text: Another distinctive feature of Charlestown is the early planned village, established again by Charles Bruce, the 5th Earl in 1756.  It is however quite an unusual "plan", as the street pattern was reputedly laid out as the letters C and E, for Charles Elgin.
  The village was part of the Improving Movement in Scotland that led to the establishment of some 500 planned villages and small towns throughout the country between the mid 18th century to mid 19th century, although McWilliam writing earlier in 1975 gives a lower figure for the same period of some 200 towns.  Charlestown however has the distinction of perhaps being one of the first industrial villages in Scotland,  as against the numerous farming and fishing based planned villages. This was because it encompassed not only the housing accommodation for the workers, but an integrated operation of coalmining, limestone quarrying, tramways, lime kilns, the harbour and other ancillary operations.
  Building of the original village was commenced in 1756, and comprises the North Row, the South Row, the Double Row and also the shorter Hall Row and Lochaber to the east.  The western half of the North and South Rows face the village green. Most house building was complete by 1771, although some houses were not completed until the early 19th century. The houses were originally single story, built in groups of six, some of them later extended to a second floor. As well, various other buildings were erected by the Earl, for example Easter Cottage built 1760, a school in 1768 and the Sutlery, being a stable and granary, in 1770.
  The houses are all Scottish B Grade Listed Buildings (excepting nos 36,37 and 52 to 55) within the Charlestown Conservation Area.  While all were originally "estate" cottages belonging to the Broomhall Estate, after the decline and closure of most of the works in 1935, many were sold to the tenants. The original unity and appearance of the terraces is now somewhat compromised by alterations to doors and windows, high privet hedges and by many rear extensions, as identified in the Conservation Plan.