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The origin of street names in Blacket

Alfred Place

Originally called Albert Place, this street was shown as Canonbie Street (another name for Bell's Dumfriesshire estate) on the early plans of the area.

Blacket Place and Blacket Avenue

The Blacket name originates from property on the Bell's estate in Dumfriesshire. The numbering in Blacket Place and Blacket Avenue can be confusing to visitors unfamiliar with the area. Neither 3 nor 5 Blacket Place were built - the land was subsequently used for the development of Dryden Place . Since there are many more even-numbered houses than odd-numbered houses, by the time you reach the end of Blacket Place No. 33 is in fact opposite No. 64. There are more numbering peculiarities on Blacket Avenue where the only houses are at 5, 11, 13 and 15.

Dryden Place

This may have been named after an estate near Roslin in Midlothian, although it is more likely to be connected with Mr Adam Dryden, a builder in Pilrig, who built some, if not all, of the houses in Dryden Place. The house numbering here too is idiosyncratic, with house numbers running from 1 to 8 on the east side going south, then from 9 to 13 up the west side.

Mayfield Terrace

In the mid-nineteenth century this street was known as Ross Street. When Newington Lodge (on the corner with Dalkeith Road) was built in 1824, it was the only house on the street. Another early house was the substantial building at No. 16. Further along at 12/14 is the large, semi-detached building which for many years was owned by the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society.

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