Cockenzie, Salt Pans

NT37NE 1 c. 398 757

In 1630, 'George, 3rd Earl of Winton, established in Cockenzie twelve salt pans, where none previously existed'. There were 10 pans in 1790, six in 1840, and now there are only two. (Salt Pans are published on OS 6" 1853 at NT 398 757.)

P M'Neill 1883

The salt-making industry at Cockenzie has now died out.

Third Statistical Account (TSA) 1953

The salt pans at Cockenzie were established in 1630 by the 3rd Earl of Winton. From an original twelve there were 10 in 1790 and six in 1840. The remains of three of these are visible today, the remains of the others presumably lie under the Social Club which has been constructed on reclaimed land. Salt Pan 1- an oval rock cut hollow sloping slightly from the west to the east and now filled with sand and rocks. Two channels lead from the hollow to the sea. One runs north for approximately 20m, the other runs NE - SW for 40m, half way along the channel is a carved stone forming a cap over the channel. Salt Pan 2- lying 20m west of Salt Pan 1, a rock cut channel filled with angular rubble and used for a sewage outflow pipe, this may be an earlier channel re-used. The settling pool may lie to the south under a soil dump where land has been built up. Salt Pan 3- a sub-circular rock cut hollow approximately 8m in diameter with a channel (3m long x 1.4m wide) leading from the north side to the sea, a fragment of iron pipe lay in the channel. The salt pans showed signs of being water worn by the sea.

A dressed stone wall is incorporated into the east end of Cockenzie Harbour and extends to the north. It lies approximately 20m west of the salt pans and therefore this may be the remains of a pan house. A stairway access to the shore has been built through the wall and the sea is eroding the west section of it.

Site recorded by GUARD during the Coastal Assessment Survey for Historic Scotland, 'The Firth of Forth from Dunbar to the Coast of Fife' 22nd February 1996.

Depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Haddingtonshire 1854, sheet 9), and described in the Object Name Book of the Ordnance Survey (ONB) as ' A salt establishment consisting of 4 saltpans, the property of Mr Cadell of Cockenzie (ONB 1853).

Information from RCAHMS (DE), December 2007

EXTERNAL REFERENCE:

Scottish Records Office:

1719

Work at Cockennie Salt Works for Mr Adam

Alexander Hog, wright

Robert Burn, mason

Thomas Burn, mason

Alexander Marshall, slater

Richard Wood, smith

George Clerk, smith

Alexander Adam, smith

David Mitchell, smith

Also 4 "panwood leaders", 5 salters, a "saltrix" [ ], a junior and 2 salters' servants, all in debt to Mr Adam.

RH 9/1/151