On the way to our next stay, we passed through two wonderful towns that are well worth the stopover.
North Berwick & Dunbar
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St Andrew’s Church, Kirk Ports, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Category B Listed building and a National Monument.
St Andrew’s at Kirk Ports continued to be the main church in North Berwick, with renovations and extensions taking place for over two centuries. In the 19th century, a population boom caused by growing industry led to its space for 500 churchgoers to become insufficient. The town’s second St Andrew’s held its last service one year and two days short of the 220th anniversary of its inauguration, on June 3, 1883. The third St Andrew’s held its first services just a week later.
The current ruin status of the second kirk was partly by design, as it was decided that upon moving the religious services to the new church, this older one was to have its roof disassembled and the rest of the building stripped of the most valuable materials. The walls would be allowed to stand to become what it is now: a ‘picturesque ruin’.
View an information pamphlet here:
War Memorial, Cnr Quality Street and East Road, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Victorian Era Street Lamp, Quality Street, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Commemoration Tree, Quality Street, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Inscription:
This sycamore tree was planted by King Edward VII on October 10th 1902 to commemoration the Royal visit to North Berwick in the year of his coronation.
Street Sign, Quality Street, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
….and not a box of chocolates in sight….
The Lodge, Walltower House, East Road, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Originally Well Tower, named due to nearby (now covered) well.
The Ship Inn, Quality Street, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Zitto Wine Bar & Restaurant, Quality Street, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
No. 12, Hotel & Bistro, Quality Street, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Former Blackadder Free Church, Cnr Forth Street & Victoria Road, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
This is now a Baptist church
Information on John Blackadder here:
St Andrew Blackadder Church, High Street, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Bronze Church Bell, St Andrew Blackadder Church, St Andrew Street, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
The bell dates to 1642
County Police Station Sign, High Street, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Pink, Police Station Flower Pots, High Street, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Dog’s Head Door Knocker, 74 High Street, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Street Sign, Kirk Ports, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
West Bay, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Bass Rock, Canty Bay, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
The rock is uninhabited, but historically has been settled by an early Christian hermit, and later was the site of an important castle, which after the Commonwealth period was used as a prison. The island belongs to Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple, whose family acquired it in 1706, and before to the Lauder family for almost six centuries. The Bass Rock Lighthouse was constructed on the rock in 1902, and the remains of an ancient chapel survive.
Craigleith, Firth of Forth, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Craigleith is part of a chain of four islands near North Berwick, along with Bass Rock, Fidra and the Lamb. Of these, it is the closest to the town’s harbour.
North Berwick across Milsey Bay, Haugh Road Beach, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Former Dunbar Tolbooth, High Street, Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland UK
The first municipal building in Dunbar was a tolbooth which dated back at least to the first half of the 16th century. After it became dilapidated, it was rebuilt in the Renaissance style with harled rubble masonry from a quarry at Innerwick to create the current structure which was completed in 1593.
Used as a council chamber and as a courthouse. It was the venue for the trials and convictions of some 73 women accused of witchcraft, for which the penalty was execution by strangulation and burning.
Mercat Cross, High Street, Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland UK
The charter of 1370 by David II King of Scots establishing Dunbar as a burgh of barony required, among other things, the erection of a “public mercat cross”, to be the location of a weekly market. “[Mercat” – Scottish version of “Market”.]
The cross that stands in front of Dunbar Town House is not the original one. It was placed there in 1912 when it was assembled from fragments of different dates, the ashlar octagonal shaft then being thought to have been part of the historic cross. Research into its’ history continues, but present evidence suggests it can best be described as being representative of a possible succession of crosses that stood in the High Street from 1370 to the mid-18th century.
Statue Dedicated to John Muir, High Street, Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland UK
A romanticized Peter Pan-like statue of world famous conservationist John Muir born in Dunbar 1838, then emigrated to the USA in 1849. Muir became a naturalist and founded the National Parks in the States, beginning with Yosemite, California. Further details from John Muir’s Birthplace museum, 128 High Street. In October 1997, the bronze statue was unveiled by Magnus Magnusson, inquisitor of the television quiz Mastermind.
Sculptor Valentin Znoba (1929-2006)was born in the Ukraine. Studied at Ukraine Institute of Fine Art between 1947 and 1953. Participated in many exhibitions in Europe, the UK and elsewhere. Between 1995 and 1997, Znoba executed several other works in Scotland, notably Freedom – a bronze of Sir William Wallace astride a rearing horse now in the possession of Abertay University, Dundee
Pub Sign, The Eagle Inn, High Street, Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Black Bull Close, High Street, Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland UK
Eyemouth Beach, Eyemouth, Scottish Borders, Scotland UK
