We Love Leith

We love Leith. Here are a few photographs from our adventures in and around Leith. From historical buildings and clues to the past, current inspirational local businesses, social enterprises and charities, street art, art colleges and a few book recommendations, there are so many hidden gems that don't make it to "Top 10 Things to do in Leith" or Guidebooks. This is Leith by Leithers.

Click on each image to see what it is. There is lots of information online about these places if you know what you're looking for, so this page can act as a signpost.

Please let us know if anything is incorrect. This page is a labour of love and a work in progress so more images will be appearing over time.

We've used what3words to help locate all these places and some of the location names are humorous in themselves! You can also find some of the named places on Google Maps. Some places of interest won't show up and Leith is particularly out of date on the satellite view.

Leith Theatre Leith Theatre was a gift from Edinburgh after the amalgamation of Leith in 1920, despite a vote 6:1 against. It was bombed during the war in 1941, reopening 20 years later playing host to AC/DC, Thin Lizzy and Kraftwerk. It lay derelict for decades until a dedicated group of Leithers fought to bring it back to life. Image description: a 1930s theatre from the stage, hosting a busy clothes fair with stalls with festoon lighting what3words: ///idea.piles.among	Pier with Antony Gormley Statue, Ocean Drive, Leith Derelict Pier with Antony Gormley Statue at the end, right beside where Port of Leith, the world's first vertical whisky distillery is being constructed. Image Description: A derelict wooden pier over choppy water, viewed from the land and looking straight along it what3words: ///host.lonely.turned	Leith Dry Dock This was the first dry dock in Leith, and has since been filled in. You can still see the shape of the building which would have accommodated the front of a ship. Image Description: A tenement building with a door and window in an alcove, where the front of a ship would have been held what3words: ///flight.fault.discouraged
Sculpture of Sandy Irvine Robertson, The Shore, Leith Sandy Irvine Robertson OBE (1942-1999) was a Leith wine merchant and founder of the Scottish Business Award Trust. The sculpture is by Lucy Poett. Image Description: A life-size bronze statue of a man sitting on a bench, with a small boy standing on the bench looking directly at him What3words: ///weep.piano.youth	Queen Victoria Statue, Kirkgate, Leith Queen Victoria - enough has been written about her so here's a mention from Trainspotting instead: Ah clock Franco at Queen Sticky-Vicky’s statue, talkin tae this big dude, a mean hombre called Lexo; a casual acquaintance, if ye catch ma drift. Funny scene, likesay, how aw the psychos seem tae ken each other, ken what ah mean, likes? Such alliances are unholy man, just unholy… Image Description: Looking up at a statue of Queen Victoria what3words: ///grace.light.cattle	South Leith Parish Church, Kirkgate, Leith Image Description: A sunlit arched green door of a church what3words: ///strict.marble.cherry
The King's Wark, The Shore, Leith The King's Wark used to be known as The Jungle, a fitting title for the wild activities that went on here! what3words: ///curving.trail.hosts	Whisky bonds opposite The Shore what3words: ///sofa.slang.gift	Customs House, Commercial Street, Leith Custom House Leith is the oldest custom house in Scotland. The A-listed Georgian building was designed by Robert Reid, built in 1810 Image description: Looking up at a neo-classical building with pillars what3words: ///years.palm.tested
what3words: ///share.sums.family	Lamb's House, Water's Close, Leith Image Description: Looking up at a 17th century white house, with blue sky behind. There are gables and a wooden balcony what3words: ///hopes.basis.swift	Leith Crest: Persevere what3words: ///weedy.prone.loser
The Central Bar, Foot of Leith Walk The Central Bar used to be the bar for Leith Central Station, hence the name. It's Grade A Listed and when we were in they said that means they're not allowed to clean the tiles! They also used to put a board over the back booth for go go dancers... not unusual for Leith in the past. Reported to be one of Irvine Welsh's favourite bars. Image Description: what3words: ///manual.alien.paying	Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, Hawthornvale, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///sits.wires.bath	Porter's Stone, Henderson Street, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///sculpture.sang.allows
The Citadel Image Description: what3words: ///atoms.melon.hedge		Constitution Street by Jemma Neville Image description: orange and blue cover of the book "Constitution Street" by Jemma Neville
Constitution Street Arch, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///later.oldest.locker	Trinity House Museum, Kirkgate, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///fame.trying.monkey	The Old Lighthouse and Whale Harpoon on Shore, Leith Image Description: A view of The Shore in Leith, looking along the river at sunset. There is the top of a lighthouse and a whale harpoon what3words: ///flock.woke.copies
