The Peacock Inn
The peacock Inn is situated in Newhaven which lies at the line of a prehistoric raised beach. Newhaven Village is now a listed conservation area, about two miles to the north of Edinburgh city centre. Newhaven is one of only 40 Conservation Areas in Edinburgh.
The Peacock Inn acquired it’s name from Thomas Peacock. Thomas was a vintner of Newhaven who petitioned the Edinburgh Town Council in 1767 to grant him a few of the links and the houses on them. His petition was successful and the peacock quickly proved to be a most popular resort and an asset to the village.
Many famous people patronised the peacock. Charles Reade while studying the life of the fisher-folk for his novel "Christie Johnstone" stayed here and was long remembered by a pane of glass in one of the windows, inscribed not only with his name but bearing also the autograph of sir Henry Irving, the famous actor. Unfortunately, this unique memorial was broken during a storm. In the restaurant bar hangs a photograph of three famous Scots poets, Hugh McDiarmid, Sydney Goodsir Smith and Norman McCaig, taken at the inaugural meeting of the 200 Burns Club held in The Peacock Inn on the 20th January 1959.