Dalkeith is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, on the River Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540. The settlement of Dalkeith developed south-westwards from its 12th-century castle, which is recognized today as Dalkeith Palace. With reference to the 2011 Census, Dalkeith has a permanent population of around 12342 people. The town is made up of four different spots: Dalkeith proper with its town centre and historical core, with Eskbank to its west and Woodburn to its east. Eskbank is the prosperous area of Dalkeith with numerous sizeable Victorian and newer homes. To the south of Eskbank is Newbattle with its abbey. Woodburn is a largely working class council estate. The building on High Street of Dalkeith, now described as the Tolbooth, began to be used as a tolbooth for the administration of the town in the early 18th century. The plaque above the door checks out '1648' however this was taken from another structure and does not indicate when the Tolbooth was built. Working primarily as a site for law and order, it included a jail in the west half, a court room on the east, and a dungeon understood as the 'black hole' below ground. In front of the building there is a circle of stones to highlight the area where the last public hanging in Dalkeith happened in 1827. The town is also the home of other distinctive structures, including a Watch Tower at the cemetery, a water tower and a number of iron mills going back to the early 19th century. For all your home upgrades, keep an eye out for reliable contractors in Dalkeith to guarantee excellent quality.