Armadale

History

To the north of Armadale (Woodend Farm) is the site of Ogilface Castle. Woodend Farm has another site nearer Blackridge, marked as 'Ogelface in ruins' on a 1773 map. These sites have been the subject of archaeological geophysics surveys and kite aerial photography by the Edinburgh Archaeological Field Society and the West Lothian Archaeological Trust which now also manages the Armadale Community and Heritage Website. Aside from the presence of the old castle, Armadale was little more than a rural farm community for most of its history, as part of a larger rural estate named Barbauchlaw (a corruption of 'Boar Baughlee'). This led to the establishment of a small village, including the establishment of a coaching inn (opening in 1797) and toll house. and upon his elevation to the bench in 1797 he took the title of Lord Armadale (from his mother's estate in Sutherland) and this name was then applied to the township. The discovery of large coal deposits and also ironstone in the area attracted the attention of a number of companies and several pits were sunk in the area. A coal company was formed in 1819 and began to work the "Woodend Pit" to the north-west of the toll house. In 1870, a second church named the parish church was built in the town (with a belfry and pedimented porch). In 1919, at the centre of the town (the Cross), a cast-iron memorial was erected. Erected by the public, the Kerr Memorial commemorates a Mrs Elizbeth Kerr who was fatally injured in the saving of a child from being run over by a passing motor car. In 1966, a new harled council office building was built in the town (it is now a Vets). The memorial was erected at Watson park in the town and includes a statue of a bagpiper.