Archaeology Notes

Event ID 719111

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/719111

NT57SW 3 51 74 to 51 73

NT57SW 3.01 NT 5144 7410 Town Port

NT57SW 3.02 NT 5116 7386. Court Street, West Port

NT57SW 3.03 NT 5168 7415. Hardgate, North-East Port

NT57SW 3.04 NT 5175 7359. Sidegate, South Port

(NT 5152 7412 - NT 5160 7413) Town Wall (NR) (remains of)

OS 6" map (1969)

(NT 5116 7387 - NT 5117 7390) Town Wall (NR)

OS 6" map (1855)

Only about 2 chains of the Town Wall of Haddington still stand.

Name Book 1853

The course of the town wall is for the most part represented by a modern wall. Between NT 5152 7412 and NT 5160 7413 is a portion of wall, the base of which, as seen from the S, is constructed of large rounded boulders and mortar and could well be part of the original town wall, the top part of the wall being relatively modern. The portion of the town wall shown on the OS 1st edition has been obliterated by building (J Miller 1900).

Visited by OS (BS) 9 July 1975

In 1597 the Town Council resolved to build a town wall. The wall, which was largely built in the opening years of the 17th century, proceeded from the North-East Port along the south side of what is now Tenterfield Ground until it reached the Newton Port and ultimately the West Port. The wall then turned round, enclosing the southern part of the town until it reached a point where the Sidegate ends. The line of the wall from this point is not clear although it formed the eastern boundary of the former Franciscan friary and continued along the left bank of the Tyne until it rejoined the North-East Port. Portions of the wall survive today (for ports, see NT57SW 3.1 - 3.4).

R Gourlay and A Turner 1977; J Jamieson, Haddingtonshire Courier, 2 March 1926.