![Musselburgh Tolbooth](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Musselburgh_Tolbooth.jpg)
Musselburgh (; sco, Musselburrae; gd, Baile nam Feusgan) is the largest settlement in
East Lothian,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
, on the coast of the
Firth of Forth, east of
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
city centre. It has a population of .
History
The name Musselburgh is
Old English
Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the mid-5th c ...
in origin, with ''mussel'' referring to
the shellfish.
[Musselburgh was famous for the mussel beds which grew in the Firth of Forth; after many years of claims that the mussels were unsafe for consumption, a movement has been started to reestablish the mussel beds as a commercial venture.] The ''burgh'' element appears to derive from
burh
A burh () or burg was an Old English fortification or fortified settlement. In the 9th century, raids and invasions by Vikings prompted Alfred the Great to develop a network of burhs and roads to use against such attackers. Some were new constr ...
, in the same way as Edinburgh, before the introduction of formal burghs by
David I David I may refer to:
* David I, Caucasian Albanian Catholicos c. 399
* David I of Armenia, Catholicos of Armenia (728–741)
* David I Kuropalates of Georgia (died 881)
* David I Anhoghin, king of Lori (ruled 989–1048)
* David I of Scotland ...
. Its earliest Anglic name was ''Eskmuthe'' (Eskmouth) for its location at the mouth of the
River Esk.
Musselburgh was first settled by the
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
in the years following their invasion of Scotland in AD 80. They built a
fort
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
a little inland from the mouth of the River Esk, at
Inveresk
Inveresk (Gaelic: ''Inbhir Easg'') is a village in East Lothian, Scotland situated to the south of Musselburgh. It has been designated a conservation area since 1969. It is situated on slightly elevated ground on the north bank of a loop o ...
.
They bridged the Esk downstream from the fort, and thus established the line of the main eastern approach to Scotland's capital for most of the next 2,000 years. The bridge built by the Romans outlasted them by many centuries. It was rebuilt on the original Roman foundations some time before 1300, and in 1597 it was rebuilt again, this time with a third arch added on the east side of the river. The Old Bridge is also known as the Roman Bridge and remains in use today by pedestrians. To its north is the New Bridge, designed by
John Rennie the Elder and built in 1806. This in turn was considerably widened in 1925.
Musselburgh was made a
burgh of barony c.1315 and a burgh of regality in 1562. The town attempted to become a
royal burgh
A royal burgh () was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs.
Most royal burghs were either created by ...
in 1632 but this was prevented by opposition from Edinburgh burgesses. Although Edinburgh is now known to have been a burgh by 1125, Musselburgh's antiquity is reflected in the
Scots-language traditional rhyme:
![Musselburgh](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Musselburgh.png)
Musselburgh is known as "The Honest Toun", and celebrates this by the annual election of the Honest Lad and Lass. The town motto "''Honestas'' dates back to 1332, when the Regent of Scotland,
Randolph, Earl of Moray, died in the burgh after a long illness during which he was devotedly cared for by the townsfolk. His successor offered to reward the people for their loyalty but they declined, saying they were only doing their duty. The new regent, the
Earl of Mar
There are currently two earldoms of Mar in the Peerage of Scotland, and the title has been created seven times. The first creation of the earldom is currently held by Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar, who is also clan chief of Clan Mar. T ...
, was impressed and said they were a set of honest men, hence "Honest Toun".
Archaeological excavations by
Headland Archaeology between 2003–04, as part of work to renew the water mains, found that the Medieval town was concentrated on the High Street and that occupation in the North High Street area and Fisherrow only dates to the 16th century or later. The early town was centered on the eastern side of the river Esk.
The town and its population grew considerably throughout the latter half of the twentieth century, with major local authority and private housing developments on both the eastern and western outskirts.
The
Battle of Pinkie Cleugh was fought south of Musselburgh.
