We reached our destination of The Hawes Inn under the famous Forth Rail Bridge, late afternoon and immediately went walking about. We spent a couple of hours here back in 2016 on a previous trip and were keen to take a better look over the place.
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The Hawes Inn, Newhalls Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
Formerly known as the Newhalls Inn, this is a category ‘B’ listed building with several additions and alterations over the years. It was certainly renamed the ‘Hawes Inn’ by 1886. In fact evidence shows that in the book “Duncan’s Itinerary of Scotland 1820” it is listed as “The Hawes Inn” then.
The Hawes Inn, 7 Newhalls Road, South Queensferry, is a late 17th century Coaching Inn, with a date stone [Marriage Lintel] on the south east wall which says JS- 1638- BB, taken from the old house, Newhalls (no information on the ‘old house’ as yet). These initials are believed to be merchant John Smith, and his wife Bessie Bathgate. During the eighteenth-century, the inn was used as a change house for stagecoaches using the Newhalls Ferry and the adjacent ‘Hawes Garage’ used to be the stables and coach-house.
Rear of The Hawes Inn, Newhalls Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
The Hawes Inn & Firth of Forth Rail Bridge, Newhalls Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
Stone Window Frame [1893], The Hawes Inn, Newhalls Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
Pub Sign, The Hawes Inn, Newhalls Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
The Hawes Inn at Night, Newhalls Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
The Hawes Inn Sign at Night, Newhalls Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
Firth of Forth Rail Bridge, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
Construction of the bridge began in 1882 and it was opened on 4 March 1890 by the Duke of Rothesay, the future Edward VII. The bridge carries the Edinburgh–Aberdeen line across the Forth between the villages of South Queensferry and North Queensferry and has a total length of 8,094 feet (2,467 m). When it opened it had the longest single cantilever bridge span in the world, until 1919 when the Quebec Bridge in Canada was completed. It continues to be the world’s second-longest single cantilever span, with a span of 1,709 feet (521 m). Completed in 1890, it is considered a symbol of Scotland (having been voted Scotland’s greatest man-made wonder in 2016), and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was designed by English engineers Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker. It is sometimes referred to as the Forth Rail Bridge (to distinguish it from the adjacent Forth Road Bridge), although this is not its official name.
Award Plaques, Firth of Forth Rail Bridge, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
Stone Pylons, Firth of Forth Rail Bridge, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
Forth Road Bridges, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
The bridge in the foreground is the oldest opening in 1964 and the background bridge opened in 2017. It is a 1.7 miles (2.7km) structure & the longest 3-tower, cable-stayed bridge in the world. It is also by far the largest to feature cables which cross mid-span. When we passed here in 2016 it was still under construction.
“Thirty Knots” Newhalls Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
The Ferry Tap, 36 High Street, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
The building was erected in 1683 states the plaque on the wall and was originally a house. When it became an ‘Inn’ is unknown so far. There is no mention of it in the early census information for Queensferry. The first information found is in the 1881 census, when, as a hotel, it was named the ‘Prince of Wales’ until pre March 1890. When the future King Edward VII opened the magnificent Forth Rail Bridge in March 1890, the hotel’s name was changed to ‘The Forth Bridge Hotel’. The Hotel suffered a fire in 1907 and it had to be rebuilt. Jessie Mackenzie was proprietor at this time. There was another fire in 1976, remembered by locals, and it was closed for a while. The new owner, Neil Waterman re-opened it as a public house with the rooms upstairs converted into flats.
Later it was renamed ‘The Forth Bridges’ and with another later name change it became ‘The Ferry Tap’.
Anchor Inn, 10 Edinburgh Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
It is believed to be the oldest “Pub” in Queensferry (not being a “hotel”), and is definitely the smallest ‘pub’ in Queensferry, a traditional village pub.
“Black Castle”, 43 High Street, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
Category “A” Listed Building c. 1626. In 1626 mariner and explorer Willam Lowrie built the house for him and his wife Marion Speddie to live in and it is believed that the home would have originally been sandstone in colour. The name was most likely adopted during the “Witch Hunts” of the 1640s.
See a history surrounding its macabre story.
Old Buildings in East Terrace, Edinburgh Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
East Terrace is a roadway above the Edinburgh Road. The steps seen above lead to it.
Edinburgh Road to Former 'Seals Craig Hotel', 23 Edinburgh Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
Former 'Seals Craig Hotel', 23 Edinburgh Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
Doorway of Former 'Seals Craig Hotel', 23 Edinburgh Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
Category “C” Listed Building. c.1870
Orocco Pier Bar & Restaurant, 17 High Street, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
South Queensferry Tollbooth, 19 High Street, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
History of this building: The building incorporates The Jubilee Clock Tower & Roseberry Hall.
Stone Steps, Tolbooth, 19 High Street, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
Plewlands House, Cnr The Loan & Hopetoun Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
This another property with a history. Unfortunately I did not photography the great Marriage on the doorway but see it here in Google Street View.
See also: Image 1 … & … Image 2
Memorial to John Reid, High Street, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
In Memory Of
John Reid
Provost of the Burgh
Of South Queensferry
1884 – 1899
"Craig View", 5 Edinburgh Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
Old Street Sign, Newhalls Road-Edinburgh Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK
