Introduction

This evening, my theme is the town of Haddington, which lies about 20 miles east of Edinburgh.

Information on Haddington

The town is situated in the region known as East Lothian which is strong on agriculture. The town once held the biggest grain market in Scotland. Today it boasts many fine buildings including a working mill as evidence of its past.. Traders concluded deals by the goat shaped Mercat Cross. Criminals were hung from the Nungate Bridge.

The population of Haddington is about 8,500. Access is solely by road as the town no longer has a railway station.

The name is of Anglo-Saxon origin (1st millennium) and means ‘Hadda’s Stead’. Stead is a term meaning farm.

The town has been engulfed by various catastrophes including:

• Repeated flooding by the River Tyne which reached a peak in 1948. This event flooded the town centre to a depth of one foot.
• Devastation caused by English armies which three times burned the town over a span of 200 years.

Famous People: The Protestant reformer, John Knox was born in the town and Robert Burns’ brother, Gilbert moved to Haddington from his native Ayrshire. Robert Burns is Scotland’s National Poet.

Overall, Haddington impresses as a pleasant and prosperous town.

More information

For more information on aspects of touring Scotland please refer to the Visitors’ Guide to Scotland, ISBN 978-1-9161332-0-4. This book is also available via Kindle.