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{{Use British English|date=November 2019}} {{Use British English|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement {{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->| name = West Lothian<br/>''{{lang|sco|Wast Lowden}}''<br/>''{{lang|gd|Lodainn an Iar}}'' | name = West Lothian
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| image_shield = Coat of arms of West Lothian Council.svg
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| leader_name = ] minority (council ]) <!-- West Lothian --> | image_shield = Coat of arms of West Lothian Council.svg
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'''West Lothian''' ({{lang-sco|Wast Lowden}}; {{lang-gd|Lodainn an Iar}}) is one of the 32 ], and was one of its ]. The county was called '''Linlithgowshire''' until 1925. The historic county was bounded geographically by the ] to the west and the ] to the east. The modern council area occupies a larger area than the historic county. It was reshaped following local government reforms in 1975: some areas in the west were transferred to ]; some areas in the east were transferred to ]; and some areas that had formerly been part of ] were added to West Lothian. '''West Lothian''' ({{langx|sco|Wast Lowden}}; {{langx|gd|Lodainn an Iar}}) is one of the 32 ], bordering (in a clockwise direction) the ], ], ], ] and ]. The modern council area was formed in 1975 when the ], also known as Linlithgowshire, was reshaped substantially as part of local government reforms; some areas that had formerly been part of ] were added to a new West Lothian ] within the ] of ], whilst some areas in the north-west were transferred to the Falkirk District and areas in the north-east were transferred to the ] District. In 1996 West Lothian became a unitary authority area, using the same name and territory as in 1975.


West Lothian lies on the southern shore of the ] and is predominantly rural, though there were extensive coal, iron, and shale oil mining operations in the 19th and 20th centuries. These created distinctive red-spoil heaps (locally known as "]s") throughout the council area. The old county town was the ] of ], but the largest town (and the second largest town in the ] region after Edinburgh) is now ]. Other large towns in the county include ] (a town with medieval origins that developed extensively during the industrial revolution) and the historic mining settlements of ], ], ], ], ], and ]. West Lothian lies on the southern shore of the ] and is predominantly rural, though there were extensive coal, iron, and shale oil mining operations in the 19th and 20th centuries which created distinctive red-spoil heaps (locally known as "]s") throughout the council area. The old county town was the ] of ], but the largest town (and the second-largest town in the Lothian region after Edinburgh) is now ], where ] has been based since 2009 having previously used facilities across three sites. Other large towns in the county include ] (a town with medieval origins that developed extensively during the industrial revolution) and the historic mining settlements of ], ], ], ], ], and ].

==Geography==
The modern council area borders, in a clockwise direction, the ], ], ], ] and ]. The traditional county bordered Midlothian to the south-east, ] to the south-west and ] to the west. Its border with Midlothian was formed by the ], from its source until it reached the Almond, and it then followed the Almond to the Firth of Forth (except by Livingston, where Midlothian intruded about a mile past the Almond to include the hamlets of ], ], and ]). The western border was formed first by the ] and then by the Avon. It had an area of 120 sq. miles (310&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), making it the third smallest of Scotland's 33 counties and smaller than the modern council area.

The geology of West Lothian is typical for the ] area geological of Scotland.<ref name=WLGeology>{{cite web |url=https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/media/13502/West-Lothian-Geodiversity-Volume-1-Report/pdf/BGS_West_Lothian_Geodiversity_Report6.pdf?m=636064372274030000 |title=West Lothian Geodiversity Volume 1 |date=29 December 2020 |publisher=British Geological Society|access-date=28 December 2020}}</ref> Most of the bedrock surface area is underlaid by Carboniferous sedimentary rocks running in strips from north to south, with a variety of glacial deposits.<ref name=WLGeology/> The exception is the Bathgate Hills, which are composed of volcanic rocks to the north of Bathgate and around Linlithgow.<ref name=NatureS1>{{cite book |last=McAdam |first=David |date=2003 |title=Edinburgh & West Lothian: A landscape fashioned by geology |publisher= Scottish Natural Heritage |page=3 |isbn=1-85397-327-0}}</ref> Other rock types include ], ], ].<ref name=WLGeology/> The eastern and southern rocks are the oldest, specifically Devonian sandstones and volcanic rocks in the ].<ref name=NatureS1/> In the middle of the county there is a large field of ] running south to north (underneath the settlements of Broxburn, Livingston and West Calder), then sedimentary and basalt rocks, which supply ].<ref name=NatureS1/> In the far west of the county, a large carboniferous ]field exists; it extends underneath Whitburn, Blackridge and Harthill.<ref name=NatureS1/> The oil shale in West Lothian is an organic-rich, fine-grained sedimentary rock containing kerogen (a solid mixture of organic chemical compounds) from which liquid hydrocarbons can be ]. This extraction was carried out extensively in the region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, by a process developed by the chemist ].<ref name=iom>{{cite journal|title = Studies of the Scottish oil shale industry. Vol.1 History of the industry, working conditions, and mineralogy of Scottish and Green River formation shales. Final report on US Department of Energy|journal= Historical Research Report |publisher= ]|url= http://www.iom-world.org/pubs/IOM_TM8502.pdf|pages= 35; 38; 56–57|year= 1985|id= DE-ACO2 – 82ER60036|access-date= 5 June 2009|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110726125905/http://www.iom-world.org/pubs/IOM_TM8502.pdf |archive-date = 26 July 2011 |url-status= dead}}</ref><ref name=JamesY>{{cite web |url=https://www.scottishshale.co.uk/Genealogy/Biographies/YoungJames.html |title=James Young |date=29 December 2020 |publisher=Museum of the Scottish Shale Oil Industry|access-date=29 December 2020}}</ref>

]
The area rises from lowlands in the north to the ] in the southeast, while the southwest is moorland. West Cairn Hill is the highest peak and Current County Top (CoU) at 562&nbsp;m (1,844&nbsp;ft). The previous County Top was Cairnpapple Hill which is now the Historical County Top (CoH). Two thirds of the land is agricultural, while a tenth is urban. Significant watercourses include the Almond and the ], while the main bodies of water are ], ], ], ], ] and ]. The small island of ] near the ] lies within the historic borders of the county.


==History== ==History==
{{split section|West Lothian (historic)|date=January 2024}} {{for|the history of the pre-1975 county|West Lothian (historic)}}
In 1975, as a result of the ], the boundaries of West Lothian were adjusted: the 1973 Act abolished the traditional counties and burghs, instead creating a system of ] and ]. West Lothian was made a district of ] but lost the burgh of Bo'ness and the district of Bo'ness to Falkirk District of ], and the burgh of Queensferry and the district of ] plus part of ] to the ] of Lothian Region. It gained ] and ] districts from Midlothian. The two-tier system was abolished by the ], and the district of West Lothian was made into a ] named ].
]]]
] ("animal from West Lothian") is a genus of ]-like ] that lived about 338 million years ago during the latest part of the ] age of the ]. Members of the genus bore a superficial resemblance to modern-day ]s. The type specimen was discovered in the ] at the ] in 1984.<ref name="Smithson">Smithson, T.R. & Rolfe, W.D.I. (1990): ''Westlothiana'' gen. nov. :naming the earliest known reptile. ''Scottish Journal of Geology'' no 26, pp 137–138.</ref><ref name=WestLizzie>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/stories/natural-world/westlothiana-lizziae/|title=Westlothiana lizziae|publisher=National Museums Scotland|access-date=29 December 2020|archive-date=25 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225045631/https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/stories/natural-world/westlothiana-lizziae/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

West Lothian was extensively settled in prehistoric times, and several ancient burial sites have been uncovered, such as at ], described as one of Scotlands richest archaeological sites and one of the earlier places of organised worship in the country.<ref name="Hendrie2">{{cite book |last=Hendrie |first=William |date=1986 |title=Discovering West Lothian |location=Edinburgh |publisher=John Donald Publishers |page=2 |isbn=9780859761628}}</ref> There are remains of hillforts on Cockleroy, Peace Knowe, Bowden, Cairnpapple, and Binns Hills. The area was anciently inhabited by ] of the tribe known as the ] or ]. By 83 AD, southern Scotland had been conquered by Romans, who built a road from their fort at ] to the eastern end of the ], as well as forts in West Lothian (of which ] is a known example). The Romans withdrew roughly two centuries later, and the area was left to the Britons until the arrival of Anglo-Saxons in the fifth and sixth centuries, who brought Lothian under the rule of the ]. In later centuries the region was regularly overrun by Gaelic-speaking Scots, and it became permanently part of the ] in the 11th century.

