Heritage consultant David Hicks brings us the stories behind some of East Lothian’s historic properties. Can you imagine a troop of enemy tanks advancing across Luffness Golf Course? It is an odd thought today, but this was exactly what was being envisioned in May 1940. The coastline of East Lothian was considered a prime risk…

Heritage consultant David Hicks brings us the stories behind some of East Lothian’s historic properties. Appointing Frank Tindall as East Lothian’s first county planning officer in 1950 must have been an easy decision, as he was the only applicant. It was also truly momentous in terms of how the county looks today. Frank was a…

Heritage consultant David Hicks brings us the stories behind some of East Lothian’s historic properties. Aberlady’s Parish Church is a distinctive and attractive historic building, but in many ways, it is actually a relative newcomer. There has been a church in the village for at least 1,200 years, which makes the present-day building seem likea…

Heritage consultant David Hicks brings us the stories behind some of East Lothian’s historic properties. V isiting Innerwick Castle is a little like stepping into the pages of Sleeping Beauty. You stumble across the ruins perched on a rocky outcrop above the wooded Thornton Glen, a place long since abandoned and left to be reclaimed…

Heritage consultant David Hicks brings us the stories behind some of East Lothian’s historic properties. Some buildings are an architectural set piece, the vision of one designer and reflective of a point in time, but Carberry Tower is the complete opposite. It is a jigsaw puzzle of different time periods and architectural styles, and to…

Heritage consultant David Hicks brings us the stories behind some of East Lothian’s historic properties. The phrase ‘hidden gem’ can be a little overused, but it really is an apt description of Chalmers Memorial Church. This is a building with a distinctive sense of place, built and decorated to serve the local fishing community. It…

Heritage consultant David Hicks brings us the stories behind some of East Lothian’s historic properties. In terms of architectural history, Gullane deserves a place on the map for its significant collection of Arts and Crafts homes. The movement was at its height in Scotland when the Edwardian tourism boom brought the wealthy to the village,…

Heritage consultant David Hicks brings us the stories behind some of East Lothian’s historic properties. One of the most noticeable landmarks as you travel up the A1 is Bankton House near Prestonpans, a splash of colour in the landscape that grabs your attention as you head into Edinburgh. Once described as ’a standing disgrace’ to…

Heritage consultant David Hicks brings us the stories behind some of East Lothian’s historic properties. Historic houses often have a tale of survival against the odds, but there can be few as dramatic as Archerfield House. Only twenty years ago, this grand old building was a derelict shell with boarded-up windows and a grand entrance…