IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Bellerophon Drive, PENICUIK, EH26 8NU

In 1803, Valleyfield in Penicuik was the site of a prison camp for French prisoners during the Napoleonic Wars. The site is now a housing development, with street given Napoleonic names, with this photo taken in Bellerophon Drive - HMS Bellerophon was the ship on which Napoleon surrendered in 1815. The monument commemorates the French connection.

The prereformation St Kentigern's church, which was already in a poor state of repair in 1648, and its graveyard lies behind the present St. Mungo's parish church The tower dates to 1743.

A substantial monument built in 1830 to mark and commemorate the burial place of 309 French prisoners of war who died in captivity at Penicuik between 1811 and 1814. It was paid for by Alexander Cowan, owner of the Valleyfield Mill which was used as one of the 'prisoner depots' of the Napoleonic Wars and stood near the spot where the monument stands. A local watchmaker contributed five shillings, allowing the inscription to state that it had been erected by "certain inhabitants of this parish". Cowan was responsible for the inscribed sentiment that enjoins us to "Remember That All Men Are Brethren". Image

The Latin sentence is a quotation of the Roman poet Sannazarius, suggested by Sir Walter Scott: "Pleasing it is to lie at rest in one's own country, but all the world is a tomb."

The French poet, Alphonse de Lamartine, contributed the lines: "Born to bless the marriage vows of mothers growing old. Called away by Fate, To become lovers, loved, spouses and fathers, They died in exile."

"The uniform quiet of a country parish was, in the case of Penicuik, interrupted about the year 1810, by its extensive paper manufactories being turned by Government into depôts for prisoners of war, and the peaceful cottages attached to them into barracks for the military necessarily required. The paper-mills of Valleyfield were on that occasion fitted up for the reception of 6000 prisoners, whilst those of Eskmills, then used as a cotton manufactory, accommodated 1500 British soldiers. This occurrence could not fail to produce results very unfavourable to the social and religious well-being of the parishioners. The peaceful artisan gave place to the soldier; and the din of a camp, with its attendant irregularities, prevailed where formerly nothing had interrupted the orderly occupations and Sabbath solemnities of a Scottish village. This circumstance gave, however, unusual life and activity to the place, and enriched some of its inhabitants; but it may be doubted, if it proved in any way advantageous to their moral habits and religious feelings; nor perhaps, have the unfavourable effects then produced on these latter, even now quite disappeared. On the close of the war, however, in the year 1814, the mills happily returned to their former proprietors and purposes,—an event which was hailed by the inhabitants with a general illumination, and other demonstrations of their heartfelt joy. The only memory which now remains of the residence of so many warlike strangers, is a very chaste and appropriate monument erected by the proprietor of Valleyfield mill, over the remains of upwards of 300 prisoners of war, who were interred in a beautiful spot amidst his grounds. The design was furnished by Hamilton, and bears, after recording the purpose for which it was erected, the following line from the elegant but little known Sanazarius suggested by Sir Walter Scott: 'Grata quies patriæ, sed, et omnis terra sepulchrum.' Underneath is this simple addition, 'Certain inhabitants of this parish, desiring to remember that all men are brethren, caused this monument to be erected.' " -- New Statistical Account, 1845 Image

This church replaced the original Church of Scotland parish church for Penicuik in 1771 and is still in use.

Part of a housing development at Valleyfield, where once stood Penicuik's first paper mill, opened in 1779, and the Penicuik railway station, terminus of the line from Edinburgh Waverley - see http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/p/penicuik/index.shtml for more background to the station and the line.

Newish housing - in the distance, at the end of the street, can be seen the memorial to PoWs from the Napoleonic Wars - see Image