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North Berwick

North Berwick is located at the northern most point on the East Lothian mainland. The town’s name is derived from the Old English bere (barley) and wic (farm); the North was added to distinguish the town from Berwick-upon-Tweed although the latter was also known as South Berwick. North Berwick was made a burgh by Robert II in 1373 and a royal burgh by James I some time around 1424.

Lying in the Firth of Forth are the islands of Craigleith (to the north); Lamb and Fidra (to the northeast); and Bass Rock (northwest). These are all noted for their sea bird colonies and, back on the mainland, North Berwick is home to the Scottish Seabird Centre. The centre opened in 2000 and a network of cameras show live images of the birds on the islands. Boat trips are also run from the centre to the islands and the centre also has exclusive rights to land on Bass Rock; tours for the latter, 5-hour, trips leave from Dunbar, but must be booked in advance through the centre.

There has been a harbour in North Berwick since at least the 12th century and for about 500 years a ferry crossed to Earlsferry in Fife to allow pilgrims to travel to St. Andrews. On Auld Kirk Green, also known as Harbour Green, are the remains of 12th century St. Andrews Kirk where the travellers preyed for a safe crossing. This part of the harbour area was also said to have been used by the witches that were accused of trying to raise a storm to kill James VI; the 70 people accused during the subsequent witch trials included Francis Stewart, the 5th Earl of Bothwell. A Celtic Cross beside the church is dedicated to Catherine Watson who drowned in July 1889 while rescuing a young boy.

From the south, the town is overlooked by North Berwick Law, known locally as The Law, a 187m/613 ft volcanic rock that, like Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, has been shaped by ice; the western side, the direction from which the ice flowed, is steep and craggy while the eastern side forms a gently sloping tail. At the summit of the hill is a fibre-glass whale bone arch that was erected in 2008 to replace the real whale bone arches that had stood there since 1935; these in turn had replaced previous arches that had stood on top of the hill since the first were erected in 1709.

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