Town Council
Prior to the
local government reforms of 1975, Musselburgh was a
small burgh within the county of Midlothian. As such, it elected a town council responsible for a number of areas of local governance, including housing, lighting and street cleaning and drainage. Midlothian County Council was responsible for other areas, including education. The town council met at the
Musselburgh Tolbooth
Musselburgh Tolbooth is a municipal building in the High Street in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland. The tolbooth, which was the headquarters of Musselburgh Burgh Council, is a Category A listed building. At right angles and attached to it ...
and later, for a short period before its abolition, at the Brunton Hall. The town's civic head and chairman of the council was the
provost and there were three
bailies and a treasurer.
After the local government reforms of 1975, Musselburgh was transferred to the East Lothian district of the new Lothian region, and subsequently became part of the East Lothian
unitary council area in 1996.
Demography
Population
As of the mid-2016 estimate, Musselburgh has a population of . At the 2011 census, the population was 19,159 and 93% of residents were born in the United Kingdom.
Religion
At the
2011 Census, 52% of Musselburgh residents stated they belonged to a religion, with 51% being Christians,
and there are several churches catering to different denominations.
Church of Scotland
There are three
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland.
The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...
ecclesiastical parishes in Musselburgh, each with its own church:
* North Esk
* St. Andrew's High
*
St. Michael's, Inveresk
Roman Catholicism
There is one
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
congregation which worships at Our Lady of Loretto and St Michael Catholic Church.
Scottish Episcopal Church
There is one
Scottish Episcopal congregation which worships at St Peter's Church.
Other Churches
* Harbour Church
* Hope Church
* Musselburgh Baptist Church
* Musselburgh Congregational Church
Education
Schools include
Loretto School
Loretto School, founded in 1827, is an independent boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 0 to 18. The campus occupies in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland.
History
The school was founded by the Reverend Thomas Langhorne in 1827. ...
, a private
boarding school, and
Musselburgh Grammar School, the local large
comprehensive that is one of the oldest
grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...
s in the country, dating from 1608. Primary schools include: Campie Primary School, Musselburgh Burgh Primary School, Stoneyhill Primary School, Pinkie St Peter's Primary School, Loretto RC Primary School and Loretto Nippers (private). Early learning locations (ages 3–5) include The Burgh, Stoneyhill, Loretto RC, and St. Ninian's. There are also several private nurseries for pre school aged children.
Edinburgh's
Queen Margaret University
Queen Margaret University is a university, founded in 1875 and located in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is named after the Scottish Queen Saint Margaret.
History
The university was founded in 1875, as ''The Edinburgh School of Cookery and Domestic ...
has relocated all its schools from Edinburgh to Musselburgh .
Her Majesty The Queen officially opened the QMU
campus in July 2008.
Transport
Railway
Musselburgh is served by two railway stations.
Musselburgh railway station is in the west of the town adjacent to Queen Margaret University and has regular
ScotRail services from to . It is a relatively new station, having opened in 1988. The other station serving the town is
Wallyford railway station
Wallyford railway station is a railway station serving the town of Wallyford, East Lothian near Musselburgh in Scotland. It is located on the East Coast Main Line, east of Edinburgh Waverley. It was opened by Railtrack in 1994 and is served ...
to the east of the town in the village of
Wallyford
Wallyford is a village near Musselburgh and approximately east of Edinburgh in East Lothian, Scotland.
History
The village was initially populated by coal miners and later grew as an overspill/commuter town for workers in Musselburgh and Edi ...
, which opened in 1994.
The town's
original station was close to the town centre at the end of a short branch from Newhailes Junction. Passenger services from there ceased in 1964, and the line closed to all traffic in the early 1970s. The former railway line is now a road bypassing the
Fisherrow
Fisherrow is a harbour and former fishing village at Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland, to the east of Portobello and Joppa, and west of the River Esk.
History
There has been fishing at Fisherrow and Musselburgh since Roman times, and the p ...
area of the town. There was also
a station at Fisherrow.
Bus
The town is served by
Lothian Buses
Lothian Buses is a major bus operator based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is the largest municipal bus company in the United Kingdom: the City of Edinburgh Council (through Transport for Edinburgh) owns 91%, Midlothian Council 5%, East Lothi ...