Scotland was split into sheriffdoms, what would later become counties, in the reign of ]. The first known reference to a sheriff of Linlithgow occurs in a charter dating from the reign of his successor ]. For a time West Lothian became a constabulary, but it seems to have been made a sheriffdom again during the reign of ]. During the ], settlements such as Linlithgow, Abercorn, Dalmeny and ] grew in importance. ] is said to have been founded by St. Ninian in about 400AD, a small wooden structure on the site of the present church (itself rebuilt in 1756) and in 1165, the ] made their Scottish headquarters at Torphichen and the Preceptory stands as testament to their presence.<ref name="Hendrie163">{{cite book |last=Hendrie |first=William |date=1986 |title=Discovering West Lothian |location=Edinburgh |publisher=John Donald Publishers |page=163 |isbn=9780859761628}}</ref><ref name="TorphichenCanmore">{{Canmore |num=47978 |desc=Torphichen, Bowyett, Torphichen Preceptory And Torphichen Parish Church |access-date=22 July 2021}}</ref>

In pre-industrial times West Lothian was almost entirely agricultural. In the way of heavy industry there was a silver mine at ] near Cairnpapple, a cotton mill at ], paper mills at Linlithgow, and shallow coal mines around ] and ]. The county was radically changed by the ], (from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840) with the opening of deep-pit iron, coal, and shale oil mines, as well as foundries and brickworks, which dramatically altered the landscape.<ref name="Hendrie2"/> In ], the Scottish Chemist ] discovery of ] in the Boghead area of Bathgate, and his subsequent opening of the Bathgate Chemical Works in 1852 transformed the town and the adjacent landscape.<ref name="Hendrie151">{{cite book |last=Hendrie |first=William |date=1986 |title=Discovering West Lothian |location=Edinburgh |publisher=John Donald Publishers |pages=147–151 |isbn=9780859761628}}</ref> The works were the world's first commercial oil-works, manufacturing ] oil and ], signalling an end to the rural community of previous centuries.<ref name="Hendrie151"/> When the cannel coal resources dwindled around 1866, Young and his chemical works started distilling paraffin from much more readily available ].<ref name="Hendrie151"/> ] reached its height in the county during the ].<ref name="Hendrie1">{{cite book |last=Hendrie |first=William |date=1986 |title=Discovering West Lothian |location=Edinburgh |publisher=John Donald Publishers |page=1 |isbn=9780859761628}}</ref> By 1871, there were over 50 oil works producing more than 25 million gallons each year.<ref name="Hendrie151"/> The five largest ] companies (Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Company, Broxburn Oil Company, Pumpherston Shale Oil Company, Oakbank Oil Company and James Ross & Company Philpstoun Oil Works) were concentrated in West Lothian and would later merge to become ].<ref>{{Cite book |last = Bamberg |first = James |year = 1994 | title = The History of the British Petroleum Company, Volume 2: The Anglo-Iranian Years, 1928–1954 | location = Cambridge | publisher = ] | isbn = 978-0-521-25950-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PduotC73nh0C |page=177}}.</ref><ref name=marwick>{{cite book|first1=William Hutton|last1=Marwick|title=Scotland in Modern Times: An Outline of Economic and Social Development Since the Union Of 1707|url=https://archive.org/details/scotlandinmodern0000marw|url-access=registration|year=1964|publisher=Frank Cass and Company Limited|page=|isbn=9780714613420}}</ref><ref name=uphall>{{cite web|title=Scottish Oils|publisher=Uphall On The Web|url=http://uphall.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=116&Itemid=128|access-date=7 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130722044037/http://www.uphall.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=116&Itemid=128|archive-date=22 July 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=museum>{{cite web|title=A Brief History of the Scottish Shale Oil Industry|work=Museum of the Scottish Shale Oil Industry|url=http://www.scottishshale.co.uk/HistoryPages/index.html|access-date=7 July 2012|archive-date=25 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925175340/http://www.scottishshale.co.uk/HistoryPages/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The increased industrialisation led to a growing population and the development of numerous villages, such as ] and ]. The ] (black and pink hills of shale waste) produced by the mining industry, 19 of which still stand in West Lothian, were at first considered blights, but now are thought of as monuments to Scotland's industrial past, and a representation of one appears on the council's coat of arms.<ref name="Hendrie2"/> The bings are also seen as important for local and national ].<ref name=Botanical>{{cite journal |last1=Harvie |first1=Barbra|date=2006 |title=The importance of the oil-shale Bings of West Lothian, Scotland, to local and national biodiversity |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03746600608685105 |journal=Botanical Journal of Scotland |volume=58 |issue=1 |pages=35–47|doi=10.1080/03746600608685105|hdl=20.500.11820/9303de24-782d-4d65-ba2c-f6b5445f061b |s2cid=56044065|access-date=29 August 2021|hdl-access=free }}</ref>

]
The ] established a uniform system of ]s in Scotland and realigned the boundaries of many of Scotland's counties. Subsequently, West Lothian County Council was created in 1890. The historic county of West Lothian or of Linlithgowshire contained six burghs: ], Bathgate, Bo'ness, Linlithgow, Queensferry, and Whitburn. Areas outside the burghs were administered as districts, of which there were also six: Borrowstounness, Linlithgow, Queensferry, Torphichen & Bathgate, Uphall, and Whitburn & Livingston. The county was also split into twelve parishes; these were not used for administrative purposes after 1930. West Lothian County Council was based at the ] in the High Street, Linlithgow.<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num= LB37399|desc=County Buildings, High Street, Linlithgow|access-date=18 July 2021}}</ref>

Prior to 1925, the county was formally called the "county of Linlithgow" or Linlithgowshire, although the name West Lothian had long been used as an informal alternative name. Following a petition by the county council the government changed the name formally to "Westlothian" under the Westlothian (Bathgate District) Water Order Confirmation Act 1925, which received ] on 27 March 1925.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo5/15-16/10/pdfs/ukla_19250010_en.pdf|title=Westlothian (Bathgate District) Water Order Confirmation Act 1925|work=legislation.gov.uk|accessdate=10 November 2023|publisher=]}}</ref> In May 1927 the county council resolved that West Lothian should be written as two words rather than one.<ref>{{cite news |title=Spelling of West Lothian: Two words, not one |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |access-date=25 December 2022 |work=Edinburgh Evening News |date=22 October 1927 |page=10}}</ref> The ] (]. c. 43) subsequently gave statutory confirmation for the two word version of the name.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947|year=1947|chapter=43|schedule=1|accessdate=25 December 2022}}</ref>

