South Queensferry

South Queensferry is a Town in central Scotland, 9 miles west of Edinburgh, 44 miles east of Glasgow. Regular Buses and Trains run between Queensferry and Edinburgh, up to four an hour.

South Queensferry is popular for its views of the three Forth Bridges, Boat Trips to Inchcolm Island with an Abbey, and visits to Hopetoun House, largest Mansion in Scotland three miles west.

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The image top is of looking west along the High Street with the Jubilee Clock Tower built in 1720, where the Tolbooth / Jail from the 1630s once stood.

The Priory Church is at the west end of the High Street, built from 1440.

Behind the Priory Church is a large Car Park with a seating area where you can view the three Forth Bridges.

The area behind the Church is known as The Binks, where the original Ferry from the 1000s would dock.

The first Ferry was funded by Queen Margaret to allow Pilgrims to visit Dunfermline Abbey on the north side of the Forth.

The Village on the south side here was known as Queensferry, and the Village on the other side North Queensferry.

The Marina and small Beach are down off the middle of the High Street, scenic spots to relax and view the Bridges.

At the east end of the High Street is the Forth Rail Bridge completed in 1890.

There are regular Boat Trips from the Rail Bridge to view the Bridges, Seals, Inchcolm Island and Abbey. You can stay on the Boat or get off to explore Inchcolm Island.

Boat Trips . Boat Trips 2

Hopetoun House is 3 miles west of Queensferry, open for visits throughout the Summer, group bookings in Winter. Local Taxi.

This is the largest Mansion in Scotland, built from 1699.

Queensferry History:

The Firth of Forth is about 5 miles wide at the mouth by Edinburgh.

The Queensferry area is the first narrow point at about one and a half miles wide.

1000s - the first Ferry service begins between Queensferry and North Queensferry.

The Towns here were named after Queen Margaret, wife of King Malcolm III.

Queen Margaret began the first Ferry service so people could visit Dunfermline Abbey on the north side of the Forth.

The Ferries saved traveling 27 miles northwest to Stirling to cross the River by Bridge.

1633, the ship Blessing of Burntisland sank off Queensferry while carrying Charles I’s Treasure, valued at over £1 Billion in today's money. The Treasure has never been recovered.

1699 - building of Hopetoun House begins 2 miles south of Queensferry for the Hopes.

1850s - first of the Steam Powered Ferries begin operating across the Firth of Forth.

1890 - the Forth Rail Bridge is completed as the largest of its kind at that time.

1914 - 1918 during WWI, many huge British Warships are anchored here Image.

1939 - 1945 - during WWII, the first German Air Attack was on Shipyards by the Forth Bridge, with Bombs narrowly missing the Bridge.

1918 - the 20,000 ton Aircraft Carrier Campania sunk off Queensferry.

Campania was an aging Liner converted to an Aircraft Carrier during WWI.

1934 - the Ferry Robert the Bruce begins operating between the two Towns.

1964 - the last Ferry ran between the two Towns.

1964 - one day after the last ferry, the Forth Road Bridge was opened by Queen Elizabeth II.

2003 - some of the many thousands of small Cables wound together to hold up the Road Bridge are monitored snapping inside the protective steel cover.

The Road Bridge is then regarded as not strong enough for the ever increasing traffic, and often closed during strong winds.

2011 - the building of the second Forth Road Bridge begins.

2017 - the second Road Bridge is completed under the name Queensferry Crossing.

The new Bridge was designed to cope with the high volume of traffic and high winds, although as soon as it opened, rush hour traffic was leading to long tail backs.