History 
There has been a settlement in Winchburgh for over a thousand years. 

Early spellings include Wincelburgh (1189); Wynchburghe (1377); from 'wincel' and 'burh' meaning 'Town in the nook or angle'. Its possible it was named after the bend in the Niddry burn that runs through the village. The early settlement was probably near to Niddry Castle.


Some important dates in Winchburgh history: 

1314 After the Battle of Bannockburn, Lord Douglas followed King Edward and the remnants of his army to Winchburgh. Both sides rested at Winchburgh before riding on to Dunbar where King Edward took a boat.

"Quhill that the king and his menye
To Wenchburg all cummyn ar.
Than lychtyt all that thai war
To bayt thar hors that wer wery,
And Douglas and his cumpany
Baytyt alsua besid thaim ner."

Extract from The Brus by John Barbour (1320-1395)  BOOK 13 written c 1375

1568 After escaping from Lochleven Island, Mary Queen of Scots was met by Lord Seton and crossed the Firth of Forth at Queensferry. She stayed at Niddry Castle in Winchburgh on May 2nd 1568 before moving on to Craignethan Castle and Cadzow Castle in Lanarkshire.

...to be continued.....

From the Gazetteer of Scotland c.1895

"Winchburgh, a village in Kirkliston Parish, Linlithgowshire, 113/4 miles W of Edinburgh. It has a station on the North British railway, a Post Office with money order and savings bank departments, an Established mission church (opened 1891) and  a public school. Population (1881) 115, (1891) 424."