In the ] the county adopted during ] the destroyer ] raising over £547,000 in donations.<ref name="WarshipWeek">{{cite web |url=http://vandwdestroyerassociation.org.uk/HMS_Wallace/West_Lothian2.html| title=HMS Wallace |publisher=V&W Destroyer Association|access-date=11 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="DailyRecord">{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/west-lothian-pays-tribute-duke-23898761| title=West Lothian pays tribute to Duke of Edinburgh following his death at 99 | date=12 April 2021 |publisher=] |access-date=11 July 2021}}</ref> Many of the houses built for the expanding population during the 19th and 20th century were of poor quality, necessitating the building of thousands of council houses in the latter part of the 20th century, especially at Livingston, where several smaller settlements were historically mining villages. Under the ], Livingston was designated as a ] on 16 April 1962.<ref>{{London Gazette|city=e|issue=18025|pages=236–237|date=17 April 1962}}</ref><ref name=LifeLivingston>{{cite web |url=https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/media/9604/Life-is-for-Livingston-Our-Story/pdf/life_is_for_livingston_small_file.pdf | title=Life is for Livingston | access-date=25 November 2020 | publisher=West Lothian Council}}</ref>

Heavy industry in the county declined after the Second World War, and the last shale oil mine closed in 1962. In 1975, as a result of the ], the boundaries of West Lothian were adjusted, so that some western areas of Midlothian were added to the country, while some West Lothian settlements became part of Falkirkshire and Edinburgh.<ref name="Hendrie1"/> The 1973 Act abolished the counties, burghs, and districts, instead creating a system of regions and districts. West Lothian was made a district of Lothian region but lost the burgh of Bo'ness and the district of Bo'ness to Falkirk district of Central Region, the burgh of Queensferry and the district of Kirkliston and part of Winchburgh to Edinburgh district of Lothian Region. It gained East Calder and West Calder districts from Midlothian. The two-tier system was abolished by the ], and the district of West Lothian was made into a unitary council area named ].


==Government and politics== ==Government and politics==
===Council===
] in the High Street, Linlithgow, the former headquarters of West Lothian County Council]]
] is the ] for the West Lothian area and has 33 elected members. ] are generally elected every five years, with the next election falling in Spring 2027.


The current council composition is:
===Council===
] is the ] for the West Lothian area of Scotland and has 33 elected members. ] are generally elected every five years, with the next election falling in Spring 2027. The current council composition is:


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|bgcolor="{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}"| |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}"|
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|1 |1
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| bgcolor="{{party color|Independent (politician)}}" | | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}}" |
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]]]
Following the abolition of West Lothian County Council in 1975, the new West Lothian District Council chose to use the former Burgh Chambers of ] Town Council (built in 1966) as its headquarters, extending the building in 1976 and renaming it Lindsay House.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chambers par excellence: Bathgate's fine new image |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=West Lothian Courier |date=18 February 1966 |location=Bathgate |page=8}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Bathgate, South Bridge Street, Lindsay House, District Council Office |url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/217854/bathgate-south-bridge-street-lindsay-house-district-council-office |website=Canmore |publisher=Historic Environment Scotland |access-date=26 December 2022}}</ref> The district council retained the ] in ] as additional office space.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=19773|page=1457|date=14 November 1975|city=e}}</ref> In November 2009, the new ], West Lothian Council, centralised its services at the new ] in ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8378976.stm |title=Alex Salmond unveils £50m Livingston civic centre|date=25 November 2009|newspaper=BBC| access-date=21 September 2021}}</ref>


===Parliamentary representation=== ===Parliamentary representation===
West Lothian is represented in the ] by two constituency members and seven regional members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs).<ref name=MSP>{{cite news |url=https://www.parliament.scot/PublicInformationdocuments/YMSP_Lothian_Eng.pdf |title=Your MSPs - Lothian |publisher=The Scottish Parliament |date=29 December 2020 |access-date=29 December 2020 |archive-date=19 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319065642/https://www.parliament.scot/PublicInformationdocuments/YMSP_Lothian_Eng.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> West Lothian is represented in the ] by two constituency members and seven regional members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs).<ref name=MSP>{{cite news |url=https://www.parliament.scot/PublicInformationdocuments/YMSP_Lothian_Eng.pdf |title=Your MSPs - Lothian |publisher=The Scottish Parliament |date=29 December 2020 |access-date=29 December 2020 |archive-date=19 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319065642/https://www.parliament.scot/PublicInformationdocuments/YMSP_Lothian_Eng.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>


In the ] West Lothian is represented by two members of Parliament. ] represents the ],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/constituency/1826/overview |title=Parliament.uk: Livingston Constituency |access-date=29 December 2020}}</ref> ] represents the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/constituency/1782/overview |title=Parliament.uk: Linlithgow and East Falkirk Constituency |access-date=29 December 2020}}</ref> In the ] West Lothian is represented by two members of Parliament. ] ] (MP) ] represents the ].<ref name="2024Election">{{cite web |url=https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/82669/General-Election-Results-2024/ |title=General Election Results 2024 |publisher=West Lothian Council |access-date=8 July 2024}}</ref> ] represents the ]<ref name="2024Election"/> Until 2024, the area included the ].


The ], referring to whether Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish MPs should be allowed to vote on English laws, is so named because it was supposedly first raised by ] while he was MP for West Lothian.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-29281818 |title=Scottish referendum: What is the 'English Question'?|work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=19 September 2014 |access-date=26 April 2015}}</ref><ref name=Econ14>{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21620194-scotlands-place-united-kingdom-settled-time-deal-its-much-larger-neighbour-now |title=Now for the English question |newspaper=The Economist |date=27 September 2014 }}</ref> The ], referring to whether Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish MPs should be allowed to vote on English laws, is so named because it was supposedly first raised by ] while he was MP for West Lothian.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-29281818 |title=Scottish referendum: What is the 'English Question'?|work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=19 September 2014 |access-date=26 April 2015}}</ref><ref name=Econ14>{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21620194-scotlands-place-united-kingdom-settled-time-deal-its-much-larger-neighbour-now |title=Now for the English question |newspaper=The Economist |date=27 September 2014 }}</ref>
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<!-- Bordering council areas --> <!-- Bordering council areas -->
{{Location map~|Scotland West Lothian|coordinates = {{coord|56.039|-3.44|}}|position=left|label='']''|marksize=0|label_size=120}} {{Location map~|Scotland West Lothian|coordinates = {{coord|56.039|-3.44|}}|position=left|label='']''|marksize=0|label_size=120}}
{{Location map~|Scotland West Lothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.964|-3.449|}}|position=right|label='']''|marksize=0|label_size=120}} {{Location map~|Scotland West Lothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.964|-3.449|}}|position=right|label='']''|marksize=0|label_size=120}}
{{Location map~|Scotland West Lothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.78|-3.44|}}|position=right|label='']''|marksize=0|label_size=120}} {{Location map~|Scotland West Lothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.78|-3.44|}}|position=right|label='']''|marksize=0|label_size=120}}
{{Location map~|Scotland West Lothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.785|-3.66|}}|position=right|label='']''|marksize=0|label_size=120}} {{Location map~|Scotland West Lothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.785|-3.66|}}|position=right|label='']''|marksize=0|label_size=120}}
{{Location map~|Scotland West Lothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.84|-3.83|}}|position=right|label='']''|marksize=0|label_size=120}} {{Location map~|Scotland West Lothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.84|-3.83|}}|position=right|label='']''|marksize=0|label_size=120}}
{{Location map~|Scotland West Lothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.93|-3.81|}}|position=right|label='']''|marksize=0|label_size=120}} {{Location map~|Scotland West Lothian|coordinates = {{coord|55.93|-3.81|}}|position=right|label='']''|marksize=0|label_size=120}}
}} }}


The creation of the modern council area drastically altered West Lothian's boundaries. Significant towns not included in the modern county are the coastal burghs of ] and ] and the town of ]. Large parts of the southern urban area of Livingston, which were historically within Midlothian, were however transferred to West Lothian. The creation of the modern council area in 1975 drastically altered West Lothian's boundaries. Significant towns not included in the modern county are the coastal burghs of ] and ] and the town of ]. Large parts of the southern urban area of Livingston which were historically within ] were, however, transferred to West Lothian.


