|
General Observations on the County
of Haddington
p.
374 Statute Labour
p. 375 Roads
p. 380 Offences, including those relating to roads e.g.
furious driving
Aberlady
OSA
No mention of roads.
NSA
p. 256 The nearest market is Haddington although much
of the grain is taken to Dalkeith and Edinburgh where
higher prices can be obtained. There is a daily post,
and a coach between North Berwick and Edinburgh as well
as a carrier. Roads are very good and allow more goods
to be carted to market. Forty years ago the roads were
very rough. Coal used as fuel.
Athelstaneford
OSA
Haddington market used. Fifty 2-horse carts, 6 one-horse
carts and one coach in the parish. No mention of roads.
Vagrant poor.
NSA
No particular mention of roads. Mention of ford. The
road-man found a stone coffin when excavating a new
quarry for road metal where Athelstan was said to have
been buried.
Bolton
OSA
No mention of roads.
NSA
p. 274 There is a possibility that the Romans were in
this area.
p. 278 The nearest market is Haddington; Dalkeith and
Edinburgh are also used. The London and the Duns roads
pass through and there is a fairly reasonable road running
the length of the parish. Some of the statute labour
roads are poor. There is no post office. Coal is obtained
from Penstone, Pencaitland and Huntlaw, all in easy
reach.
Dirleton
OSA
; also ferry
There is a poetic description of passing coaches where
the "rocks sound and shake as carriages pass along."
There used to be a ferry to Fife from Gulan Ness. Coal
brought in by sea or obtained at coal pits.
NSA
Haddington is the nearest market town although much
of the grain is taken to Edinburgh. The North Berwick
coach passes through each day as do a number of carriers.
There are 2 post offices here; the post coming from
Haddington. Roads are good although there is a need
for footpaths. The contrast with just 50 years ago is
shown by the road between Dirleton and North Berwick
being repaired each spring by ploughing, rolling and
harrowing it. There are 88 ¾ plough gates charged for
the statute labour.
Dunbar
OSA
The harbour used to be at Belhaven. Considerable trade
passes through the port. The post road runs through
the parish and is in good condition. There are toll
bars at Kirk Hill and at Belhaven. Four bridges in the
parish. The cross roads, funded by the statute labour,
are good.
NSA
Dunbar is a market and post town and a considerable
port with much trade carried on. Grain is often brought
here, mostly from Berwickshire. Some days there can
be 90 carts from there with only about 9 carts from
Haddingtonshire. The London road passes through the
parish for a length of 7 miles, 6 furlongs and 90 yards.
There are stage coaches to Edinburgh and Berwick, as
well as carriers and it is possible to sail to Leith
and London. Two annual fairs. Coal brought by boat from
Wemyss, Carlestown, Bo’ness and Sunderland. A railway
is proposed from Inveresk to Haddington and Dunbar.
Garvald
OSA
; also Whitecastle
Roads assessed at L1 per ploughgate of which there are
46 or so in the parish. Roads are in good repair. Mention
of inn at Danskine on the Edinburgh to Duns road. Lime
is brought from 4 or 5 miles away and coal from Penstone
and Pencaitland. Whitecastle to the east of the parish
guarded a pass from the Merse and England.
NSA
Reiterates the importance of Whitecastle. The turnpike
from Dunse to Haddington passes through the parish for
6 miles but there are no public coaches on it. There
is a weekly carrier. There are about 16 miles of good
bye-roads, funded by the statute labour money. Bridges
in good condition.
Gladsmuir
OSA
Vagrant poor receive no aid. Those who are lame are
transported outwith the parish. No mention of roads.
NSA
; also
About 30 men are employed in winter (20 in summer) on
the various roads of the parish, viz. the London road,
the road through Niddrie, the North Berwick road on
the coast, and the cross and parish roads. Although
Haddington is the nearest market, most farmers take
their grain to Dalkeith and Edinburgh. Six coaches and
the mail coach run on the Edinburgh road each day. The
coast road is used by the North Berwick coach and a
number of carriers. A road runs from Coates, passing
Seatonhill to Haeklaw and Longniddry. Cross roads intersect
all these. All roads are in good repair.
Haddington
 OSA
This is the first stage on the post road to London.
There are two fairs, and a large weekly market for grain.
An abbey was founded here in 1178. A "Chinese" bridge
at Clerkington House was swept away by floods in 1775.
The post road is funded by tolls which amounted to £981
this year. The bye-roads are funded by the converted
statute labour which is rated at 20/- sterling per plough
gate and 1/6 per household over 20/-rent. The bye roads
are bad because of the clayey soil and the lack of suitable
road-building materials nearby.
NSA
 No
particular mention of roads. During the "pest" in the
year 1530 there was a ban on travel to and from Edinburgh,
Leith and other places. There is a bridge of four arches.
