IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Faraday Place, WEST CALDER, EH55 8NG

These cottages were originally built for the foremen at the chemical works.

The church was built in 1923-1924 to a design by Reginald Francis Joseph Fairlie (1883-1952).

Looking towards St Thomas RC church on right and row of former miners' cottages on left

This is one of a set of two; the other one is a bit further along the approach to Addiewell on the opposite side of the road, and is equally cute. Whilst they are probably both in place for purely pragmatic reasons (to minimise the damage to the fences when people enter the fields), they also send out a welcoming signal. Neither stile leads to a regularly used footpath. And although there has been a 'right to roam' in Scotland for coming on 20 years, very occasional interrogations do still happen when walking across random farmland.

Viewed from and Edinburgh bound flight from Prague.

Described as both a gothic picturesque folly and a hunting tower by online references. There is no reason of course it can't have been both. It is situated on the North bank of Breich Water, and belonged to, and quite possibly still does belong to Auchenhard House, which is just a bit further up the bank. The date of construction is unknown and is thought to be at some point between the late 1700s and the early 1800s. Interestingly, the house and grounds were bought by James 'Paraffin' Young, the local shale oil industry pioneer, who lived there while overseeing the construction of the massive Addiewell Chemical Works nearby, and remained in his ownership until his death, upon which they passed to his company. Remarkably the house, and neighbouring Auchenhard Farm, which he bought along with the house, weren't actually bought out from oil company ownership until the 1980s. The house itself was derelict since the 1960s, but was restored about 15 years ago. Christmas lights were twinkling in the house window today, so all still in good repair as the professionals would say.