Largest settlements by population: Largest settlements by population:
Line 150: Line 191:
|+ |+
!Settlement !Settlement
!Population ({{United Kingdom statistics year|ScotSettlement}})<ref name="auto">{{Scotland settlement population citation}}</ref> !Population ({{Scottish settlement population citation|year}})<ref name="auto">{{Scotland settlement population citation}}</ref>
|- |-
|] |]
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|- |-
|} |}

===In both historic and modern West Lothian===
{{colbegin|colwidth=20em}}
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*] (part)
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
{{colend}}
{{Clear}}

===Historically in West Lothian, since transferred elsewhere===
{{colbegin|colwidth=20em}}
*] (''now in Falkirk'')
*] (''now in Falkirk'')
*] (''now in Edinburgh'')
*] (''now in Edinburgh'')
*] (''now in Falkirk'')
*] (''now in Edinburgh'')
{{colend}}
{{Clear}}

===In modern West Lothian, not historically part of the county===
''All of the following areas were historically in Midlothian:''
{{colbegin|colwidth=20em}}
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*Levenseat
*Livingston (part)
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
{{colend}}
{{Clear}}


<gallery mode="traditional" class="center"> <gallery mode="traditional" class="center">
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File:Whitburn - geograph.org.uk - 150688.jpg|The town of Whitburn File:Whitburn - geograph.org.uk - 150688.jpg|The town of Whitburn
</gallery> </gallery>

==Demographics==
{| class="wikitable sortable" width="100%"
|+
! rowspan="2" |Ethnic Group
! colspan="2" |]<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Census Dissemination Unit |first=Mimas |date=5 May 2011 |title=InFuse |url=https://infuse2011gf.ukdataservice.ac.uk/ |access-date=24 June 2022 |website=infuse2011gf.ukdataservice.ac.uk |language=English}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |]<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Scotland's Census 2011&nbsp;– Table KS201SC |url=http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/ods-web/standard-outputs.html |publisher=scotlandscensus.gov.uk |access-date=3 November 2015 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107044126/https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/ods-web/standard-outputs.html%20 |url-status=live }}</ref>
! colspan="2" |]<ref name="2022census_Scot">{{cite web |url=https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/media/trbdxzme/scotland-s-census-2022-ethnic-group-national-identity-language-and-religion-chart-data.xlsx |title=Scotland's Census 2022 - Ethnic group, national identity, language and religion - Chart data |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=21 May 2024 |website=Scotland's Census |publisher=] |access-date=21 May 2024 }} 'Search data by location' > 'Local Authority (CA2019)' > 'West Lothian' > 'Ethnic group, national identity, language and religion' > 'Ethnic Group'</ref>
|-
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!]: Total
!156,581
!98.66%
!170,850
!97.56%
!171,816
!94.78%
|-
|White: ]
| 144,533
| 91.07%
| 153,815
| 87.84%
| 147,073
| 81.13%
|-
|White: ]
| 9,281
| 5.85%
| 10,204
| 5.83%
| 12,959
| 7.15%
|-
|White: ]
| 1,169
| 0.74%
| 1,209
| 0.69%
| 1,290
| 0.71%
|-
|White: ]<ref group="note" name="auto">New category created for the 2011 census</ref>
| –
| –
| 79
| –
| 70
| –
|-
|White: ]<ref name="auto" group="note" />
| –
| –
| 3,273
| 1.87%
| 5,568
| 3.07%
|-
|White: ]
| 1,598
| 1.01%
| 2,270
| 1.30%
| 4,853
| 2.68%
|-
!], ] or ]: Total
! 1,345
! 0.85%
! 2,941
! 1.68%
! 5,056
! 2.79%
|-
|Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: ]
| 184
| 0.12%
| 641
| 0.37%
| 1,315
| 0.73%
|-
|Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: ]
| 795
| 0.50%
| 1,420
| 0.81%
| 2,338
| 1.29%
|-
|Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: ]
| 10
| –
| 11
| –
| 45
| –
|-
|Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: ]
| 248
| 0.16%
| 498
| 0.28%
| 810
| 0.45%
|-
|Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: ]
| 108
| 0.07%
| 371
| 0.21%
| 548
| 0.30%
|-
!], ] or ]<ref group="note">Category restructured for the 2011 census</ref>
!26
! –
! –
! –
! –
! –
|-
!]: Total
!65
!–
!457
!0.26%
!1,439
!0.79%
|-
|African: ], ] or ]
| –
| –
| 445
| 0.25%
| 165
| 0.09%
|-
|African: ]
| –
| –
| 12
| –
| 1,274
| 0.70%
|-
!] or ]: Total
!–
!–
!118
!0.07%
!163
!0.09%
|-
|]
| 47
| –
| 50
| –
| 68
| –
|-
|]
| –
| –
| 50
| –
| 15
| –
|-
|Caribbean or Black: ]
| –
| –
| 18
| –
| 80
| –
|-
!]: Total
!338
!0.21%
!534
!0.30%
!1,912
!1.05%
|-
!Other: Total
!312
!02.0%
!218
!0.12%
!888
!0.49%
|-
|Other: ]<ref group="note" name="auto"/>
| –
| –
| 104
| 0.06%
| 329
| 0.18%
|-
|Other: Any other ethnic group
| –
| –
| 114
| 0.07%
| 559
| 0.31%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!Total:
!158,714
!100.00%
!175,118
!100.00%
!181,278
!100.00%
|}


==Culture, Landmarks and Community== ==Culture, Landmarks and Community==
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] is a large country house and estate near South Queensferry that was built between 1699 and 1701, and was designed by ]. The house was then hugely extended from 1721 by ] until his death in 1748, being one of his most notable projects. The interior was completed by his sons ] and ].<ref name="Hopetoun">{{cite web|title=House and Grounds |date=25 May 2015 |url=https://hopetoun.co.uk/house-and-grounds/ |publisher=Hopetoun |access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref> ] is a 16th-century ] on the Hopetoun estate that was used as a location in the '']'' TV series on ] as the main character, Jamie Fraser's family home called Lallybroch (Broch Tuarach).<ref name=Midhope>{{Canmore |num=49168 |desc=Midhope Castle |access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref><ref name="Outlander">{{cite web|title=Midhope Castle |date=28 December 2015 |url=http://www.outlanderlocations.com/locations/midhope-castle/ |publisher=Outlander Locations |access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref> ] is a large country house and estate near South Queensferry that was built between 1699 and 1701, and was designed by ]. The house was then hugely extended from 1721 by ] until his death in 1748, being one of his most notable projects. The interior was completed by his sons ] and ].<ref name="Hopetoun">{{cite web|title=House and Grounds |date=25 May 2015 |url=https://hopetoun.co.uk/house-and-grounds/ |publisher=Hopetoun |access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref> ] is a 16th-century ] on the Hopetoun estate that was used as a location in the '']'' TV series on ] as the main character, Jamie Fraser's family home called Lallybroch (Broch Tuarach).<ref name=Midhope>{{Canmore |num=49168 |desc=Midhope Castle |access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref><ref name="Outlander">{{cite web|title=Midhope Castle |date=28 December 2015 |url=http://www.outlanderlocations.com/locations/midhope-castle/ |publisher=Outlander Locations |access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref>

