeysuckle and other
delights grew freely, and altogether the Muir Wood was a place of
enchantment. Now it is part of the Wimpey Estate, which also covers a
goodly part of Easter Currie fields.This estate was begun in 1955.The
Muir Wood Road was extended to what is now Riccarton Mains Road".
Older local residents recall playing in the wood as
children and enjoying catching tadpoles in the pond.
Much of the woodland was felled and the historic
drainage ditches culverted during the building of the houses in the late
50's. Part of the drainage system is still evident in the dry ditch
running through parts of the wood. Electricity pylons ran through it at
one stage.For a time it became just a degraded piece of wasteland.Some
young trees remained, nature healed, another generation of children
adopted it for play and adventure. It was designated for public
recreation under the ownership of the Local Authority, who coppiced the
trees and did some replanting around forty years ago. Basic play
equipment was installed. Thereafter maintenance consisted of grass
cutting and safety procedures.
City of Edinburgh's 1996 publication "Edinburgh's
Green Heritage" by Ian Nimmo, contains the following description of Muir
Wood Park:
"No more than an oasis of greenery in the centre of a
housing estate, this tiny park is nonetheless a little wonderland to
those who know it. The Muir Wood play area is about 400 yards long by
200 yards deep, but it presents so many imaginative possibilities for
those who seek them out. An elongated "S' shaped wood stretches
diagonally the full length of the park. many paths wind through the
woods, children can become hidden among the trees that explode in leaf
in Summer, but they are never more than a few steps from open space and
safety......... The Muir Wood once stretched from Gillespie Crossroads
to Currie. Little of it remains but this isolated magical forest, left
by George Wimpey to remind us of what used to be.
The Friends of Muir Wood Park Group would like to
hear of your memories, and any information regarding the history of the
Muir Wood, and of the present day.
The Friends of Muir Wood Park Group thanks
Mrs. Mollie Tweedie and family for kindly giving their permission to
quote from John Tweedies book "Our District".