PRESTONPANS, a parish, in the county of Haddington;
containing, with the villages of Cuthill, Dolphingstone,
and Preston, and part of the former quoad
sacra parish of Cockenzie, 2234 inhabitants, of whom
1659 are in the town of Prestonpans, 8 miles (E.) from
Edinburgh. This place derived its name, originally
Preston, or Prieststown, from its belonging to the monks
of Holyrood, who eventually erected pans on the seashore
for the manufacture of salt, after which it obtained
the name of Salt-Preston, since changed into its present
designation. In 1.544, the town, which appears
to have arisen from the establishment of the salt-works,
was burnt by the English forces under the Earl of
Hertford, on his invasion of Scotland; and the castle
and the church were at the same time destroyed. From
its situation on the high road to Edinburgh, it was,
during its occupation by the monks of Holyrood, frequently
honoured with the visits of kings of Scotland;
and there are still remaining the vestiges of buildings
supposed to have been inhabited by brethren of that
monastery. In the immediate vicinity occurred, in 1745,
the conflict called the battle of Prestonpans, in which
the royal forces were defeated with great slaughter by
the Highland troops in the interest of the Young Pretender,
and which really took place within the limits of
the parish of Tranent.
The particulars of the battle are shortly these. Sir
John Cope, the commander of the royal forces, on the
afternoon of the 20th of September, perceiving the vanguard
of the Young Pretender's army, drew up his troops
in order of battle, having his foot in the centre, with a
regiment of dragoons and three pieces of artillery on
each wing. His right was covered by Col. Gardiner's
park wall, and by the village of Preston; at some distance
on his left stood Seaton House; and the sea,
with the villages of Prestonpans and Cockenzie, lay
upon his rear. The Highlanders advancing with the
utmost alacrity and spirit, the two armies were soon
only a mile apart; the prince's occupying the ridge beyond
the town of Tranent, with a gentle descent and a
deep morass between them and their enemy. But, however
desirous Prince Charles was to indulge the impatience
of his troops by an onset the same day, it was
found impracticable from the nature of the ground, as
the morass was deep and difficult, and could not be passed
for the purpose of attacking the English in front without
risking the loss of the whole army. Charles accordingly
desisted, to the great dissatisfaction of the common Highlanders;
nor did Sir John Cope, urged as he was by the
bolder spirit of the gallant Colonel Gardiner, do otherwise
than remain on the defensive, satisfied with the
strength of his position. In the night, however, one of
Charles's officers, Anderson of Whitburgh, who was
well acquainted with the nature of the country, suddenly
bethought himself of a path that wound from the
heights where the prince's followers lay, towards the
right, by the farm of Ringan Head, avoiding in a great
measure the morass, and leading to the plain below.
By this path the Pretender caused his troops to pass;
and though some little difficulty was experienced, even
in this selected place, yet they all soon reached the firm
ground, concealed from the enemy at first by the darkness,
and, when day began to break, by a frosty mist.
The insurgents thus compelling General Cope to an
engagement, he lost no time in disposing his troops, his
order of battle being nearly the same as that adopted
when he first saw the enemy on the previous day, except
that the men's faces were now turned in a different
direction, towards the east: his infantry stood in the
centre, Hamilton's dragoons on his left, and {Gardiner's,
with the artillery before them, on his right next the
morass. As soon as the mists rolled away before the
rising sun, the Highlanders dashed forward, each clan
a separate mass; anil, raising a war-cry that gradually
became a terrific yell, made so overwhelming an onset
that but a short time elapsed before the day was decided.
They first reached the royal artillery, which they took
by storm, running straight on the muzzles of the
cannon. The cavalry commanded by Hamilton and
Gardiner soon wavered and took to flight, before the
drawn swords of the Highlanders, notwithstanding the
exertions of their leaders; and at length the infantry of
the king's army, uncovered at both flanks, were completely
beaten, not above I70 of them escaping from
the field. Thus was a perfect victory obtained by the
insurgents at every point, and in a space of time most
astonishingly short. The numbers on each side were
between 2000 and 3000: of these, Charles lost only
thirty killed, and had but seventy wounded; while the
number of slain on the royal side was nearly 400,
including the brave and estimable Col. Gardiner, who,
heading a party of foot when forsaken by his horsemen,
was cut down by a Highlander with a scythe, and
despatched with several wounds, close to his own park
wall. This battle, called of Preston, or of Prestonpans,
by the well-affected party, received the name of Gladsmuir
from the insurgents, out of respect, as it would
seem, to certain ancient predictions. " On Gladsmuir
shall the battle be," says a book of prophecies printed
at Edinburgh in I6l5; but Gladsmuir, a large open
heath, lies full a mile to the east of the actual scene of
conflict.
