Starbank House was built around 1815 and originally belonged to shipbuilder Alexander Goalen. The boundaries of the original grounds were similar to those of the present-day Starbank Park. Goalen was the uncle of William Ewart Gladstone, the Victorian Prime Minister. Goalen’s son, Walter, was the founder and rector of Christ Church near the north end of Trinity Road. Walter appears to have inherited Starbank House from his father, and lived there until his death in 1889.
Leith Town Council bought the property in 1889 and opened the grounds as Starbank Park in 1891. The house became the home of the park keeper. From 1920 to 1932 part of the house became a museum. On the demise of Leith Town Council, the objects were transferred to Huntly House Museum in Canongate. The house continued as the parkie’s house for many years before being converted into two flats that were lived in by retired Council staff.
Read our updated detailed history at Starbank Park history August 2023.
The park commands magnificent views over the Firth of Forth to the north. The star-shaped flower border on the bank is known to many and possibly represents a ship’s compass. At the lower northern end of the park lies the remains of the Devlin Fountain which was erected in 1910 by Thomas Devlin, a Newhaven fish merchant. The fountain was vandalised before being dismantled over 20 years ago. The base has since been converted into a garden feature.
The southern end of the park is a beautiful and tranquil formal garden with geometrical flower and herb beds and fine trees, including glorious cherry blossom trees.
Friends of Starbank Park 
I’d like to compliment all who have worked on the star , it is looking beautiful at the moment .It cheers me up to see it as I pass by . It was so sad when the lovely old fountain was all broken and the flower beds neglected..
Thank you .
Rosemary Tolmie
Can you please tell me how I would go about getting a bench and plaque put in starbank park in memory of my daughters father
Thankyou for your work. I was quite pleased to read the 125 Years On history. I am James Dobbie’s great-grandson and live in Canada. I visited Starbank Park in 2010 with my wife and cousin while on vacation but would love to come again sometime.
Thank you for your kind comments. The work is a pleasure, it has been a real community effort and we are now friends at Starbank Park as well as the Friends of Starbank Park. As far as I know there are no photos of your great grandfather at the park. However, if he was still there in 1910 when the Devlin Fountain was opened he may be in some of these photos. I’ll e-mail them separately I hope you can visit the park again soon.
Came here for first time today 20 May 2018 with Benny who was born not far from here nearly 80 years ago. He had not been to the top part and did not know it was there.
Meg his mum worked at the Ship Inn (not now there) in New Haven – near the Peacock Inn (now Sassy)
What a little paradise! Thank you all!
I’d like to find out about installing a memorial bench, can you advise please?
Pingback: A Guide To Starbank Park
The park is fabulous. I met some of the volunteers today, Stan, Janet & Vicki but I noticed there are quite a few all working hard. Its one if the best parks i have been to, a hidden gem and it has such a lot of attention to detail, lots of history and a beautiful view of the firth of forth. I loved the little ‘Tardis’ library. The Beechgrove Garden team are visiting next week so i expect it will become more popular. Well done to everyone who looks after the park it was a pleasure to visit