Linlithgow

Linlithgow is a town in <a href="/facts/West_Lothian/tBnhflq8">West Lothian</a>, <a href="/facts/Scotland/VGwbbxB2">Scotland</a>. It was historically West Lothian's <a href="/facts/County_town/gM2KhpBd">county town</a>, reflected in the county's historical name of Linlithgowshire. An ancient town, it lies in the <a href="/facts/Central_Belt/M2RIGBdN">Central Belt</a> on a historic route between Edinburgh and Falkirk beside <a href="/facts/Linlithgow_Loch/8VYb8V0n">Linlithgow Loch</a>. The town is situated approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of <a href="/facts/Edinburgh/PcsoaK9h">Edinburgh</a>.
During the medieval period, the town grew in prominence as a <a href="/facts/Royal_burgh/M2So2gtu">royal burgh</a> and residence around <a href="/facts/Linlithgow_Palace/9C856Rh9">Linlithgow Palace</a>. In later centuries, Linlithgow became a centre of industry in leather making and other materials, before developing rapidly in the <a href="/facts/Victorian_era/HQxGp7wh">Victorian era</a> with the opening of the <a href="/facts/Union_Canal_(Scotland)/P2t5PwjJ">Union Canal</a> in the 1820s and the arrival of the railway in 1842. Linlithgow was the former county town of the county but the Council now resides in nearby <a href="/facts/Livingston,_West_Lothian/MsVvhkIs">Livingston</a>. Today Linlithgow has less industry and the economy of the town centre is focused on hospitality, heritage and tourism services. Linlithgow's <a href="/facts/Patron_saint/Gw1cv1vH">patron saint</a> is <a href="/facts/Saint_Michael/tJWtDcGy">Saint Michael</a> and its <a href="/facts/Motto/zPMmWKAW">motto</a> is St. Michael is kind to strangers. A statue of the saint holding the burgh coat of arms stands on the High Street. In 2019, the population of the <a href="/facts/Linlithgow_(ward)/4aW7tdX8">Linlithgow ward</a> (which includes the town and greater area) was 16,499.

Linlithgow open-in-new

Linlithgow