The PARISH is about two miles and a half in length,
and about one mile in breadth. It is bounded on the
north by the Firth of Forth, and comprises an area of
740 acres, chiefly arable, and in a state of profitable
cultivation. The surface is generally flat, and towards
the Firth, which here forms a wide bay, is defended
from the encroachments of the sea only by a low barrier
of shelving rocks: south-west of the ancient village,
however, are some trifling elevations which give a little
variety. For the most part the soil is a fertile loam,
resting partly on clay and partly on gravel, the former
deep and strong, and the latter thin and of lighter
quality. Crops are raised of wheat, barley, oats, beans,
peas, potatoes, and turnips. The system of husbandry
is in an advanced state; the lands have been drained,
and are inclosed chiefly with stone dykes, which are
preferred to hedges as taking less room, and affording
no shelter for birds. The farm-buildings are substantial
and well arranged, and all the more recent improvements
in implements have been adopted. In this parish the
substratum is shale and sandstone, connected with the
coal formation: coal was extensively wrought here formerly,
but at present one mine only is in operation.
The principal trade carried on is the dredging of oysters,
for the supply of the markets of Newcastle, Hartlepool,
and Shields; the oysters found here, which go by the
name of Pandores, are in much repute, and the taking
of them affords employment to a considerable number
of persons. The chief manufacture is that of salt, for
which several pans are still in use; the rock-salt is
imported mostly from Liverpool, in great quantities,
and manufactured here in a superior way. There are
extensive soap-works, a distillery of whisky, and an ale
brewery of much celebrity, each conducted on the most
improved principles. The manufacture of all kinds of
pottery and earthenware was also very extensive; but
at present, with the exception of two small establishments
for brown ware, it has been discontinued. A foreign
trade was formerly carried on with France and Holland,
and also a large coasting-trade, for the convenience of
which a good harbour was formed a little westward of
the ancient village, by the family of Morison, then proprietors
of Preston-Grange, from whom it took its name.
The harbour has about ten feet of water at spring tides;
it is capable of being considerably deepened, and is one
of the safest on this part of the coast. A custom-house
was early established here, the jurisdiction of which extends
from the Figgat rivulet, on the west, to the mouth
of the river Tyne on the east, including the creeks of
Figgat Burn, Musselburgh, Port-Seaton, Aberlady, and
North Berwick, which are considered as members of the
port of Preston. Great facility of intercourse is afforded
by the North-British railway. The annual value of
real property in the parish is £6766.
Prestonpans is in the presbytery of Haddington, synod
of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the patronage of Sir
George Grant Suttie, Bart., of Balgone and Preston-
Grange: the minister's stipend is £287. 18., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £25 per annum. The
church, a plain substantial edifice, was erected in 1774,
and is adapted for a congregation of 750 persons. The
members of the Free Church have also a place of worship.
The parochial school is well attended; the master
has a salary of £34. 4., with £50 fees, and a house and
garden. Schaw's Hospital, situated at the east end of
the village of Preston, fronting the street, was instituted
in 17S4, by James Schaw, for the maintenance and instruction
of twenty-four poor boys, with preference to boys
of the name of the founder, and of the names of Cunningham,
Macniell, and Stewart. The boys are inmates of
the asylum for five years, when they are apprenticed to
a trade, a small sum being paid as a fee with each. A
new building of considerable exterior elegance, and superior
internal accommodation, was erected for the
institution in 1S31; and the grounds, which are kept
with great care and taste, form a very attractive feature
in the scenery. There are also three adventure schools;
two girls' schools for sewing, &c.; and an infant school,
on the plan of the General Assembly. To the north
of the village are the remains of Preston Castle, whose
original foundation is unknown; the keep only is left.
In a garden not far from the ruins is preserved the cross
of the old town, which by some means became the property
of the fraternity of Chapmen of East Lothian, who
celebrate an annual festival on the spot. At Dolphingstone
are the ruins of several ancient houses, supposed
to have been the buildings of some religious house connected
with the monastery of Holyrood. Alexander
Hume, an eminent philologist, was for some years
schoolmaster of the parish. Sir William Hamilton,
Bart., professor of logic in the university of Edinburgh,
is a descendant of the Hamiltons, ancient proprietors of
the barony of Preston, and has recently become proprietor
of the ancient keep and the park around it.