,
East Coast Buses
Lothian Buses is a major bus operator based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is the largest municipal bus company in the United Kingdom: the City of Edinburgh Council (through Transport for Edinburgh) owns 91%, Midlothian Council 5%, East Lothi ...
and Prentice Coaches Ltd.
Roads
The
A1 by-passes the town and meets the
A720 Edinburgh City Bypass at the edge of the town before continuing to Edinburgh city centre. The A199 goes through the High Street to
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
in the west and to
Dunbar
Dunbar () is a town on the North Sea coast in East Lothian in the south-east of Scotland, approximately east of Edinburgh and from the English border north of Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Dunbar is a former royal burgh, and gave its name to an ecc ...
to the east. This was originally the
A1 until the town's bypass was built in the mid-1980s.
Sport
The Musselburgh Silver Arrow is reputed to be the oldest sporting trophy in United Kingdom, and is competed for annually by the
Royal Company of Archers
The Royal Company of Archers, The King's Bodyguard for Scotland is a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign's bodyguard in Scotland—a role it has performed since 1822 during the reign of King George IV when the company provided a per ...
. It dates back to at least 1603.
Musselburgh is home to both
Musselburgh Racecourse
Musselburgh Racecourse is a horse racing venue located in the Millhill area of Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland, UK, close to the River Esk. It is the second biggest racecourse in Scotland (the first being Ayr) and is the fourteenth bigges ...
and
Musselburgh Links
Musselburgh Links, The Old Golf Course in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland, is generally accepted as being one of the oldest golf courses in the world. The course is not to be confused with The Royal Musselburgh Golf Club or the Levenhall ...
golf course. The links, a former venue of
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping ...
's
Open Championship
The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later th ...
, have recently been acknowledged as the oldest continuously played golf course in the world.
Musselburgh Athletic F.C. are the town's football team, competing in the
East of Scotland League
The East of Scotland Football League (EoSFL) is a senior football league based in the east and south-east of Scotland. The league sits at levels 6–9 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Lowland Football League.
Fo ...
at their Olivebank Park ground in the west of the town. Musselburgh also boast some of the best grassroots teams for young players, such as the Musselburgh Windsor and the Musselburgh Youngstars.
Musselburgh RFC
Musselburgh Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland. The team play their home games at Stoneyhill and currently compete in the , the top tier of Scottish club rugby.
Musselburgh RFC first applied ...
play in the
Scottish Premiership
The Scottish Premiership, known as the cinch Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is the top division of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), the league competition for men's professional football clubs in Scotland. The Scottis ...
at Stoneyhill.
The Musselburgh Roads Cycling Club was formed in January 1936 by a breakaway group of 16 from the Musselburgh Clarion. After forming an alliance with other clubs during the war, the MRCC reformed again in its own right in January 1945. The club has a long and successful history of competitive cycling. Notable riders include: Jock Allison, who in 1945 won the
British Best All Rounder title and is to date still the only Scottish club rider to do so; Janet Sutherland, who dominated Scottish woman's cycling in 1951–4; and Sandy Gilchrist, who in 1977 won 5 individual and 4 team Scottish Championships. Many other riders from the club have won national championships or have been selected to compete at world championship level or the
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games, often referred to as the Friendly Games or simply the Comm Games, are a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and, with the exce ...
. Today, club members take part in track racing, road racing, time trials, cyclo cross and mountain biking. Their base is at the Tolbooth in the High Street.
There is also a locally run
darts
Darts or dart-throwing is a competitive sport in which two or more players bare-handedly throw small sharp-pointed missiles known as darts at a round target known as a dartboard.
Points can be scored by hitting specific marked areas of the bo ...
league, the Musselburgh and District Darts League, comprising an A and B league, each containing eight teams. Many players from this league represent the Lothian team at county level.
In Musselburgh there is also an amateur swimming club called Musselburgh Amateur Swimming Club. The club is home to the Musselburgh Marlins and trains at Musselburgh Sports Centre. The members of the club vary in ages from 6 all the way up to adults. The club is very inclusive in the community and was first established in 1886 and in its current format in 1994 where they trained at Loretto Swimming Pool which is now closed.
