Port Seton, The Pavilion, Glass Works

The ‘Pavilion’, or the ‘Inkbottle’, as it was also known, was a glasshouse by 1728 according to the work journals of the Cockenzie wright, William Dickson, which are now held by the National Records of Scotland. In September of 1728, Dickson noted six days of work which he had done on the ‘glleashous rueff or pavellen ruff’. While later sources would apocryphally link the building to the Battle of Prestonpans and the ill-fated Hanoverian officer, Sir John Cope, Craig Statham notes in his book Lost East Lothian, that locals did not use either ‘Cope’s House’ or ‘the Inkbottle’, but instead referred to the building as ‘the Pavilion’. Although originally a glasshouse, as confirmed by William Dickson’s work journals, it was later used for residential purposes. According to Statham’s research, it was demolished in 1937. The 1722 Waggonway Heritage Group has been exploring the archaeology of the area around the Pavilion, and a great deal of glass-production-related refuse has been found. An excavation report is currently (June 2021) being written.

C Statham (2011); J Turnbull (2001)

Information from Dr Aaron Allen, FHEA, Institute for Academic Development, University of Edinburgh, 1 Morgan Lane, Edinburgh.