Bathgate
Bathgate is a burgh in West Lothian that has a unique
place in Scotland's fascinating history. In 1987, Westlothiana
Lizzae, the world's oldest known reptile fossil was discovered
in Bathgate.
The historic significance of this pleasant burgh
is more than the life of Lizzie serveral million years ago - the infamous
Stewart Dynasty is believed to have originated in Bathgate Castle.
Several battles and centuries later, Bathgate
continued to make a name for itself. Sir
James Simpson, the pioneer of chloroform was born in the town in 1811.
The medical importance of his work is still worthy of note.
Some forty years later, further developments were
underway - James Young
was hard at work investigating the properties of oil. Pioneering Paraffin
made Bathgate the home of the world's first commercially produced oil.
Bathgate continues to be an important Scottish
burgh, both in it's own right and as a home for many of Edinburgh's workforce.
The burgh is thriving, with a fascinating history.
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