Archaeology Fortnight 2016

Heritage
on your doorstep
east lothian
Archaeology & Local History
3-19 September 2016
Fortnight
Cover Illustration: Hannah Coulson
Booking essential call 01620 827408
email bookings@eastlothian.gov.uk
JOINING INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN ON BOOKING
East Lothian Archaeology & Local History Fortnight is organised annually
by East Lothian Council’s Archaeology Service. Find out more about what we
do and events throughout the year at www.eastlothian.gov.uk/archaeology
The fortnight is part of Archaeology Scotland’s annual Scottish Archaeology
Month. For more information visit www.archaeologyscotland.org.uk
Disabled access
Primarily for adults 16+
Partial disabled access
Family event
No disabled access
Sturdy footwear/ appropriate clothing
Please note no dogs except guide dogs.
Become a Friend of the John Gray Centre
Join our friendly group of event, project and fundraising
volunteers supporting the centre’s museum and archive
work. We’d love to hear from you! To find out more
please email jgc@eastlothian.gov.uk
or visit www.johngraycentre.org
East Lothian Archaeology & Local History Fortnight 2016
celebrates the Year of Innovation, Architecture and
Design, with events looking at historic architecture,
designed landscapes and innovations of the
Enlightenment and Agricultural Revolution.
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www.scotland.org/year-of-innovation-architecture-and-design
Saturday 3rd September
Union, Rebellion
then Enlightenment
St Mary’s Church, Haddington
9.30am – 4.00pm
Events
This, the 2nd in the series of the
Society’s annual lectures, looks at
how East Lothian both responded to
the events and led the developments
in the 18th century. We start the day
looking at the factors that led to the
Union of the Parliaments in 1707 and
then at the dramatic experience of the
two Jacobite uprisings.
This century also became famed as
the Age of Enlightenment. East Lothian
led the way in new agricultural
improvements, the rise of the stately
homes and their grand designed
landscapes, and the County was
also very important in Scotland’s
industrial history and legacy.
Again the Society is pleased to bring
to you professional experts and informed
enthusiasts in the wonderful setting of
St Mary’s Church.
This event is organised by the East
Lothian Antiquarian and Field Naturalists’
Society in partnership with East Lothian
Council and St Mary’s Church,
Haddington.
Sunday 4th September
Saltoun Hall
Designed Landscape
The Carriage House
Pencaitland Parish Church
2.00 – 5.30pm
The Gardens Trust is providing this rare
opportunity to explore the 18th century
designed landscape of Saltoun Hall.
The afternoon will start at the Carriage
House with a series of short talks
exploring the history of the estate
and the development of the gardens.
This will be followed by a guided walk
through the estate. Tea and cakes will
be available at the Carriage House.
Booking required.
Cost £5 payable on the door.
Booking required. Cost £10.
Soup and sandwich lunch can be
purchased on the day – cost £5.
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Monday 5th to Sunday 11th
September
Wednesday 7th September
Dirleton Paddock Dig
10.00am – 12.00noon
Dirleton Green, next to the Old Manse
10.00am – 3.00pm
Come and visit the excavation to see
Gullane and Dirleton History Society
uncover Dirleton’s past. The dig seeks
to explore the history of the village, and
to find remains of a building dating back
to the 17th to 18th century.
No booking required. Drop-in event.
Free.
Tuesday 6th September
Hillforts to Mansions:
A walk through the Grand
Architecture of the North
Berwick countryside
10.00am – 12.30pm
To help celebrate Scotland’s Year of
Innovation, Architecture and Design,
join the council’s Archaeology Service
for a guided walk from North Berwick
Law to the Balgone Estate, and explore
the history and changing architecture of
some of the ‘Grand Designs’ of the past!
The walk takes in a section of the John
Muir Way, woodland paths and some
quiet country roads.
Booking required. Free.
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Mysteries of Medieval Morham
Now a quiet picturesque hamlet,
Morham was once an important place
associated with some of the great
events and people of Scotland’s past.
Join East Lothian Council Archaeology
Service for a guided walk to explore the
hidden history of the village.
Booking required. Free.
Wednesday 7th September
The ‘Kingis’ Palace:
A Medieval Palace revealed
The Trinity Centre
Church Street, Haddington
7.30pm
Find out how digging in the early records
revealed a forgotten medieval royal
palace in Sidegate, Haddington.
Helen Robertson will retrace her
research, which suggests that ‘Sydgait’
was once an important royal centre,
probably dating back to King David I of
Scotland. This talk is provided by the
Haddington and District Amenity Society.
No booking required. Free.
Thursday 8th September
Saturday 10th September
The Princess, the Slave
and the Weaver: From
prehistory to potting sheds
Pinkie Cleugh Battlefield Walk
Haddington Town House
7.30pm
Dr Daniel Rhodes (NTS) will talk on
recent archaeological research by the
National Trust for Scotland.
No booking required. Cost £2
(free to Haddington History Society members)
Saturday 10th September
Family History Day: Your
History in Pictures & Film
John Gray Centre, Haddington
10.00am – 5.00pm
Join the council’s Archive and Local
History team for Family History Day.
This year we’re looking at your family
photographs and screening local films.
Kids can come along too to try out our
photobooth, watch vintage cartoons and
get crafting.
Find out how to care for your family
photographs and papers; watch East
Lothian Shorts – film footage taken from
our collections; view our Memoryscape
– memories collected for our oral history
projects. Dr Hanita Ritchie will talk about
going to the cinema in East Lothian and
the day will finish with a Scottish feature
film. Popcorn provided, why not bring
along a jeely jar and reminisce!
No booking required. Free.
