In later centuries, Linlithgow became a centre of industry in leather making and other materials, before developing rapidly in the Victorian era with the opening of the Union Canal in the 1820s and the arrival of the railway in 1842.
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Linlithgow was the former county town of the county but the Council now resides in nearby Livingston.
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Today Linlithgow has less industry and the economy of the town centre is focused on hospitality, heritage and tourism services.
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Name Linlithgow comes from the Old British lynn llaith cau meaning "lake in the moist hollow".
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Originally "Linlithgow" referred to the loch itself, the town being known as just "Lithgow".
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Linlithgow gained its royal status as a burgh in 1388 under a charter from Robert II of Scotland.
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Linlithgow developed in the Middle Ages as a royal residence for Scottish Kings on the raised hill beside the Loch, as the site was a logical stop between Edinburgh to the east and Stirling to the West.
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Linlithgow was the site of the Battle of Linlithgow Bridge at the western edge of the town.
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Linlithgow has been cited as the location of the first petrol pump in Scotland.
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Linlithgow is located in the north-east of West Lothian, close to the border with the Falkirk Council area.
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Linlithgow was a safe Labour seat until the 2015 when sitting MP Michael Connarty was defeated by Martyn Day of the SNP.
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In both the 2012 and 2017 local elections, Linlithgow ward elected one Conservative, one Labour and one SNP councillor, namely Tom Kerr, Tom Conn and David Tait respectively.
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Linlithgow used to swim from the town every day with food for him.
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Linlithgow is home to a major computing centre owned by Oracle and to the telecommunication company Calnex Solutions, founded in 2006 in the town and which floated on the AIM market in September 2020.
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Linlithgow Museum is a volunteer-run local history museum in Linlithgow.
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Linlithgow has several parks and recreation grounds across the town.
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Linlithgow Rose Garden is a mature rose garden in the area adjacent to the Kirk grave yard and the rear of the Burgh Halls and contains a large bronze statue of John Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun and Marquess of Linlithgow.
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Just outside of Linlithgow, there are several country parks, including Beecraigs Country Park and Muiravonside Country Park between Linlithgow and Torphichen.
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The original Linlithgow Academy was housed in a purpose build sandstone building in East Port, designed in a Scots renaissance style with turrets by James Graham Fairley in 1900.
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Linlithgow Rose Community Football Club has about 500 player members, involved in soccer 4s, soccer 7s, girls, youth and adult junior football.
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Scottish monarchs born in the town include King James V, born in Linlithgow Palace in 1512, and Mary, Queen of Scots, born and christened in Linlithgow in 1542.
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Historical figures in trade, science and industry from Linlithgow include Sir Charles Wyville Thomson, John West, Captain, David Waldie and Sir Thomas Carlaw Martin FRSE.
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