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The white house to the left is "Ratho Villa", previously known as "Kirkton Lodge", "Meldrum House" or the "Distillery Manager's House".
Modern seats have been placed along the towpath as part of a millenium project to reopen the canal from Edinburgh to Falkirk. There are some just west of Ratho and some to the east. They were the work of local artist blacksmiths at Ratho Byres on Freelands Road in Ratho.
St Mary's Church (CoS) dating from 1243 is in the background on the right.
Murder & Public Hanging
In "Ratho Villa" on 16 April 1864, a nursery maid Jeanie Seaton was murdered by George Bryce who lived with his parents and siblings in what is now the Bridge Inn. Bryce was the last man publicly hanged in Edinburgh! A brass plaque is set into the road at the top of the Mound where he was executed.
Three boats are commemorated on this seat:
"Pride of the Union" was the Bridge Inn's first Restaurant barge.
"St John Crusader" was the Seagull Trust's first barge, still on the canal renamed "Bluebell".
"Floaty Boaty" was a private boat in the area at the time.
This seat illustrates that the Union Canal is a “Contoured Canal”.
It follows a fixed contour height 73m above sea level to avoid having locks. It is flat. This means it has lots of bends which add to its length.
"Bluebell", the former St John Crusader I as shown on a seat, now operated by the "Bridge 19-40 Canal Society", often still seen on the canal.
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