WHITEKIRK

Description(s) from The National Gazetteer (1868)

"WHITEKIRK, (and Tynninghame) an united parish in the county of Haddington, Scotland. It comprises the ancient parishes of Aldham, Hamer, or Whitekirk, and Tynningham. It extends in length about 5 miles from N. to S., with an extreme breadth of 4½ miles, and is bounded by North Berwick on the N., by the German Ocean on the E., by the estuary of the Tyne and Dunbar on the S., and by Prestonkirk on the W. The principal elevations are Whitekirk Hill, on the northern border, and Lawhead in the S., which do not exceed 250 feet above sea-level. Binning Wood was planted on a bare spot with oak, ash, beech, elm, and firs, in 1707. The coast, which begins a little N. of the Peffer, is rocky and bluff, in some parts reaching an altitude of 100 feet above sea-level. The rocks chiefly consist of trap and sandstone. The parish is traversed by the roads from Dunbar to North Berwick, and from Edinburgh to Berwick, and is within easy access of the East Linton station, on the North British railway. The village of Whitekirk is about 9 miles N.E. of Haddington, and 4 S.E. of North Berwick. It is situated on the rivers Tym and Peffer, under Whitekirk Hill and Whitberry Point, opposite the Bass rock. This parish is in the presbytery of Dunbar and synod of Lothian and Tweeddale. The stipend of the minister is about £337. The parish church, erected in the latter part of the 15th century, was formerly dedicated to the Virgin, and is the place where the widow of James I. outwitted Chancellor Crichton by carrying off her son, James II., in a box to Stirling. There are two parochial schools. The principal seats are Tynningham, Newbyth, and Seacliff Houses."

"SCOUGAL, a chapelry in the parish of Whitekirk and Tynningham, county Haddington, Scotland, 4 miles S.E. of Berwick. It is situated at the mouth of the river Peffer. In the vicinity are the ruins of Scougal House, and of a chapel near Scougal Rocks.

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]