The main road from Edinburgh to London passes through
the town. There is a weekly market. In the past there
used to be fairs.
Humbie
 |
| Old signpost |
OSA
Before 1770 the roads were so bad that many were impassable
in winter. Now the bye-roads are good and twice as much
can now be carted because of the improvement. It helped
in making the roads that there was suitable gravel nearby
and that the soil allowed the roads to be formed by
plough. Nearby tenants were paid to bring stones from
their fields.
NSA
There are three bridges. The two main grain markets
in the country are within 9 miles of here, viz. Haddington
and Dalkeith. The cross-roads to Dalkeith are very hilly
as far as the London road. These statute labour roads
are in tolerable repair but improvements to the main
one through the introduction of a toll are being considered.
Innerwick
OSA
No mention of roads. There is a one arch bridge called
Edirkin, thought to be called after King Edward, who
may have built it.
NSA
p. 240 There were church collections in the 1600’s for
bridges at Linton and Whitekirk. Innerwick and Thornton
castles were of strategic importance for guarding routes
from the south.
p. 242 Just south of Innerwick castle there are traces
of a structure called Edinkens Bridge (Canmore
reference) though it is not known who it was named
after.
p. 246 There are markets at Dunbar, Haddington and Dunse.
The Mail and Union coaches and a coach to Berwick pass
through each day on the London road. The other roads
are good. Letters are carried here from Dunbar. A carrier
passes through once a week on his way between Edinburgh
and Berwick. There is a small harbour at Skateraw where
coal from Fife and Bo’ness is landed and lime exported.
Morham
OSA
Market at Haddington. No mention of roads.
NSA
Local market at Haddington. No public coaches come nearer
than Haddington and mail has to be collected from that
town. The Garvald and Stenton carriers can be used although
they pass through at the edges of the parish. The main
roads are now fairly good though very indirect. The
branch road to the west is in a very bad condition.
Coal comes from Penston, 8 miles away, which doubles
its price.
North Berwick
OSA
No mention of roads.
NSA
Market town. The post office is served from Haddington.
A stage coach and carriers run to Edinburgh each day.
The turnpikes, bridges and fences are all very good.
There are two small annual fairs. Coal is brought by
sea from Bo’ness and Newcastle and used mostly in the
town. Those in the country get their coal from Pencaitland
and Tranent.
Oldhamstocks
OSA
Mention of a toll keeper and of carriage charges to
Dunbar. No mention of roads.
NSA
No mention of roads.
Ormiston
OSA
The roads generally are bad and bridges are needed.
The bad roads are due to the unsuitable soil and lack
of proper road making materials. A turnpike act is required.
South of Ormiston there is an old two arch bridge over
the Tyne.
NSA
A road had been proposed to run from Pencaitland to
Whitehouse Mill. Vegetables and fruit are carried to
Edinburgh. Local markets in Haddington, Dalkeith and
Edinburgh. A corn market was recently set up in Tranent
and is only two miles away. There is a post office in
the village. A turnpike road runs north to south through
the parish for about 5 miles. Three small bridges have
been built near the village and are a great convenience.
Two extra tolls were set up to help maintain this road.
Coal is obtained from near at hand. Since the last account,
the public and private roads have improved considerably.
Pencaitland
OSA
Coal mined here is used widely in the area and also
taken to Lauderdale. The roads are poor, partly because
of the soil and the lack of materials and partly because
they are well used as thoroughfares, particularly as
much of the coal and lime for East Lothian passes through.
However, the county is now attending to this and this
is expected to improve matters. A great deal has been
done by Sir Andrew Lauder who spent a great deal of
money on roads on his estate and in the area.
NSA
No particular mention of roads. Two annual fairs instituted
in Wester Pencaitland in 1699. Markets in Haddington,
Dalkeith and Edinburgh.
Prestonkirk
 |
| Linton Bridge. It dates from
the 1500's and carried the old London road over
the Tyne. See Canmore
record. |
OSA
The road to England passes through. Linton Bridge is
in the parish. The old church here is mentioned in the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, circa 800 AD.
NSA
There is a post office in Linton with a daily mail coach
between Edinburgh and London. Four other coaches travel
on the London road. There is a bridge over the Tyne
on the main road which although in good condition, is
narrow. Coal is obtained 12 miles away.
Prestonpans
OSA
Two carriers come from Glasgow to Edinburgh with goods
and return with oysters. Six coaches run each week to
Edinburgh and back. The journey takes 2 hours and costs
1/8d. There are tolls at Ravenshaugh on the toll-road
and at Wallyford toll on a road that leads to Dalkieth.
