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Craigshill

Route: Start at parking behind the Mall, Adelaide Street - up to main road - past Craigwillow Centre - behind Stirrup Stane - south past Letham PS - west, through Mall - through houses - past Craigsfarm and Riverside PS - past the Tower, back to car park.

Route length: 2.4km

Estimated duration: 30 mins

Points of Interest/History/Heritage

  1. Craigshill - was the first residential area built in the New Town development. Built by the LDC, it was started in 1965. 
  2. Craigwillow Education Centre - this was the gym hall for Craigshill High School. The High School opened in 1969. Before it was built, children from the area had to go to West Calder High School. 
  3. Letham Primary School - opened in 1967, it was the second primary school (PS) in the area. This area was the site of a farm, Letham Farm, which existed in the area before the development of the New Town was started.
  4. Craigshill Health Centre - opened in 1969 - It was pioneering as 'only the second healthcare facility in Scotland where doctors, dentists and nurses worked together to provide an integrated service.' (Gazetteer for Scotland, 2022). 
  5. Go through the Mall - 'The Mall' opened in 1968 and acted as the town centre for Livingston, until Almondvale shopping centre opened in 1977. 
  6. Beatlie School Campus - previously a third primary school in the area, Almondbank Primary School. 
  7. Passing through houses in the 'Walks' - these were the first houses to be built in Craigshill. They are all named after a Scottish Loch, followed by 'Walk' - this route is between Garry Walk and Torridon Walk, passing Leven Walk, Morlich Walk and Doon Walk. 
  8. Craigsfarm Community Hub - this area was the original farm (Craigs Farm) that existed in the area before the development of the New Town started. 
  9. Riverside Primary School - Riverside was the first Primary School to be built in the New Town of Livingston in 1966. 
  10. St. Andrews RC Church - built in 1969, it has a very distinctive modernist design, with a concrete outer creating a sweeping  sail around the building, and is a 'Category B' listed building. 
  11. Walk up behind the Tower Bar - opened in 1968, this was the first of the area's two public houses, the other being the Stirrup Stane which was passed at the beginning of the route.
  12. To the left of the Tower - the large grassy area here used to have the area's third church on it - St Columba's - which in 1966, was the first church to open in the area. It was demolished in 2010.