The town's name is pronounced 'Pennycook' and is derived from Pen Y Cog, meaning "Hill of the Cuckoo" in the Old Brythonic language (also known as Ancient British and the forerunner of modern Welsh).[2]
History
Valleyfield MonumentReflections in Low Pond, Penicuik
In 1296, Thomas Rymer's Foedera mentions a "Walter Edgar a person of Penicok south of Edenburgh", which logically can only be what is now called Penicuik.[3] Penycook appears as the name on John Adair's map of 1682[4] and the ruined old parish church, in the centre of the graveyard, dates from the late 17th century.[5]
Penicuik became home to an early paper mill, Valleyfield Mill, which was established by Agnes Campbell in 1709.[6]
The Pomathorn Bridge was a toll bridge across the River Esk and the main route between Edinburgh to the north and the Scottish Borders to the south. "The Young Pretender", Charles Edward Stuart, is recorded as having crossed the River Esk on his march south on 8 November 1745.[7]
Penicuik hosted the inaugural Grand Match in curling, between the north and the south of Scotland, in 1847. This took place on the "high pond" on the estate of Penicuik House, not the "low pond" which is still used for curling on rare occasions.[12]
The town, whilst generally architecturally undistinguished, contains two masterpieces by Frederick Thomas Pilkington: the South Church (originally the United Free Church, of 1862; and the flamboyant "Park End" houses on Bridge Street also of 1862.[8]
Following population growth, largely associated with the paper mills, the town became a burgh in 1866.[13]
In 1889, a fire at the Mauricewood Colliery resulted in the death of 63 men and boys, with only seven survivors. Its owners, The Schotts Iron Company, closed the pit following the disaster. [14]
The Penicuik war memorial was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer and dates from 1920.[15]
The Dalmore paper mill on the North Esk river at Auchendinny closed in 2004.[16]
Schools
There are five primary schools in Penicuik, Cuiken Primary, Cornbank St James Primary, Sacred Heart Primary (Roman Catholic), Strathesk Primary and Mauricewood Primary. There are also two high schools, Penicuik High School and Beeslack High School (which is soon to move out of Penicuik itself).[17]
Climate
Penicuik experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. The town's somewhat elevated position (180 m O.S.) means it is more susceptible to snowfall than nearby Edinburgh; over 30 days of the year on average reported lying snow between 1951 and 1980, compared to 14 at Edinburgh.[18] Temperature extremes since 1960 range from 30.2 °C (86.4 °F) during July 1983[19] to −19.2 °C (−2.6 °F) in January 1982.[20] The coldest temperature in recent years was −12.5 °C (9.5 °F) during January 2010.[21]
Climate data for Penicuik (185 m or 607 ft asl, averages 1991–2020, extremes 1960–present)
^Robinson, Mairi, ed. (1999). "Some common elements of placenames". Chambers 21st Century Dictionary. Edinburgh, Scotland: Harrap. p. 1059. ISBN978-0-550-14250-4.. There is a similarly-named "Pennyquick" just west of Bath in Somerset in England.