The East Lothian Seagulls of the Scottish
Floorball League are based in Musselburgh and train and play matches at the sports centre at Queen Margaret University.
Notable people
![Topographicaldv200lewi orig 0302](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Topographicaldv200lewi_orig_0302.png)
;Acting
*
James Martin, best known for his role as Eric in
Still Game
;Medicine
*
David Macbeth Moir
David Macbeth Moir (5 January 17986 July 1851) was a Scottish physician and writer.
Biography
Moir was born at Musselburgh on 5 January 1798, the son of Elizabeth Macbeth (1767–1842) and Robert Moir (''d''. 1842). He was educated at Muss ...
, physician and writer
;Military
*
John Grieve, recipient of the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
;Writers and artists
*
Alexander Carrick
Alexander Carrick (20 February 1882 – 1966) was a Scottish sculptor. He was one of Scotland's leading monumental sculptors of the early part of the 20th century. He was responsible for many architectural and ecclesiastical works as well as m ...
, sculptor
*
Margaret Oliphant
Margaret Oliphant Wilson Oliphant (born Margaret Oliphant Wilson; 4 April 1828 – 20 June 1897) was a Scottish novelist and historical writer, who usually wrote as Mrs. Oliphant. Her fictional works cover "domestic realism, the historical nove ...
, novelist and historical writer, who usually wrote as Mrs Oliphant
;Sports
*
Gary Anderson, darts player
*
Alistair Brown, footballer
*
Billy Brown, football coach
*
John Clark, footballer
*
Jason Holt, footballer
*
Willie Jamieson, footballer
*
Jim Jefferies, football manager
*
John McGlynn
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
, football manager
*
Michael McKenna, footballer
*
Paul McLean, footballer
*
Bill McPhillips
William Pearson McPhillips (6 July 1910 – 1992) was a Scottish professional football goalkeeper who played his club football for Newcastle United. He was in the Newcastle squad that won the FA Cup in 1932.
Professional career
McPhillips was re ...
, footballer
*
Kenny Miller
Kenneth Miller (born 23 December 1979) is a Scottish professional football coach and former player. Miller, who played as a striker, is one of only five post-war players to have played for both Rangers and Celtic.
Miller began his career at ...
, footballer
*
Alan Morgan, footballer
*
Ross Muir, professional snooker player
*
Scott Murray, rugby union player
*
Yvonne Murray, athlete
*
Colin Nish
Colin John Nish (born 7 March 1981) is a Scottish former football player, coach and manager. Nish played for Dunfermline Athletic, Alloa Athletic, Clyde, Kilmarnock, Hibernian, Hartlepool United, Dundee, Dumbarton and Cowdenbeath. Whilst pla ...
, footballer
*
Willie Ormond
William Esplin Ormond (23 February 1927 – 4 May 1984) was a Scottish football player and manager. As a player, Ormond was well known as one of Hibernian's Famous Five forward line, winning three league championships in the late 1940s an ...
, footballer and manager
*
Kirsten Reilly
Kirsten Jane Reilly (born 20 August 1995) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Crystal Palace in the FA Women's Championship.
Early life and education
Born in Edinburgh to Kathryn and John Reilly, Kirsten was raised with her si ...
, footballer
*
Kris Renton
Kris Joseph Renton (born 12 July 1990) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a striker for Tranent Juniors. He was the youngest Norwich City player in the club's history.
Norwich City Youth team at Norwich
Having been spotted playing in the ...
, footballer
*
George Walker George Walker may refer to:
Arts and letters
* George Walker (chess player) (1803–1879), English chess player and writer
*George Walker (composer) (1922–2018), American composer
* George Walker (illustrator) (1781–1856), author of ''The Co ...
, footballer
*
John White, footballer
;Various
*
Callum Beattie
Callum Beattie is a Scottish singer-songwriter signed to 3 Beat Records. He has released six singles, two EPs and his debut album '' People Like Us'' was released in May 2020. Callum also has over 34 cats.
Career
Beattie released his first sing ...
