From the 18th to the 19th century, the rural land between Leith and Edinburgh underwent dramatic changes. The advent of the industrial revolution and the rapid increase in population thanks to advances in agriculture and medicine resulted in a spike of construction in the previously open land. Recorded as ‘garden grounds’ on the 1794-95 plan of Leith, the fields quickly became dominated by industrial units such as sugar refineries, chemical works, engine sheds, distilleries, tanneries, saw mills and foundries.
It was during this transformational time in Leith’s history that theVulcan Foundry at Bonnington Road was opened by Robert Traill & Co..The foundry likely took its name from ‘Vulcan’, the Roman god and mythical inventor of smithing and metalworking. The name was common among foundries and smithies during this period across the country, and several contemporary businesses operated under the same name. Despite the common name it appears that the
Bonnington Road foundry was independently run, and it continued to operate into the beginning of the 20th century until it was sold and repurposed as a railway depot.
An opportunity to archaeologically investigate the remains of Vulcan Foundry came about when a plot of land at 200 Bonnington Road, Leith, was proposed
