The new Royal Infirmary and University academic block are situated in an area on the southeast outskirts of the City known as Little France.
It obtained its name from the courtiers who arrived from France in the 16th century to look after Mary, Queen of Scots while she was in residence at Craigmillar Castle. The castle was originally constructed in the 15th century and was a favoured retreat for the Stuart royal family.
At the turn of the century, Craigmillar lay outside the city of Edinburgh boundary and was very rural in character. Most of the population were employed in rural occupations. Notable exceptions were the breweries and the Klondyke coal mine situated at Newcraighall. By the 1970's the traditional industries that had once created so much local employment had gradually declined.
The New Royal Infirmary was completed and fully occupied in Spring 2003 when all other clinical services relocated from the old Royal Infirmary, Lauriston Place.
The Chancellor's Building at Little France, is located next to the new Royal Infirmary was opened on 12th August 2002 by HRH The Prince Phillip Duke of Edinburgh, Chancellor to the University.
In addition to the accommodation in The Chancellor's Building, the University also have 90 'embedded' academic offices in the new Royal Infirmary, maintaining the long-established principle of integration of clinical and academic staff.
![[ Queens Medical Research Institute ]](/zap/system/images/ri_qmri.jpg "[ Queens Medical Research Institute ]")
The latest addition to the Little France site is the Queens Medical Research Institute which was opened Spring 2005 and is located next to the Chancellor's Building.
It will provide facilities for inter-disciplinary research in the three key areas of inflammatory, reproductive and cardiovascular biology and is the centre of a planned £200m biomedical research park.