The amount collected from these two tolls is now over
£400 per annum. There is a place called Olivestob which
was known as Holystop referring to a procession from
Preston to Newbottle where the host stopped.
NSA
Most of the grain is sold in Edinburgh. The North Berwick
coach runs through and a carrier goes from the parish
to Edinburgh twice a week. Other carriers pass through.
Salton
OSA
No mention of roads.
NSA
The nearest markets are at Haddington and Dalkeith.
East Salton is on a turnpike leading from Edinburgh
to Dunse across the Lammermuirs. A carrier goes to Edinburgh
once a week as does a carrier from Gifford. In summer
a one horse coach passes through as it goes between
Gifford and Tranent and allows connection with coaches
in Haddington. There is a post office at West Salton
served from Haddington. It covers this parish and parts
of adjoining parishes. There are three stone bridges.
Spott
OSA
No mention of roads.
NSA
The nearest market town is Dunbar but most grain is
taken to Haddington. Dunbar is the post town and coaches
are easily accessed there. Travel will be even easier
if the proposed railway is built. Coal from Fife or
England is obtainable at Dunbar or at coal pits. People
in the Lammermuirs use peat and turf.
Stenton
 OSA
Large number of "stranger beggars".
NSA
No particular mention of roads. Market in Dunbar. Coal
brought from Pencaitland and Penston and also brought
by sea to Dunbar.
Tranent
OSA
One of the schoolmaster’s additional duties is to collect
the road money. The post road runs through the parish.
The roads are very poor and some almost impassable because
of the destruction caused by the number of carts going
to collieries. The statute labour money of £60 is totally
inadequate for repairs and the work is carried out at
the wrong time of year. A bill has been proposed for
the next session.
NSA
p. 287 In 1719 a wooden wagon way was built from coal
works at Tranent to Port Seaton - horses could pull
two tons.
p. 288 Effectiveness of various local rocks in making
roads.
p. 297 There are numerous old coal pits in the west
of the parish and it is likely that the large number
of roads and their width had its origin in Edinburgh
being supplied with coal from these pits.
p. 299 The nearest market towns are Haddington and Dalkeith,
both about 7 miles away; the bulk of the grain however
goes to Edinburgh. Communications to Edinburgh are excellent.
Three miles of the great post road pass through the
parish and there are 6 miles of other turnpike roads.
The statute labour roads however are in poor repair
there being insufficient funds to maintain them properly
- there are 15 miles of them and they are well used.
There are regular postal services to Edinburgh and Haddington
and 6 public carriages passing daily on the post road,
in either direction, as well as one from North Berwick
through Cockenzie.
p. 303 There had been a large fair at Cockenzie but
the growth in the number of shops has done away with
the need for it. Coal is obtained locally.
Whitekirk
and Tynninghame
OSA
Roads are reasonably good and much improved.
NSA;
also
Our Lady’s Well, near Whitekirk church used to be a
place of pilgrimage. The roads are excellent. The parish
roads cost L85 and the public road L17. There is a post
office in Prestonkirk. The London road passes through
the parish and several coaches run on it. There is also
a turnpike from Dunbar to North Berwick. Coal is landed
from Fife and also obtained from Gladsmuir and Tranent.
Whittingham
Parish
map (south-east sheet)
OSA
The roads are good and the roads money is £56 per annum
and rated at 20s a ploughgate. The farmers see the benefit
of improved roads being able to take 8 to 10 times as
much corn to Haddington than when they had to carry
it on horseback.
NSA
Markets in Haddington and Dunbar. There are 30 miles
of road assessed at L2 for each of the 57½ ploughgates
in the parish.
Yester
OSA;
also carts
etc
Most of the bridges here were destroyed in a flood of
1775. There are 65 carts in the parish, some of them
2-horse carts. There are no wagons. There is one coach
and three 4-wheel and three 2-wheel chaises.
NSA;
also
fairs
 |
| Gifford |
The nearest market is Haddington. The road there is
not very level but is otherwise good. There are 3 miles
of turnpike and 13 miles of parish roads. The road from
here to Edinburgh (19 miles away) is also in good condition.
Bridges and fences are good. The roads have improved
very much since 1750 when an Act was obtained for repairing
the road between Dunglas Bridge and Ravenshaugh Bridge
- before that time they were practically impassable.
A one-horse coach travels to Edinburgh by Salton and
Tranent three times a week, taking 2 ½ hours for the
journey. Two carriers also run weekly to Edinburgh.
There is a penny post in the village. There are three
annual fairs for cattle, horses and sheep. An unfortunate
arrangement results in up to 500 shearers coming to
Gifford on the Sunday before a hiring tryst and engaging
in drunken and disorderly behaviour. Coal comes from
Salton and Pencaitland a few miles away.
Top
|