====Castles====
{{Main|List of castles in West Lothian}}
There are a variety of castles and other historic fortifications in West Lothian, including medieval mottes, tower houses and Renaissance laird's houses, as well as relatively modern castellated mansions.<ref name="Salter">{{cite book | last=Salter | first=Mike | title=The Castles of Lothian and the Borders | date=1994 | publisher=Folly Publications | isbn=978-1-871731-20-0}}</ref> Examples include ], ], ] and ].<ref name="Salter"/>


===Community facilities=== ===Community facilities===
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The ] is a railway museum located within the station yard of ] at the ].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome to the official Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway site|url=https://www.bkrailway.co.uk/|access-date=21 February 2022|website=www.bkrailway.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Museum of Scottish Railways, Bo'ness – Museums|url=https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/museum-of-scottish-railways-p779261|access-date=21 February 2022|website=www.visitscotland.com|language=en}}</ref> The ] is a railway museum located within the station yard of ] at the ].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome to the official Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway site|url=https://www.bkrailway.co.uk/|access-date=21 February 2022|website=www.bkrailway.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Museum of Scottish Railways, Bo'ness – Museums|url=https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/museum-of-scottish-railways-p779261|access-date=21 February 2022|website=www.visitscotland.com|language=en}}</ref>

====Zoo====
] is a privately owned ] located in ], ] opened in 2005. The zoo has grown into one of West Lothian's top visitor attractions and was awarded ‘Best Family Day Out’ at the 2024 Scottish Entertainment and Hospitality Awards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Debbie |date=2024-05-23 |title=Popular West Lothian zoo named 'best family day out in Scotland' |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/popular-west-lothian-zoo-named-32875443 |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=Daily Record |language=en}}</ref>


==Economy== ==Economy==
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West Lothian has a number of former, disused and defunct railway lines, principally branch lines that originated in connection with oil, mineral and shale mining activities in the 19th century but were later closed as traffic diminished and industrial operations ceased.<ref name=MakingT>{{Cite web|url=https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/media/3867/Making-Tracks/pdf/Making_Tracks.pdf|title=Making Tracks|publisher=West Lothian Council|access-date=29 December 2020}}</ref> West Lothian has a number of former, disused and defunct railway lines, principally branch lines that originated in connection with oil, mineral and shale mining activities in the 19th century but were later closed as traffic diminished and industrial operations ceased.<ref name=MakingT>{{Cite web|url=https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/media/3867/Making-Tracks/pdf/Making_Tracks.pdf|title=Making Tracks|publisher=West Lothian Council|access-date=29 December 2020}}</ref>


Many of the railways in West Lothian use significant ] to cross rivers, ravines and other difficult terrain.<ref name=MakingT/> One prominent example is the Almond Valley Viaduct built by railway engineer ] to carry the ] and completed in 1842.<ref name=MakingT/><ref name=Konect>{{Cite web|url=https://www.konect.scot/post/a-victorian-vision-the-almond-valley-viaduct|title=A Victorian Vision – the Almond Valley Viaduct|date=11 January 2020|publisher=Konect, West Lothian|access-date=29 December 2020}}</ref> The viaduct is 1.5 miles long with 36 masonry arches, is Category A listed and features as the logo of West Lothian Council.<ref name=Konect/><ref name=Can91660>{{Canmore |num=91660 |desc=Kirkliston, Almond Valley Viaduct|access-date=29 December 2020}}</ref> Many of the railways in West Lothian use significant ] to cross rivers, ravines and other difficult terrain.<ref name=MakingT/> One prominent example is the ] built by railway engineer ] to carry the ] and completed in 1842.<ref name=MakingT/><ref name=Konect>{{Cite web|url=https://www.konect.scot/post/a-victorian-vision-the-almond-valley-viaduct|title=A Victorian Vision – the Almond Valley Viaduct|date=11 January 2020|publisher=Konect, West Lothian|access-date=29 December 2020}}</ref> The viaduct is 1.5 miles long with 36 masonry arches, is Category A listed and features as the logo of West Lothian Council.<ref name=Konect/><ref name=Can91660>{{Canmore |num=91660 |desc=Kirkliston, Almond Valley Viaduct|access-date=29 December 2020}}</ref>


===Air=== ===Air===
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West Lothian has 11 ], 12 special schools, 67 primary schools, and 60 nurseries.<ref name=WLEdu1>{{Cite web|url=https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/31839/All-Secondary-Schools |title=All Secondary Schools| publisher=West Lothian Council|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref><ref name=WLEdu2>{{Cite web|url=https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/31838/All-Primary-Schools |title=All Primary Schools| publisher=West Lothian Council|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref><ref name=WLEdu3>{{Cite web|url=https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/31836/Find-a-School-or-Nursery |title=Find a School or Nursery| publisher=West Lothian Council|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref> While West Lothian has no university, further and adult education facilities are provided at ] based in Livingston.<ref name=WLSCollege>{{cite web |url=https://www.west-lothian.ac.uk/help-advice/campus-facilities/ | title=Campus and Facilities | access-date=31 December 2020 | publisher=West Lothian College}}</ref> The college has sports facilities, a library, a training restaurant for hospitality students, and a salon/spa.<ref name=WLSCollege/> The college provides educational services to over 8,000 students a year and has 350 staff.<ref name=WLSCollege2>{{cite web |url=https://www.west-lothian.ac.uk/about-us/ | title=About us | access-date=31 December 2020 | publisher=West Lothian College}}</ref> West Lothian has 11 ], 12 special schools, 67 primary schools, and 60 nurseries.<ref name=WLEdu1>{{Cite web|url=https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/31839/All-Secondary-Schools |title=All Secondary Schools| publisher=West Lothian Council|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref><ref name=WLEdu2>{{Cite web|url=https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/31838/All-Primary-Schools |title=All Primary Schools| publisher=West Lothian Council|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref><ref name=WLEdu3>{{Cite web|url=https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/31836/Find-a-School-or-Nursery |title=Find a School or Nursery| publisher=West Lothian Council|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref> While West Lothian has no university, further and adult education facilities are provided at ] based in Livingston.<ref name=WLSCollege>{{cite web |url=https://www.west-lothian.ac.uk/help-advice/campus-facilities/ | title=Campus and Facilities | access-date=31 December 2020 | publisher=West Lothian College}}</ref> The college has sports facilities, a library, a training restaurant for hospitality students, and a salon/spa.<ref name=WLSCollege/> The college provides educational services to over 8,000 students a year and has 350 staff.<ref name=WLSCollege2>{{cite web |url=https://www.west-lothian.ac.uk/about-us/ | title=About us | access-date=31 December 2020 | publisher=West Lothian College}}</ref>


] (SRUC) has a campus in Livingston at Oatridge, near ] providing courses on subjects such as ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name=SRUC>{{cite web |url=https://www.sruc.ac.uk/info/120169/campuses_and_offices/1166/how_to_find_oatridge_campus | title=Oatridge Campus | access-date=31 December 2020 | publisher=Scotland's Rural College}}</ref> The ] has its main educational campus in Livingston.<ref name="TheatreWeekly">{{cite web |url=https://theatreweekly.com/the-scottish-institute-of-theatre-dance-film-television-unveils-new-name-and-campus/ | title=The Scottish Institute of Theatre, Dance, Film & Television unveils new name and campus | access-date=22 June 2024 | publisher=Theatre Weekly}}</ref ] (SRUC) has a campus in Livingston at Oatridge, near ] providing courses on subjects such as ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name=SRUC>{{cite web |url=https://www.sruc.ac.uk/info/120169/campuses_and_offices/1166/how_to_find_oatridge_campus | title=Oatridge Campus | access-date=31 December 2020 | publisher=Scotland's Rural College}}</ref> The ] has its main educational campus in Livingston.<ref name="TheatreWeekly">{{cite web |url=https://theatreweekly.com/the-scottish-institute-of-theatre-dance-film-television-unveils-new-name-and-campus/ | title=The Scottish Institute of Theatre, Dance, Film & Television unveils new name and campus | date=17 April 2024 | access-date=22 June 2024 | publisher=Theatre Weekly}}</ref>