Art along the Water of Leith: "It disna matter where she gangs she's always happy and gay now she's kipping it up wi a navvy at the fit o the sherry brae" Image Description: a sunlit paving stone with capital letters carved in a spiral what3words:	The Citadel Youth Centre, Commercial Street, Leith Image description: A photograph of a glass building with steps in front, painted in rainbow colours what3words: ///legend.under.string	Coburg House Art Studios Image Description: An imposing former granary, with a red and white sign around the main entrance what3words: ///foods.exit.recent
Corn Exchange, Constitution Street, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///onion.parks.enable	Western Harbour or Point of Leith Lighthouse, built in the 1950s Image description: A derelict, graffitied lighthouse on concrete stilts, surrounded by high railings saying "no unauthorised persons beyond this point" what3words: ///narrow.cats.gentle	The building which is now Malmaison Hotel was built in 1883 as a Seaman's Mission and later became the Angel Hotel. Both previous establishments were renowned for wild nights and being brothels. Image description: Looking up at an uplit imposing building with a castellated clock tower at dusk what3words: ///tiger.leans.aware
Leith Sands This is closed off to the public but Leith has a beach! It is the only part left of a much larger beach which used to host the Leith Races from around 1504 to 1816. They moved to Musselburgh but were never as wild as they were in Leith... Image Description: A screenshot from a satellite image on Google Maps of a small beach what3words: ///zones.select.stores	C.M. Marr picture framers on Ferry Road, Leith There used to be a stained glass image of a ship on the main window, and the day after an auctioneer expressed interest of the window being valuable, a truck backed into it completely destroying it. Image Description: A traditional picture framer's workshop with pictures and frames stacked against the wall what3words: ///librarian.worth.calls	Cables Wynd House, Leith Cables Wynd in Leith, known as the Banana Flats because of the shape of the curved buildings. Grade A listed buildings are one of the best examples of 1960s Brutalist Architecture, and were carefully designed as an upgrade to the tenement slums that were torn down. Home to fictional character Sick Boy in Irvine Welsh's book Trainspotting Image Description: Highrise flats which curve around to the left what3words: ///sharp.small.flesh
Alan the crocodile on the Water of Leith Image Description: Graffiti of a green cartoon crocodile wearing sunglasses on a white door and brick wall what3words: ///resist.limbs.hills	Leith School of Art, North Junction Street, Leith Formerly the Norwegian Seaman's Church Image Description: A church with a blue door what3words: ///took.rear.guess	Mural, North Junction Street, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///speeds.rift.finest
Leith Market, Dock Place, Leith Image Description: an outdoor market with yellow and white awnings on a sunny day what3words: ///goods.pads.combining	Mural off Bernard Street, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///vanish.pounds.fortunate	Projekt 42, Leith Walk Image Description: A red gate saying "Projekt 42" what3words: ///rods.splash.gifts
Crow Mosaic Image Description: what3words: ///spit.putty.analogy	Leith Victoria Swing Bridge Image Description: what3words: ///test.agrees.bring	Antony Gormley Statue, Water of Leith, Anderson Place, Leith, Edinburgh Image Description: what3words: ///camp.keeps.toxic
Water of Leith Artwork Image Description: what3words: ///towns.quit.choice	Leith Library Image Description: A grand entrance consisting of a wooden door at the top of stone stairs, flanked by stone pillars what3words: ///unwanted.rates.solar	Leith Links Playpark Image Description: A huge playpark with 3 climbing frame ships and an enormous sandpit what3words: ///song.loyal.goat
Guru Nanak Gurdwara Edinburgh, Sheriff Brae, Leith Since 1976, the building has been used by the Edinburgh Sikh community as their Gurdwara. Formerly St Thomas’s Church, Manse and schools. Built with money from slaver John Gladstone. Sheriff Brae, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///lamp.hidden.forces	Fish Sculpture Commercial Quay Image Description: what3words: ///pocket.enhancement.react	Banksy Rat, Bernard Street, Leith Banksy? This appeared in Bernard Street, Leith in 2019, along with a masked man wearing a top with the EU flag on it, throwing a bouquet of flowers. Is it real? We hope so! Image Description: a black stencil on a white wall of a rat holding a paintbrush what3words: ///added.fried.edge
Burns Statue, Constitution Street, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///backed.kept.diary	North Leith Cemetry North Leith Churchyard The original churchyard was much bigger but flats were built on it. Image Description: an old gravestone with angels and skull carvings what3words: ///path.part.minds	The Pitt The Pitt Image Description: what3words: ///props.punch.trap
Leith and Edinburgh Boundary Bier Hoose, formerly the Boundary Bar, with 2 doors which mark the original boundary between Leith and Edinburgh, before they were amalgamated against Leith's will in 1920. Image Description: what3words: ///crisis.hired.yoga	The Biscuit Factory, Anderson Place, Leith The Biscuit Factory Image Description: the inside of a bright warehouse with lots of windows and metal supports what3words: ///farm.renew.aware	The Old Pump House at Leith Docks Image description: what3words: ///bleak.bounty.bunch
