Linlithgow - Geography

55º59N 3º37W, pop (2000e) 14 000. Historic town in West Lothian, EC Scotland, UK; Royal and Ancient burgh located 35 km/22 mi W of Edinburgh and 61 km/38 mi E of Glasgow; birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots, Henry Bell, Sir C Wyville Thomson; railway; Union Canal passes through the town; Linlithgow Loch is a bird sanctuary; St Michael's Church was rebuilt (1424) after a fire; Linlithgow Palace (begun 1424); The House of the Binns (restored, 17th-c); Annet House (18th-c); Blackness Castle nearby (15th-c); Marches Day (Jun).

Linlithgow
Gaelic:	Gleann Iucha
Scots:	Lithgae
Location
OS grid reference:	NS996774
Statistics
Population:	13,423
Administration
Council area:	West Lothian
Constituent country:	Scotland
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Police force:	Lothian and Borders Police
Lieutenancy area:	West Lothian
Former county:	West Lothian
Post office and telephone
Post town:	LINLITHGOW
Postal district:	EH49
Dialling code:	01506
Politics
Scottish Parliament:	Linlithgow Lothians
UK Parliament:	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
European Parliament:	Scotland

Linlithgow (Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Iucha, Scots Lithgae) is a town and Royal Burgh in Scotland.

Geography

The town was originally centred on the main Edinburgh-Stirling road which forms Linlithgow High Street and has a generally east-west orientation, with plots of farmed land, known as rigs, running perpendicularily from it.

To the west, Linlithgow Bridge used to be a somewhat distinct village with its own identity, but in the latter half of the 20th century it was enveloped in the expansion of the main town and today the distinction between them is hard to make out.

The town is well served by three supermarkets which were recently complemented by a controversial retail park, unusual in a town of this size, situated in Linlithgow Bridge and hosting a Homebase and an Argos Extra among its five units. There is an extensive sports complex, Linlithgow Leisure Centre, including a swimming pool, whilst the other end of the town has Linlithgow Sports Club which includes squash tennis and bowls. The Town is also host to another bowling green, Linlithgow Rugby Football Club, Linlithgow Rose Football Club, Linlithgow Golf Club, Linlithgow Sport Club (Tennis, Squash and Bowls) and Linlithgow Bailelands Football Club.

BFC Linlithgow was founded in 1991 in the Baillielands area of Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland.

Educational establishments within the town include Linlithgow Academy, which regularly appears close to the top of the school league tables in Scotland and is one of the main reasons for the demand for housing in Linlithgow, and five primary schools; Linlithgow Primary School, St Josephs Primary School, Linlithgow Bridge Primary School, Low Port Primary School and Springfield Primary School. There are also many other events during the year such as the Children's Gala Day, the Linlithgow Folk Festival, Victorian Street Fayre and the sense of community is enhanced by many active local groups such as Lithca Lore, The Linlithgow Players and The 41 Club.

One of the historic attractions of Linlithgow is the ruin of Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. Linlithgow was also the site of the battle of Linlithgow Bridge at the western edge of the town.