Haddington, St Laurence's Hospital

NT57SW 11 5015 7372.

(NT 5015 7372) Hospital (NR) (site of)

OS 6" map (1969)

In terms of the re-foundation of St Laurence's Hospital (NT57SW 23), in 1470-2 victual is to be given to the lepers of Haddington dwelling in the leper house (D E Easson 1957; Haddington Burgh Writs).

There is no reference to this site in the ONB's for Haddingtonshire of 1853 but Robb (1883), without evidence, states, "We have still standing in the village of St Laurence House the Leper Hospital" but in 1891 the Architectural Association state, "Only a two-storeyed tenement marks the existence of this (St Laurence's) hospital in addition to which there was a leper hospital." OS published "Leper House" in 1893 (25" map). Mackinlay confuses the two sites calling St Laurence's Hospital an establishment for lepers, and therefore erroneously places the Leper House a mile W of Haddington - which location is derived from Acts Parl Scot and refers to St Laurence's Hospital.

There is therefore no good siting evidence.

H F Kerr 1891; J M Mackinlay 1914

No further information was found. Houses have been erected on the published site.

Visited by OS (BS) 7 July 1975

NT 501 737 A watching brief was undertaken by AOC (Scotland) Ltd during the construction of a bungalow at Ardmore on West Road. The site lies on the principal Haddington to Edinburgh road and opposite a leper hospital, recorded on early maps. No archaeological deposits or features were identified on site.

Sponsor: C Gaskin Architect.

C Lowe and M Dalland 1995.