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Haddington

Haddington straddles the River Tyne and is the administrative, and almost geographic, centre of East Lothian; until 1921 East Lothian was known as Haddintonshire. The town became a royal burgh during the reign of David I (1124-1153) and in 1178 Ada, the daughter-in-law of David, founded a nunnery; St. Martin’s kirk in the Nungate area of the town is all that remains of this and is believed to be the oldest building in Haddington. To continue the royal connection, Alexander II, the great-grandson of David I and grandson of Ada, was born in Haddington in 1198.

To the southeast of the town centre, on the west bank of the Tyne and next to the 12th century Nungate Bridge, is St Mary's Collegiate Church, the Lamp of the Lothians. Building started in the late 14th century and, despite not being completed until 1462, the church was consecrated around 1400. The church was damaged during the siege of Haddington that lasted for 18 months from April 1548, the longest siege of any town in Britain. During the siege, the Treaty of Haddington was signed to agree to the marriage between the 5-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots, and Francis, the 4-year-old Dauphin of France; the marriage took place in April 1558.

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