Scotland > 1837 - Pigot and Co.'s national commercial directory for the whole of Scotland and of the Isle of Man

HADDINGTONSHIRE,
CDr East Lothian, lies in the south-eastern pari of Scotland ; bounded on the north by the Frith
of Forth, on the east by that strait and also by the North Sea, on the south by Berwickshire, and on
the west by Edinburghshire, or Mid Lothian: from east to west it extends twenty-five miles; frem
north to south, at the middle, sixteen— at the east end it is not more than ten miles across, and at the
west end about twelve : its surface presents an area of about two hundred and eighty square miles.
The early history of this county is so intimately connected with that of Edinburgh as to render unne-
cessary a lengthened recurrence to this subject. The Saxons denominated the whole country, lying
along the sea and the forth, Lothian; afterwards it was divided into three parts, called, from their
relative situation to each other, East Lothian, Mid Lothian, and West Lothian. In 1020 this district
with other parts of the Lothians, was ceded to Malcolm II. In succeeding centuries tlie shire
suffered the horrors of pillage and conflagration, on all occasions of the armies of England being sent
to invade the country, or to molest or punish the capital. In 1296, and again, in 1650 the sanguinary
battles of Dunbar were fought within the county ; and in the critical year of 1745 it was the scene of the
conflict at Prestonpans — since which period it has enjoyed almost uninterrupted repose and tranquillity.
SoiL, PRODUCE, MANUFACTURES, &c. — In point of soil, cultivation and produce, this county holds
the first rank in Scotland; and in some of these respects, particularly the mode of husbandry, it will
bear a comparison with the most favoured districts of England. In an agricultural point of view, the
county may be divided into four districts. The first is a sloping tract of land, with a fertile soil. The
second is a ride of ground north of the Tyne, descending partly towards that river, and partly towards
the coast-land; it comprehends a great proportion of the arable land of the county. The third consists
of a tract varying in breadth, elevated above the midlands, and continuing along the base of the
mountains nearly the whole extent of the county. Th^ fourth comprises an extensive range of moun-
tains, which commences at the south-west extremity of the shire, and terminates in a high promontory
called St. Abb's Head ; the greater part of this is moor, but some spots between the hills are kept
under a regular rotation of crops. Having nearly two sides begirt by the sea, the county derives a
great part of its beauty and opulence from this circumstance. So commodiously has nature disposed
the surface of East Lothian into ranges of hills and fertile dales, that some tourists, from topographical
retrospection, have declared Haddingtonshire to be the Northampton of Great Britain. The fertility
of East Lothian in the seventeenth century is ascertained by a passage in ' Whitelock's Memoirs,' where
it is stated that the soldiers who accompanied Cromwell in his expedition into Scotland, in 1650, were
astonished to find in that district ' the greatest plenty of corn they ever saw, not one of the fields being
fallow.' But it is since the period of the union that in this district, particularly, agricultural improve-
ments have manifested themselves extensively and beneficially, and called forth the exertions and science
of spirited individuals, proprietors of the soil: these have introduced the best systems of husbandry,
and employed the most approved implements and machines — have drained, and planted and enclosed,
until East Lothian has become one of the most beautiful and productive shires in North Britain. The
application of steam-power here, to the laborious operations of thrashing, &c. presents to the eye the
aspect of a manufacturing district, from the number of tall chimnies which rise in every direction.
Exclusive of farming, which is the chief pursuit of the inhabitants, many on the coast are employed iu
fishing, fish-curing, salt-making, and commercial occupations ; but manufactures are not extensive in
any part of the county : linen and woollen manufactories once existed, but have been long discontinued;
the principal articles now exported from East Lothian are corn, whisky, ale, porter, coal, earthenware,
soap, and fish. The west of the shire abounds with coal ; besides which, limestone and red granite
constitute the chief mineral substances. Several streams intersect the county, but none of them merit
the title of river except the Tyne, which, passing Haddington, falls into the sea at Tynninghame, whei'e
it forms a bay. The shire is destitute of natural lakes, but this deficiency seems no way injurious to
the district, and is amply made up by the Frith of Forth, which yields a large supply of fish.
Haddingtonshire comprises twenty-three complete parishes and two parts of parishes, and three
Royal Burghs — Haddington, Dunbar and Ncirth Berwick: these join with Lauder (in Berwick-
shire), and Jedburgh (in Roxburghshire), in sending one member to parliament, and the county
returns another. The greatest elevations in East Lothian, above the level of the sea, are — Traprain
Law, 700 feet; North Berwick Law, 940; and Shartleton Hill, 1,615.
POPULATION OF HADDINGTONSHIRE,
IN THE YEARS 1801, 1811, 1821, AND 1831, EXHIBITING THE INCREASE IN THIRTY YEARS.
The Italic letters b. and p. respectively signify Burgh and Parish.
Aberlady p.
Atlielstaneford p.
Berwick (North) b. Sf p.
Bolton p.
Dirleton p.
Dunbar b. ^p.
'Fa.\a. faj p.
Garvald p.
Gladsmuir p.
Haddington 6. 1,-p.
H umbie p.
Innerwick p.
Moreham p.
1801.
1811.
1821.
1831.
Increase
30 Years.
98
875
912
1033
973
897
867
909
931
34
1583
1727
1694
1824
241
252
265
315
332
80
1115
1211
1315
1384
269
3951
3965
5272
4735
784
120
150
128
125
5
749
666
797
914
165
147(1
1516
1623
1658
188
4049
4370
5255
5883
1834
785
837
837
875
90
846
865
924
987
141
254
219
241
262
8
Oldhamstocks ,''bj p.
Ormiston ••••P-
Pencaitland p.
Prestonkirk p.
Prestonpans p.
Salton p.
Spott p.
Stenton p.
Tranent p.
Whitekirk and Tynning- }
hame p.^
Whittingham p.
Yester ».
Total Populatiom of Haddingtonshire.
1801.
1811.
1821.
1831.
575
602
72.5
720
766
727
779
838
925
970
1145
1166
1471
1642
1812
1765
1964
1995
2055
2322
768
790
834
786
502
561
582
612
620
685
687
686
3046
3036
3366
3620
925
957
1048
1109
658
616
750
715
929
1013
IIOOJ 10191
30095
31164
35226
362421
145
78
241
295
358
18
1)0
66
574
184
57
90
Note. — ('aj Fala parish is mostly in Edinburglishire ; tke entire parish contains 437 inhabitants,
(b) The parish 0/ Oldhamstocks is partly in Berwickshire, but the whole is entered here.
The total annual value of Real Property in this county, as assessed in April, 1815, amounted to £251,126.
59
465