, singer-songwriter
*
Rhona Cameron
Rhona Cameron (born 27 September 1965) is a Scottish comedian, writer and TV presenter. She rose to prominence via the stand-up comedy circuit, and was a regular on British television in the 1990s.
Television career
In 1992, she won ''So You ...
, comedian
*
Kirsten Imrie
Kirsten Fifi Imrie (born 26 October 1967 at Queen Charlotte's Hospital, Kensington, London) is a former '' Page 3'' girl, glamour model, and television presenter.
Career
Imrie was born on 26 October 1967 in west London, and raised in Musselburg ...
, professional model and former
Page Three
Page 3, or Page Three, was a British newspaper convention of publishing a large image of a topless female glamour model (known as a Page 3 girl) on the third page of mainstream red-top tabloids. '' The Sun'' introduced the feature, publishi ...
girl
Areas
Fisherrow
Fisherrow is a harbour and former fishing village at Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland, to the east of Portobello and Joppa, and west of the River Esk.
History
There has been fishing at Fisherrow and Musselburgh since Roman times, and the p ...
,
Inveresk
Inveresk (Gaelic: ''Inbhir Easg'') is a village in East Lothian, Scotland situated to the south of Musselburgh. It has been designated a conservation area since 1969. It is situated on slightly elevated ground on the north bank of a loop o ...
,
Levenhall Links,
Pinkie, Stoneyhill, Clayknowes, Denholm, Stoneybank,
Queen Margaret University
Queen Margaret University is a university, founded in 1875 and located in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is named after the Scottish Queen Saint Margaret.
History
The university was founded in 1875, as ''The Edinburgh School of Cookery and Domestic ...
Student Village, Monktonhall, Pinkie Braes
Twin towns
Musselburgh is twinned with:
*
Champigny-sur-Marne
Champigny-sur-Marne (, literally ''Champigny on Marne'') is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.
Name
Champigny-sur-Marne was originally called simply Champigny. The name Champigny ul ...
(France)
*
Rosignano Marittimo
Rosignano Marittimo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Livorno in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Livorno.
Geography
Rosignano Marittimo borders the following municipalities ...
(Italy)
"Champigny was already twinned with Rosignano, so a three-way link was considered advantageous."
[
]
Gallery
File:Musselburgh harbour.png, A panoramic view of Fisherrow harbour and its pleasure craft
File:Harbour Masters Office.jpg, Harbour Master's Office at Fisherrow
File:Pinkie House, Musselburgh.jpg, Pinkie House
Pinkie may refer to:
Biology
* Pinky finger or little finger
* Pinkie, a baby mouse used as a food for exotic pets
* Bilby or pinkie, an animal in Southern Australia
* Pinkie, a rosemary cultivar
People
* Pinkie Barnes (1915–2012), English ...
, now one of the buildings of Loretto School
File:ScottishEpiscopalChurch.jpg, Scottish Episcopal church on the High Street
File:Eskmills1.jpg, Eskmills, a former factory complex, is transformed into a business park
File:Musselburgh station.png, Musselburgh railway station, showing a local eastbound (North Berwick) train, and a westbound (Edinburgh) intercity (125) train
File:Brunton hall.png, Brunton Hall provides access to East Lothian Council
East Lothian Council is one of the 32 local government councils in Scotland covering the East Lothian area. Since the last boundary changes in 2017, 22 councillors have been elected from 6 wards.
History
East Lothian District Council had been ...
's services, as well as a theatre and restaurant
File:Brunton hall2.png, Brunton Hall, from the west of the town
See also
*John Muir Way
The John Muir Way is a continuous long-distance route in southern Scotland, running from Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute in the west to Dunbar, East Lothian in the east. It is named in honour of the Scottish conservationist John Muir, who was ...
*List of places in East Lothian
''Map of places in East Lothian compiled from this list''
The List of places in East Lothian is a list for any town, village, hamlet, castle, golf course, historic house, hill fort, lighthouse, nature reserve, reservoir, river, and other place of ...
References
Notes
Citations
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
*
Census data (PDF)
Musselburgh Festival
Video footage of Fisherrow Harbour
{{authority control
Towns in East Lothian