Lasswade is a village and civil parish in Midlothian, Scotland, on the River North Esk, nine miles (14.5 kilometres) south of Edinburgh city centre, contiguous with Bonnyrigg and between Dalkeith to the east and Loanhead to the west.

The name Lasswade may be derived from the Brittonic[1] *lï:s meaning "a court, palace administrative centre",[1] and wï:δ, "a wood" (c.f.

According to legend, the area got its name from a sturdy local girl called Jenny, who would wade across the river carrying travellers on her back before a bridge was built.

[3] A short verse from the area tells the story as follows: When there was nae Brig to cross the Esk river, On Jenny’s braid back they a’ gaed the gither, For Jenny was honest, stout, sober and steady She carried the Laird, she carried his leddy, Whin he was richt seated the doggie first gaed, Then waving his stick he cried “Jenny Lass – Wade!” The old parish church was built in the 13th century, though little of it survives today.

The first paper mill was built in Lasswade in 1750, and papermaking remained important until the start of the 20th century.

The Scottish landscape artist William McTaggart moved to Lasswade in 1889, and many of his later works depict the Moorfoot Hills.

It was a popular holiday resort in the 19th century for wealthy Edinburgh residents; yet, by the 1950s, much of the village's population had left for modern houses in Bonnyrigg.

Groome (1885) noted as chief proprietors in the parish: Lieut.-Col. Gibsone of Pentland, Viscount Melville, Drummond of Hawthornden, Sir Geo.

The estates along both banks of the Esk were: The pre-Reformation church was dedicated to St Edwin and under the control of the Dean of Restalrig.

St Leonard's Episcopal Church on Lower Broomieknowe dates from 1890 and is by Hippolyte Blanc.

The former board school of 1875 stands with commanding views over the village on the northern slopes next to the Old Kirkyard.

Lasswade High School moved to its current premises in the west of Bonnyrigg in 1956, being rebuilt on the same site in 2013.

At Lasswade the river forms the boundary on the north-east side, such that the suburb of Westmill on the south-east bank lies in the parish of Cockpen.