West Lothian has 14 public ].<ref name=WLSLib>{{cite web |url=https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/your-library | title=Libraries | access-date=31 December 2020 | publisher=West Lothian Council}}</ref> A local and regional history library which includes items on the history of West Lothian and Linlithgowshire is located in ].<ref name=WLSLib/> West Lothian has 14 public ].<ref name=WLSLib>{{cite web |url=https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/your-library | title=Libraries | access-date=31 December 2020 | publisher=West Lothian Council}}</ref> A local and regional history library which includes items on the history of West Lothian and ] is located in ].<ref name=WLSLib/>


==Sports== ==Sports==
] ]
West Lothian has 12 ] teams playing across a variety of leagues (tiers) in the ]. In the ], ] who relocated to Livingston in 1995 to the ], represent the county.<ref name=Premiership>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/scottish-premiership/table |title=Scottish Premiership Table |publisher=BBC News |access-date=30 December 2020}}</ref><ref name=LivFC>{{Cite web|url=http://www.livingstonfc.co.uk/history/history_meadowbank.php |title=History, Meadowbank |publisher=Livingston F.C.|access-date=30 December 2020}}</ref> ] currently compete in the ]. Meanwhile, previous ] league clubs now play across the ]. These clubs include; ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. West Lothian has 12 ] teams playing across a variety of leagues (tiers) in the ]. In the ], ] who relocated to Livingston in 1995 to the ], represent the county.<ref name=Premiership>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/scottish-premiership/table |title=Scottish Premiership Table |publisher=BBC News |access-date=30 December 2020}}</ref><ref name=LivFC>{{Cite web|url=http://www.livingstonfc.co.uk/history/history_meadowbank.php |title=History, Meadowbank |publisher=Livingston F.C.|access-date=30 December 2020}}</ref> ] and ] currently compete in the ]. Meanwhile, previous ] league clubs now play across the ]. These clubs include; ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].


The West Lothian Sports Council represents a variety of sports clubs and organisations in West Lothian.<ref name=Sports>{{Cite web|url=http://westlothiansportscouncil.org.uk/ |title=Home Page| publisher=West Lothian Sports Council |access-date=30 December 2020}}</ref> Other sports teams in West Lothian include ], a ] club who play in ], Livingston RFC, and the ], a Scottish ] team, based in ] who compete in the ].<ref name=EMonarchs>{{Cite web|url=https://www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk/club-information |title=Club Information| publisher=Edinburgh Monarchs |access-date=30 December 2020}}</ref> Cricket is played at a local level at sites such as ] in Linlithgow. The West Lothian Sports Council represents a variety of sports clubs and organisations in West Lothian.<ref name=Sports>{{Cite web|url=http://westlothiansportscouncil.org.uk/ |title=Home Page| publisher=West Lothian Sports Council |access-date=30 December 2020}}</ref> Other sports teams in West Lothian include ], a ] club who play in ], Livingston RFC, and the ], a Scottish ] team, based in ] who compete in the ].<ref name=EMonarchs>{{Cite web|url=https://www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk/club-information |title=Club Information| publisher=Edinburgh Monarchs |access-date=30 December 2020}}</ref> Cricket is played at a local level at sites such as ] in Linlithgow.
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==See also== ==See also==
* ] * ]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}


== References == == References ==
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|title=A Topographical and Historical Account of Linlithgowshire|date=1832|last=Penney|first=John|location=Edinburgh|publisher=Stevenson|url=https://archive.org/details/atopographicala00penngoog}} *{{cite book|title=A Topographical and Historical Account of Linlithgowshire|date=1832|last=Penney|first=John|location=Edinburgh|publisher=Stevenson|url=https://archive.org/details/atopographicala00penngoog}}


== External links == == External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline}} * {{Commons category-inline}}
* ''official government website''
* {{curlie|Regional/Europe/United_Kingdom/Scotland/West_Lothian}}
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226184128/http://www.armadale.org.uk/archaeologyindex.htm |date=26 February 2021 }} * {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226184128/http://www.armadale.org.uk/archaeologyindex.htm |date=26 February 2021 }}
* *


{{Scotland subdivisions}} {{Scotland subdivisions}}
{{Scotland counties}}
{{Former local government regions of Scotland}} {{Former local government regions of Scotland}}
{{Authority control}} {{Authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 14:20, 21 December 2024

Council area of Scotland

Lieutenancy and council area in Scotland
West Lothian
Lieutenancy and council area
Coat of arms of West LothianCoat of arms
West Lothian shown within ScotlandWest Lothian shown within Scotland
Coordinates: 55°55′N 3°30′W / 55.917°N 3.500°W / 55.917; -3.500
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
CountryScotland
Unitary authority1 April 1996
Administrative HQWest Lothian Civic Centre
Government
 • TypeCouncil
 • BodyWest Lothian Council
 • ControlNo overall control
 • MPs 2 MPs
 • MSPs 2 MSPs
Area
 • Total165 sq mi (428 km)
 • Rank20th
Population
 • Total181,720
 • Rank10th
 • Density1,100/sq mi (425/km)
Time zoneUTC+0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
ISO 3166 codeGB-WLN
GSS codeS12000040
Websitewestlothian.gov.uk

West Lothian (Scots: Wast Lowden; Scottish Gaelic: Lodainn an Iar) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, bordering (in a clockwise direction) the City of Edinburgh council area, Scottish Borders, South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire and Falkirk. The modern council area was formed in 1975 when the historic county of West Lothian, also known as Linlithgowshire, was reshaped substantially as part of local government reforms; some areas that had formerly been part of Midlothian were added to a new West Lothian District within the Region of Lothian, whilst some areas in the north-west were transferred to the Falkirk District and areas in the north-east were transferred to the City of Edinburgh District. In 1996 West Lothian became a unitary authority area, using the same name and territory as in 1975.

West Lothian lies on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and is predominantly rural, though there were extensive coal, iron, and shale oil mining operations in the 19th and 20th centuries which created distinctive red-spoil heaps (locally known as "bings") throughout the council area. The old county town was the royal burgh of Linlithgow, but the largest town (and the second-largest town in the Lothian region after Edinburgh) is now Livingston, where West Lothian Council has been based since 2009 having previously used facilities across three sites. Other large towns in the county include Bathgate (a town with medieval origins that developed extensively during the industrial revolution) and the historic mining settlements of Armadale, Fauldhouse, Whitburn, West Calder, Uphall, and Broxburn.

History

For the history of the pre-1975 county, see West Lothian (historic).

In 1975, as a result of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the boundaries of West Lothian were adjusted: the 1973 Act abolished the traditional counties and burghs, instead creating a system of Regions and Districts. West Lothian was made a district of Lothian Region but lost the burgh of Bo'ness and the district of Bo'ness to Falkirk District of Central Region, and the burgh of Queensferry and the district of Kirkliston plus part of Winchburgh to the Edinburgh district of Lothian Region. It gained East Calder and West Calder districts from Midlothian. The two-tier system was abolished by the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, and the district of West Lothian was made into a unitary council area named West Lothian Council.

