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Aberlady
East Lothian
Aberlady East Lothian is a small village on the east coast of Scotland and was an important part of Scottish history due to its position on the Forth. Aberlady Bay was used as a the main Port of Hamilton with many cargo ships transporting good s over Europe. The Port was also one of the main defences against the English ships that accessed the coastline to attack Edinburgh circa 1550 and 1650.
Aberlady East Lothian
Kilspindie Castle
Aberlady East Lothian
Aberlady also has two golf courses Kilspindie where there is an old ruin of Kilspindie Castle and a newer course Craigielaw Golf Club which has great views of the Firth of Forth and Fife.
Aberlady Bay Shipwrecks
Aberlady East Lothian
In the bay at low tide remnants of shipwrecks from the 17th century and mini submarine can be seen stuck there since the second world war. Aberlady was known as the Port of Haddington circa 1550, but a harbour has been written about for centuries, as it was also the main harbour for a passenger ferry for pilgrims to the isles Iona and Lindisfarne in the 7th century.
Aberlady Parish Church
Aberlady East Lothian
Aberlady Parish Church has historic records dating back to circa 1450. 1452 a watch Tower was built then later the church was added and further addition were made 1509. Outside the church can be seen a loupin’ on stane which was step to assist the mounting and dismounting of a horse or coach.
Aberlady Mercat Cross
Aberlady East Lothian
Aberlady Mercat Cross has lost its top and stands next to the cross cottage in the main street Aberlady. A mercat Cross will be found in a market towns and villages in Scotland it was where proclamations and news was passed on to the residents. A symbol of authority. The oldest mercat cross still in its original position can be seen in Prestonpans, one of five that have a platform for the proclamations and a drum house below which had steps up to the platform. The others being Edinburgh, Dundee, Perth, Aberdeen, Selkirk and Elgin, the later two were less ornate. The top of the cross will normally have a unicorn but older crosses have the towns coat of arms as seen on the Selkirk cross with a lion and a shield that would have shown the coat of arms.
Nigel Tranter Memorial
East Lothian
Nigel Tranter spent most of his life in Aberlady East Lothian and is one of Scotland’s prolific writers and authors.
He was born in Glasgow in November 1909 and died in January 2000 and is buried in the Graveyard in Aberlady. The Memorial cairn at the roadside near the ‘footbridge to enchantment’ which was named by Nigel Tranter has a memorial stone and Plaque.
There is a Nigel Tranter Centre which can be found in the church in Athelstaneford East Lothian.
Nigel Tranter Plaque
Aberlady Bay
The bronze plaque inscription reads; Nigel Tranter | 1909 -2000 | Scottish Writer| who walked this coastline daily, writing as he went |’he was always glad to return here, to….. the unending | sigh of the waves on the far sand-bar at the mouth of the bay, | the calling of the seabirds, the quacking od mallard and the | honking of the wavering wild geese skeins
which criss-cross the sky’
Aberlady Bird Sanctuary
Aberlady East Lothian
Aberlady bay and was designated a Local Nature Reserve in 1952, being the first to receive the status in Britain. The headquarters of the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club is situated in Aberlady and is named after George Waterston, a founder of the club which has a library that has over 3000 books on birds the largest ornithological library in Scotland. There is a bridge that takes you to the coastline and the bird sanctuary.
Luffness Castle
(Tower House)
Aberlady East Lothian
Luffness Castle was built circa 1230. Luffness has a long history and in 1311 Edward II was in occupation of the castle while try to get Robert the Bruce into Battle. Mid 1311 Edward returned Home. Luffness was attacked during the rough wooing in 1548 prior to the siege of Haddington. Th Castle was finally rebuilt circa 1580 by the Earl of Bothwell. In 1739 the present owners the Hope Family (Hopetoun House) to possession of the Castle and altered and extended it in the early, mid and late 19th century. It has now provision as holiday accommodation. In the Grounds are historic remains Luffness Friary, Friary Tomb and do'cot.
Myreton Motor Museum
Aberlady East Lothian
The Myreton Motor Museum in Aberlady is open every day and has vehicles signs Bikes army vehicles from the world wars which has been collected by the owner since the museum opened in 1966. fee payable.
Brand's Well
Aberlady East Lothian
Brand's Well known to be a Holy Well from Luffness water. A fresh spring well at one time stood by a fresh water stream that came from the Gullane Hills.
Mini Subs from World War II
Aberlady Bay
The mini subs were used as target practice after the war to see what type of ammunition would be suitable in destroying such craft. After the tests the government left the two subs to the elements being of no further use. The wrecks can be found about 100m from the water's edge and can be seen at Low tide.