To find out more email
history@eastlothian.gov.uk
or call 01620 820695
11.00am - 1.00pm
A guided walk over the site of the
Battle of Pinkie Cleugh (1547). The
tour will start from the ‘Roman’ Bridge
over the Esk in Musselburgh, and take
the route followed by the Scottish forces
in the approach to their fateful encounter
with the invading English Royal army.
The walk will end at the battlefield
Memorial Stone off Salter’s Road,
Wallyford, in time for the annual
commemoration ceremony of the
battle, led by the Old Musselburgh Club.
Walking is mostly on paved footpaths,
but includes a section of steep steps
leading up to St Michael’s Church,
Inveresk. This event is provided by
the Pinkie Cleugh Battlefield Group.
Booking required. Free.
Saturday 10th September
Commemoration at Pinkie
Cleugh Memorial Stone
1.00pm
Annual commemoration of the Battle
of Pinkie Cleugh (1547) at the memorial
stone (off Salter’s Road, Wallyford, at the
A1 junction). This event is arranged by
the Old Musselburgh Club.
No booking required. Free.
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Sunday 11th September
Tuesday 13th September
Bridges of Musselburgh
walking tour
Eyemouth’s 16th Century
Fort - Back on the Map
2.30 – 4.30pm
A walk visiting the seven bridges over
the River Esk at Musselburgh. The route
explores the relationship of Musselburgh
with the river, how this has shaped the
physical form of the town and the
historical changes that have occurred.
This 3 km walk mostly follows paved
pathways, but there are steps leading
up the Roman Bridge.
This event is provided by the
Musselburgh Conservation Society.
Booking required. Free.
Dunbar Town House
7pm
After years of neglect, awareness of the
historical importance of Eyemouth Fort
has been raised, thanks to the work of
Eyemouth’s Community Council, local
residents and the Scottish Borders
Council Archaeology Service. After
linking up with the S.C.A.P.E. team
and working with local schools, a new
‘Friends’ group continues to promote
what is one of the best examples of a
Trace Italienne Fort in the country.
Chairwoman Fiona Glover will discuss
the project at this opening talk of the
History Society’s new season.
Booking required for non-members
as places are limited. Free.
Sunday 11th September
A walk around old
photographs of Gullane
2.30 – 4.00pm
Join Gullane and Dirleton History Society
for a guided walk around the centre of
Gullane finding the spots from which
old photographs have been taken and
observing and discussing the changes
which have taken place over time.
Booking required. Free.
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Thursday 15th September
A walk around old
photographs of Gullane
10.30am – 12noon
See Sunday 11th.
Saturday 17th September
Sunday 18th September
East Linton’s Agricultural,
Horticultural and Artistic
Heritage
Tour of Pinkie House & Chapel
The Stables, Prestonkirk Church
East Linton
Tours at 2:00 and 3:00pm
The tour will include the exterior and
interior of Pinkie House, with its fine
grounds, plaster ceilings and painted
gallery and the interior of Loretto Chapel,
with its fine organ, memorials and large
stained glass windows. The tour is
provided by Musselburgh Conservation
Society.
Learn about East Linton’s agricultural,
horticultural and artistic heritage with a
talk and visit to Prestonkirk graveyard.
Meet at The Stables at Prestonkirk
where teas will be available and there
will be an exhibition on the work of the
Horticultural Society in East Linton.
This event is organised by the East
Linton Horticultural Society and East
Lothian Antiquarian and Field Naturalists’
Society.
Loretto School, Musselburgh
2:00 - 4.00pm
Booking required. Free.
No booking required. Free.
Saturday 17th September
Monday 19th September
Mysteries of Medieval Morham Hillforts to Mansions:
A walk through the Grand
10.00am – 12noon
Architecture of the North
See Wednesday 7th.
Berwick countryside
10.00am – 12.30pm
See Tuesday 6th.
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Exhibitions
99 OBJECTS: A History of
the Coastal Communities
Coastal Communities Museum
North Berwick
Until November
Explore the history of our Coastal
Community and take a journey through
this exhibition of 99 OBJECTS, each
one presenting a piece of the unique
story our local heritage.
Musselburgh Racecourse
Bicentenary
Musselburgh Museum
Opening September 2016
Musselburgh Racecourse plans to mark
its landmark 200th anniversary with this
exhibition celebrating its long and proud
heritage.
Castles, Conflict and
Community: Delving into
Dunbar’s Military History
Dunbar Town House Museum & Gallery
6 July – 30 September
Through personal accounts, this
exhibition will examine the impact of
war not only on the soldiers and their
families, but how it has shaped the
community of Dunbar.
East Lothian Council
Archaeology Service
Reproduction paintings of
James Howe 1780- 1836
Community Room, Dunbar Town
House Museum & Gallery
23 July – 4 September
Born in Skirling in 1780, James Howe
became best known as an animal
painter. This exhibition displays high
resolution prints of some of his
best known paintings
Celebrating the Centenary of
the US National Park Service
John Muir’s Birthplace Museum, Dunbar
5 August – 30 September
The US National Park Service celebrates
its centenary on 25 August 2016.
Come and discover why John Muir
fought passionately to preserve these
areas for our future.
The Garden of Scotland
John Gray Centre, Haddington
13 August – 10 January
East Lothian’s community gardening
heritage.
Wild Prestongrange:
Encounter the animals and
plants of Prestongrange
Prestongrange Museum
25 March – 30 September
Discover the animals, plants, flowers and
mini-beasts that inhabit Prestongrange
in this lovely exhibition. Learn some
surprising facts, hear natural sounds and
have fun with our family activities.
www.eastlothian.gov.uk/archaeology