Government and politics

Council

West Lothian Council is the local authority for the West Lothian area and has 33 elected members. Councillors are generally elected every five years, with the next election falling in Spring 2027.

The current council composition is:

Party Councillors
Scottish National Party 15
Labour 11
Conservative 4
Liberal Democrats 1
Independent 2
West Lothian Civic Centre

Following the abolition of West Lothian County Council in 1975, the new West Lothian District Council chose to use the former Burgh Chambers of Bathgate Town Council (built in 1966) as its headquarters, extending the building in 1976 and renaming it Lindsay House. The district council retained the county buildings in Linlithgow as additional office space. In November 2009, the new unitary authority, West Lothian Council, centralised its services at the new West Lothian Civic Centre in Livingston.

Parliamentary representation

West Lothian is represented in the Scottish Parliament by two constituency members and seven regional members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs).

In the Parliament of the United Kingdom West Lothian is represented by two members of Parliament. Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) Gregor Poynton represents the Livingston constituency. Kirsteen Sullivan represents the Bathgate and Linlithgow (UK Parliament constituency) Until 2024, the area included the Linlithgow and East Falkirk (UK Parliament constituency).

The West Lothian question, referring to whether Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish MPs should be allowed to vote on English laws, is so named because it was supposedly first raised by Tam Dalyell while he was MP for West Lothian.

Settlements

West Lothian is located in West LothianLivingstonLivingstonBathgateBathgateBroxburnBroxburnLinlithgowLinlithgowArmadaleArmadaleWhitburnWhitburnEast CalderEast CalderBlackburnBlackburnFauldhouseFauldhouseWinchburghWinchburghFifeCity
of
EdinburghScottish BordersSouth LanarkshireNorth LanarkshireFalkirkclass=notpageimage| The largest settlements in West Lothian

The creation of the modern council area in 1975 drastically altered West Lothian's boundaries. Significant towns not included in the modern county are the coastal burghs of Bo'ness and Queensferry and the town of Kirkliston. Large parts of the southern urban area of Livingston which were historically within Midlothian were, however, transferred to West Lothian.

Largest settlements by population:

Settlement Population (2020)
Livingston

56,840

Bathgate

23,600

Broxburn

15,970

Linlithgow

12,840

Armadale

12,720

Whitburn

11,490

East Calder

6,430

Blackburn

5,730

Fauldhouse

4,900

Winchburgh

3,840

  • The town of Armadale The town of Armadale
  • The town of Bathgate seen from the air The town of Bathgate seen from the air
  • Linlithgow Palace in Linlithgow, seen from Cockleroy Hill Linlithgow Palace in Linlithgow, seen from Cockleroy Hill
  • The town of Livingston seen from the air The town of Livingston seen from the air
  • The town of Whitburn The town of Whitburn

Demographics

Ethnic Group 2001 2011 2022
Number % Number % Number %
White: Total 156,581 98.66% 170,850 97.56% 171,816 94.78%
White: Scottish 144,533 91.07% 153,815 87.84% 147,073 81.13%
White: Other British 9,281 5.85% 10,204 5.83% 12,959 7.15%
White: Irish 1,169 0.74% 1,209 0.69% 1,290 0.71%
White: Gypsy/Traveller – – 79 – 70 –
White: Polish – – 3,273 1.87% 5,568 3.07%
White: Other 1,598 1.01% 2,270 1.30% 4,853 2.68%
Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: Total 1,345 0.85% 2,941 1.68% 5,056 2.79%
Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: Indian 184 0.12% 641 0.37% 1,315 0.73%
Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: Pakistani 795 0.50% 1,420 0.81% 2,338 1.29%
Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: Bangladeshi 10 – 11 – 45 –
Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: Chinese 248 0.16% 498 0.28% 810 0.45%
Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: Asian Other 108 0.07% 371 0.21% 548 0.30%
Black, Black Scottish or Black British 26 – – – – –
African: Total 65 – 457 0.26% 1,439 0.79%
African: African, African Scottish or African British – – 445 0.25% 165 0.09%
African: Other African – – 12 – 1,274 0.70%
Caribbean or Black: Total – – 118 0.07% 163 0.09%
Caribbean 47 – 50 – 68 –
Black – – 50 – 15 –
Caribbean or Black: Other – – 18 – 80 –
Mixed or multiple ethnic groups: Total 338 0.21% 534 0.30% 1,912 1.05%
Other: Total 312 02.0% 218 0.12% 888 0.49%
Other: Arab – – 104 0.06% 329 0.18%
Other: Any other ethnic group – – 114 0.07% 559 0.31%
Total: 158,714 100.00% 175,118 100.00% 181,278 100.00%

Culture, Landmarks and Community

Landmarks

Hopetoun House built between 1699 and 1701 sits within West Lothian

Cairnpapple Hill is a scheduled ancient monument and hill with a dominating position in central lowland Scotland with extensive views.

Torphichen Preceptory is a 12th-century church in the village of Torphichen. It comprises the remains of the preceptory (headquarters) of the Knights Hospitaller of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in Scotland.

Historic houses in West Lothian include Linlithgow Palace, a ruined palace that was one of the principal residences of the monarchs of Scotland in the 15th and 16th centuries and is the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots. It is now a visitor attraction in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.

The House of the Binns is an early 17th century historic house and estate near Philpstoun. The house is the historic home of the Binn family whose owners included Sir Thomas Dalyell a Scottish Royalist general in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and Sir Tam Dalyell, a member of the House of Commons from 1962 to 2005.

Hopetoun House is a large country house and estate near South Queensferry that was built between 1699 and 1701, and was designed by Sir William Bruce. The house was then hugely extended from 1721 by William Adam until his death in 1748, being one of his most notable projects. The interior was completed by his sons John Adam and Robert Adam. Midhope Castle is a 16th-century tower house on the Hopetoun estate that was used as a location in the Outlander TV series on Starz as the main character, Jamie Fraser's family home called Lallybroch (Broch Tuarach).

Castles

Main article: List of castles in West Lothian

There are a variety of castles and other historic fortifications in West Lothian, including medieval mottes, tower houses and Renaissance laird's houses, as well as relatively modern castellated mansions. Examples include Cairns Castle, Duntarvie Castle, Midhope Castle and Staneyhill Tower.

Community facilities

Beecraigs Country Park in the Bathgate Hills

There are several public country parks in West Lothian, including Beecraigs Country Park (a 370 hectare park between Bathgate and Linlithgow with forests, a visitor centre and a loch), Polkemmet Country Park (a 68 hectare park near Whitburn with woodlands, river walks and outdoor facilities), and Almondell and Calderwood Country Park along the Almond river valley near Mid Calder.

Blawhorn Moss is a raised bog located near Blackridge that has been a national nature reserve since 1980 and is the largest and least disturbed raised bog in the Lothians.

Health

Public healthcare in West Lothian is administered by NHS Lothian within NHS Scotland.

The main hospital for West Lothian is St John's Hospital in Livingston. The hospital has a dedicated Accident and Emergency department with 550 beds and opened in 1989. St Johns is a teaching hospital for the University of Edinburgh Medical School. Other public hospitals include Tippethill House Hospital a community hospital in Armadale and St Michael's Hospital, a community hospital in Linlithgow.

West Lothian previously had a psychiatric hospital with general hospital in the Dechmont area called Bangour Village Hospital. The hospital opened in 1904 and eventually had beds for 55 officers and 2571 other ranks. The hospital started closing in the 1990s and closed completely in 2004 after the remaining services were transferred to St John's Hospital.

The Linburn Centre is a health centre for blinded war veterans at Wilkieston. The centre is located within the estate of Linburn House, a country house which was demolished in 1955.

