Category: Talks

Professor Ian Ralston entertained us with an engrossing talk on the development of interpretations of the Doon Hill archaeological remains,…Continue readingNeolithic, Dark Age or both? A tale of eastern Scottish timber halls at Doon Hill, East Lothian, and Balbridie, Aberdeenshire

Based on his work of many years at the National Records Office, Frank Bigwood distilled some of the minutae of…Continue readingTaken to Court: a Window on Life in the Past

The Fortification of the Firth of Forth by Gordon Barclay and Ron Morris (as reviewed by the Society of Antiquaries) describes…Continue readingThe most powerful naval fortress in the British Empire:  fortification of the Firth of Forth, 1880-1977

In a fitting contribution to the East Lothian Archaeology and Local History Fortnight, three of four Port Seton metal detectorists,…Continue readingSearch for Seton Palace

Ian Gardner, Director of Rosslyn Chapel Trust, delivered a comprehensive and very enjoyable talk on this remarkable chapel. Conceived as…Continue readingRosslyn Chapel: Past, Present and Future

Ed Bethune described the history of the Tranent to Cockenzie Waggonway from its origins and heyday in the 18th and…Continue readingThe History and Archaeology of the 1722 Waggonway and Cockenzie Salt Pans

Based on her work on the Haddington Council minutes, East Lothian Council archivist Fran Woodrow provided us with an entertaining…Continue readingHorrid Haddington

Former Conservator and Collections Care manager at the National Museum of Scotland, Helen Spencer, is an  archaeological scientist with a…Continue readingAlchemy, Seaweed and Bottles – the early Scottish glass industry along the East Lothian coast

Maritime archaeologist Dr Dan Atkinson, currently Director of Coastal and Marine with Wessex Archaeology, introduced us to the fascinating topic…Continue readingShip to Shore – an assemblage of reused ship’s timbers in MacArthur’s Store, Dunbar

Jon Cooper treated us to an enthusiastic and entertaining presentation on the development of 16th century warfare and its relevance…Continue readingLeaving Nothing but the Plague: The Survivor’s Guide to the Siege of Haddington