The Leither's Guide to Leith The Leither's Guide to Leith, an unofficial guide written by students at Leith Academy. Available to buy at The Scottish Design Exchange in Ocean Terminal Image Description: an image of the book: "The Leither's Guide to Leith"	St Ninian's Manse, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///string.market.many	Leith Police Station Old Council Chamber Leith Police Station Old Council Chamber with an oil painting of "George IV Landing at Leith" by Alexander Carse, 1822. It's well worth a visit on Doors Open Day where they take a bit too much delight in slamming the door when you're inside a cell! Image Description: A grand room with a large rectangular table surrounded by chairs, and a large oil painting on the wall what3words: ///discouraged.healers.steps
Campervan Brewery, Leith Image Description: a smiling man in dungarees standing with his hands on his hips, at the entrance of a brewery what3words: ///crazy.tulip.sticks	Old Leith Central Station Leith Central Station, now offices home to social enterprises Social Bite and Invisible Cities Image Description: Looking down traditional station stairway, with green tiles on the wall what3words: ///cracks.roofs.alone	Scottish Design Exchange This has now moved to George Street. Image Description: what3words: ///soda.slam.bottle
Statue of Dr John Rattray Statue at Leith Links, by David Annand A bronze statue of Dr John Rattray Statue at Leith Links by David Annand St Andrews might be famous for golf now but the rules were written in Leith. John Rattray took part in the very first golf competition in 1744, for which the rules were drawn up. Charles I and James VII are said to have played golf on Leith Links First Rules of Golf 1744 Image Description: A life-size bronze statue of a man in 18th century clothing holding a golf club, about to tee off. what3words: ///bottle.total.ruler	Leith Fort Image Description: what3words: ///maple.report.weep	Swanfield, Leith Swanfield, Leith formerly flour mills Image Description: A graffitied wall with a bollard in the shape of a bunch of wheat, with a metal sign saying "Swanfield" what3words: ///wells.ballots.submit
Spilt Milk Coffee, Great Junction Street, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///gaps.slimy.twice	The Junction, Great Junction Street, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///invite.lists.rift	Leith Community Croft, Leith Links Image Description: what3words: ///locker.occupy.polite
Old Leith Hospital Prudence & Fortitude Image Description: what3words: ///mouse.name.apron	Dr Bell's Family Centre Image Description: what3words: ///events.rots.grabs	Leith Little Free Library, Chandler Street, off Leith Links Image Description: what3words: ///wide.script.sheet
State Cinema, Great Junction Street, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///bucks.booth.ritual	Hemingway's, Commercial Street, Leith Fairleys pub, now Hemingway's, was said to have had a puma in a cage! Maybe not that odd for a port town but this was only in the 70s... Image Description: what3words: ///hips.pines.relay	Georgian Antiques, Pattison Street, off Leith Links Image Description: what3words: ///sorters.stay.crisis
Old Leith Hospital Image Description: what3words: ///lamps.woke.party	The Fingal, Alexandra Dock, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///drove.remind.charmingly	Custom Lane, Customs Wharf, Leith A collaborative centre for design and making Image Description: what3words: ///door.normal.return
Mary Queen of Scots Plaque A Plaque which reads: "This Plaque commemorates the landing in Leith of Marie Stuart, Queen of Scots, upon her return from Frace on 19th August 1561. Placed here by the Marie Stuart Society in the year of the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 2002" Image Description: what3words: ///items.spare.leap	Newhaven Lighthouse Image Description: what3words: ///awake.glow.bossy	Leith Walk Police Box Image Description: what3words: ///handed.able.frogs
Multicultural Family Base, Coburg Street, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///yards.doctor.minute	Sketchy Beats, Great Junction Street, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///roofs.asking.sulk	Easter Road Stadium, Leith Home of Hibernian or Hibs football team. Image description: an aerial photograph of the city of Edinburgh, taken from Arthur's Seat what3words: ///organs.cove.pack
The Old Dr Bell's Baths, Great Junction Street, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///defeat.remote.drill	Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Giles Street, Leith Image Description: what3words: ///tigers.storms.award	The Shore, Leith
Leith Dockers Club, Academy Street, Leith Image description: what3words: ///breed.tall.recent	Leith Signal Tower, The Shore The Signal Tower is one of the oldest standing buildings in Leith, built in 1685 as a windmill. The battlements and windows were added later, and was used as defense in the Napoleonic Wars and then as a signal towers for ships. Image description, looking up at a round stone tower with battlements what3words: ///calms.hype.impose	The Scottish Government, Victoria Quay Image description: a modern building overlooking a humanmade pond what3words: ///pipes.economies.ripe
Citadel Railway Station, Commercial Street, Leith Image description: what3words: ///news.gives.shade