Museums

The Museum of the Scottish Shale Oil Industry was created in 1990, to preserve the history of the shale industry in West Lothian and beyond. It is sited on a former mill at Millfield, near Livingston and is attached to the Almond Valley Heritage Centre, a large farm and play area.

In Bathgate, the Bennie Museum is a museum of local history and heritage that is run by volunteers under the management of a charitable trust. It opened in 1989 and is housed used in two former derelict cottages donated by the Bennie family to the local community in 1980.

The Linlithgow Museum is a volunteer-run local history museum in Linlithgow. The museum is housed in the Linlithgow Partnership Centre, along with the West Lothian Family History Society and library.

Military Museum Scotland is a military history museum in Wilkieston that covers Scottish military history from the First World War to the present day.

The Museum of Scottish Railways is a railway museum located within the station yard of Bo'ness at the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway.

Zoo

Five Sisters Zoo is a privately owned zoo located in Polbeth, West Calder opened in 2005. The zoo has grown into one of West Lothian's top visitor attractions and was awarded ‘Best Family Day Out’ at the 2024 Scottish Entertainment and Hospitality Awards.

Economy

Tesco's Distribution Centre for Scotland and Northern Ireland between Livingston and Bathgate

West Lothian has a diverse economy and as of 2020 had approximately 4,500 businesses providing almost 72,000 jobs in the area. In 2014, West Lothian Council reported that the five largest employment sectors in the council area were healthcare, construction, retail, manufacturing, and business administration and support services. While historically, mining and shale oil production were key employers in the region, as of 2014 they only accounted for 0.7% of persons employed in West Lothian. The ten largest private employers in West Lothian are Sky UK, Tesco, Mitsubishi Electric, IQVIA (formerly Quintiles/Q2 Solutions), Asda, Morrisons, Johnson & Johnson, Schuh, Jabil and Shin-Etsu Europe. The two largest public sector employers in the county are West Lothian Council and NHS Scotland.

The Starlaw distillery is a Scotch whisky grain distillery at Bathgate that is owned by French drinks group La Martiniquaise. The distillery opened in 2010 and can produce 25 million litres annually and has 29 ageing warehouses (cellars) across 75 hectares at the distillery to allow for the maturation of over 600,000 barrels. Glenmorangie, the whisky distillers have offices and a bottling facility in Livingston that was opened in 2011.

West Lothian has several shopping centres, the largest of which are located in Livingston, including 'The Centre' (comprising more than 1,000,000 square foot of retail space) and Livingston Designer Outlet (the largest outlet mall in Scotland). The combined retail spaces of central Livingston form the largest indoor shopping location in Scotland and the 10th largest in the UK.

There are several large scale wind farms in West Lothian, predominantly in the south-west of the county, used to produce electricity across the region, including Pates Hill wind farm, Harburnhead wind farm, and Black Law wind farm.

Transport

Road

The main trunk roads in West Lothian are:

Other principal A roads in West Lothian include the A71 road (which passes through the south of the county connecting settlements including Livingston, Polbeth, West Calder and Breich), the A899 and A705 in Livingston, and the A801 road which runs from east of Polmont to Whitburn.

Rail

Almond Valley Viaduct in West Lothian between Broxburn and Ratho

Several railway routes run through West Lothian. These include:

West Lothian has a number of former, disused and defunct railway lines, principally branch lines that originated in connection with oil, mineral and shale mining activities in the 19th century but were later closed as traffic diminished and industrial operations ceased.

Many of the railways in West Lothian use significant viaducts to cross rivers, ravines and other difficult terrain. One prominent example is the Almond Valley Viaduct built by railway engineer John Miller to carry the Glasgow–Edinburgh via Falkirk line and completed in 1842. The viaduct is 1.5 miles long with 36 masonry arches, is Category A listed and features as the logo of West Lothian Council.

Air

West Lothian has no airport or airfields in current operation. The county has a few historic airfields, now defunct, including a temporary airfield that once existed in Bathgate. While the village of Kirknewtown is inside West Lothian, the nearby RAF Kirknewton airfield lies inside the boundary of Edinburgh. The nearest airport in operation to West Lothian is Edinburgh Airport.

Education

West Lothian has 11 secondary schools, 12 special schools, 67 primary schools, and 60 nurseries. While West Lothian has no university, further and adult education facilities are provided at West Lothian College based in Livingston. The college has sports facilities, a library, a training restaurant for hospitality students, and a salon/spa. The college provides educational services to over 8,000 students a year and has 350 staff.

Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) has a campus in Livingston at Oatridge, near Ecclesmachan providing courses on subjects such as agriculture, veterinary medicine, conservation, horticulture, and landscaping. The Scottish Institute of Theatre, Dance, Film and Television has its main educational campus in Livingston.

West Lothian has 14 public libraries. A local and regional history library which includes items on the history of West Lothian and Linlithgowshire is located in Linlithgow.

Sports

Almondvale Stadium, the home of Livingston F.C. in Livingston

West Lothian has 12 football teams playing across a variety of leagues (tiers) in the Scottish football league system. In the Scottish Championship , Livingston who relocated to Livingston in 1995 to the Almondvale Stadium, represent the county. Linlithgow Rose and Broxburn Athletic currently compete in the Lowland Football League. Meanwhile, previous SJFA league clubs now play across the East of Scotland Football League. These clubs include; Armadale Thistle, Bathgate Thistle, Blackburn United, Fauldhouse United, Livingston United, Pumpherston Juniors, Stoneyburn, West Calder United and Whitburn Juniors.

The West Lothian Sports Council represents a variety of sports clubs and organisations in West Lothian. Other sports teams in West Lothian include Linlithgow RFC, a Scottish Rugby Union club who play in East Regional League Division One, Livingston RFC, and the Edinburgh Monarchs, a Scottish Speedway team, based in Armadale who compete in the SGB Championship. Cricket is played at a local level at sites such as Boghall Cricket Club Ground in Linlithgow.

Swimming facilities are located across West Lothian in most of the towns and Swim West Lothian is an organisation, operating in partnership with West Lothian Council and Scottish Swimming that organises local swimming clubs, training and swimming galas.

Notable residents

Notable residents of West Lothian include monarchs and political figures including Mary Queen of Scots (born at Linlithgow Palace), King James the Fifth (born at Linlithgow Palace), Robin Cook (the Member of Parliament for Livingston from 1983 to 2005), Alex Salmond (from Linlithgow, the former First Minister of Scotland), and Sir Tom Dalyell (the Member of Parliament for Linlithgow from 1962 to 2005).

West Lothian sports personalities include Dario Franchitti (from Whitburn, four-time Indy Car series champion, and three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500), Paul di Resta (from Uphall, DTM race driver for Mercedes-Benz, and the cousin of Dario Franchitti), and Peter 'Snakebite' Wright (born in Livingston, PDC World darts champion).

Actors, musicians and entertainers include Susan Boyle (from Blackburn, a singer who achieved fame on the TV series Britain's Got Talent), Lewis Capaldi (a singer/songwriter from Whitburn and Bathgate), Ian Colquhoun (from Livingston, author and actor), Leon Jackson (from Whitburn, winner of The X Factor in 2007) and David Tennant (from Bathgate, actor)

Figures from industry and academia include John Fleming (from Bathgate, a naturalist, zoologist and geologist), Sir Charles Wyville Thomson (from Linlithgow, a natural historian and marine zoologist), and James Young Simpson (an obstetrician and significant figure in the history of medicine).

See also

Notes

  1. ^ New category created for the 2011 census
  2. Category restructured for the 2011 census

References

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Further reading

External links

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