West Calder (, ) is a village in the council area of West Lothian, Scotland, located four miles west of Livingston. Historically it is within the County of Midlothian. The village was an important centre in the oil shale industry in the 19th and 20th centuries. West Calder has its own railway station. The surrounding villages that take West Calder's name in their address - Polbeth, Addiewell, Loganlea, Harburn and Westwood - outline the area that this village encompasses, and they all have played an important part in the history of the village as well as West Lothian. The village is a 10-minute drive from Livingston, which is host to two large shopping centres. The village lies along the ridge above the Calder burn. History Early evidence of settlement in the area of West Calder is indicated by the presence of Castle Greg, an Roman fortlet to the south-east of the village in neighboring Harburn. In the medieval period, the area was part of Calder Comitis, a large parish under ownership by the Earls of Fife. By 1643, the large parish of Calder Comitis was divided into two districts, named Mid Calder and West Calder. The old Parish Church off Kirkgate street dates to 1643 when the area was created a distinct parish. The rectangular building, with a square belfry was abandoned in the 1880s following construction of the West Kirk of Calder and is now a roofless ruin. The original church burial ground is intact and the entire site is a scheduled ancient monument. By 1755, the population of the parish was recorded as 1294 persons. The population had risen to 1435 persons by 1810 and continued to grow throughout the 19th century. In 1792, the residents of West Calder submitted a Petition against the Slave Trade to the House of Lords. In 1797, Hermand House on the western edge of the village was built for George Fergusson, Lord Hermand, a Scottish Judge. The main building, coach-house and stables are Category B listed. West Calder became an important centre of the oil shale industry during the Victorian era. The closest Shale Mine to the village was Burngrange mine owned by Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Co., Ltd, which at the time was a subsidiary of Scottish Oils Ltd and was one of the group of 12 nearby shale production facilities working the oil shales in the Counties of