Cockenzie and Port Seton
Encyclopedia
Cockenzie and Port Seton (Middle Scots: Cockenȝie, the "ȝ" being the letter yogh
Yogh
The letter yogh , was used in Middle English and Older Scots, representing y and various velar phonemes. It was derived from the Old English form of the letter g.In Middle English writing, tailed z came to be indistinguishable from yogh....
, Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
pronunciation koˈkɪni; , meaning cove of Kenneth) is a unified town in East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, situated on the coast of the Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
, four miles north east of Musselburgh
Musselburgh
Musselburgh is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, six miles east of Edinburgh city centre.-History:...
. The burgh of Cockenzie was created in 1591 by James VI of Scotland. Port Seton harbour was built by George Seton, 11th Lord Seton
George Seton, 4th Earl of Winton
George Seton, 4th Earl of Winton was a Scottish Royalist, Privy Councillor, and Sheriff of Haddingtonshire.He was in Europe for his studies, a boy of under ten years of age, when he succeeded his grandfather in the family estates in 1650...
between 1655 and 1665.
The town has a population of 4,493 as of 2001. Since the last Census in 2001, there have been many new houses built. The population is currently around 5,460. Cockenzie and Port Seton has continued to grow over the years and is now a dormitory town for Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
Power station
To the west of the town, between Cockenzie and PrestonpansPrestonpans
Prestonpans is a small town to the east of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the unitary council area of East Lothian. It has a population of 7,153 . It is the site of the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans, and has a history dating back to the 11th century...
is the site of Cockenzie power station
Cockenzie power station
Cockenzie power station is a coal-fired power station in East Lothian, Scotland, capable of co-firing biomass. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, near the town of Cockenzie and Port Seton, east of the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. The station has dominated the local...
, a large coal-fired power station
Coal-fired power station
A coal-fired power station produces electricity, usually for public consumption, by burning coal to boil water, producing steam which drives a steam turbine which turns an electrical generator...
which has been a major employer since the 1960s, and has enabled the town to survive and prosper.
Fishing
Cockenzie and Port Seton has grown from what were initially two small fishing villages. The older parts of the town, between the two harbours, retain a more traditional feel and look, similar to many other small fishing villages on the east coast of Scotland. Although the fishing industry has declined in recent years the harbour at Port Seton still retains a small fleet of vessels, mainly fishing for prawns. In the past Cockenzie was also involved in the salt making and coal mining industries.Tourism
To the east of Port Seton there is a large caravan campsite/holiday park at Seton SandsSeton Sands
Seton Sands is a rocky beach to the east of Port Seton, East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated at the western end of Longniddry Bents and is part of the John Muir Way coastal walk....
. The promenade area and the creation of a coastal walk, a part of the John Muir Way
John Muir Way
The John Muir Way is a continuous coastal path in East Lothian, Scotland, UK. It is named in honour of the Scottish 19th-century conservationist John Muir, who was born at Dunbar, East Lothian, in 1838 and became a founder of America's national park system...
, have improved the environment in recent years.
To the south east is Seton Collegiate Church
Seton Collegiate Church
Seton Collegiate Church, known locally as Seton Chapel, is a collegiate church south of Port Seton, East Lothian, Scotland. It is adjacent to Seton House.-Description:...
, a collegiate church
Collegiate church
In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons; a non-monastic, or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a dean or provost...
also known as Seton Chapel, an Ancient Monument
Ancient monument
An ancient monument is an early historical structure or monument worthy of preservation and study due to archaeological or heritage interest. In the United Kingdom it is a legal term, differing from the American term National Monument in being far more numerous and always man-made...
in the care of Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
. Next to it was Seton Palace
Seton Palace
Seton Palace was situated in East Lothian, a few miles south-east of Edinburgh near the town of Prestonpans. Often regarded as the most desirable Scottish residence of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the palace was erected in the 15th century by George, 4th Lord Seton and was similar in...
, now Seton House.
Transport
Cockenzie and Port Seton are served by direct bus links to and from EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Prestonpans
Prestonpans
Prestonpans is a small town to the east of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the unitary council area of East Lothian. It has a population of 7,153 . It is the site of the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans, and has a history dating back to the 11th century...
and Musselburgh
Musselburgh
Musselburgh is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, six miles east of Edinburgh city centre.-History:...
, including services operated by First Bus
First Bus
First Bus can mean:*New World First Bus, third largest bus operator in Hong Kong*FirstBus, a United Kingdom bus company that was renamed First Group in 1998...
(routes X24, 128 and 129) and Lothian Buses
Lothian Buses
Lothian Buses Plc is the only municipal bus company in Scotland and the largest provider of bus services in Edinburgh, Scotland. City of Edinburgh Council own 91.01% of the company with the remainder being owned by East Lothian and Midlothian councils. As well as serving Edinburgh, Lothian Buses...
(routes 26 and X26). The nearest railway station is at Prestonpans
Prestonpans railway station
Prestonpans railway station is a railway station serving the town of Prestonpans, East Lothian, Scotland. It is located on the North Berwick Line 16 km east of Edinburgh Waverley. It serves the town of Cockenzie and Port Seton 1.37 miles away....
.
Churches
Cockenzie and Port Seton have several churches of different denominations, including:- Chalmers Memorial Church (Church of ScotlandChurch of ScotlandThe Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
) - Old Parish Church (Church of Scotland)
- Methodist Church
- Two Gospel halls
Leisure
In 2006, Cockenzie and Port Seton along with the neighbouring towns of PrestonpansPrestonpans
Prestonpans is a small town to the east of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the unitary council area of East Lothian. It has a population of 7,153 . It is the site of the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans, and has a history dating back to the 11th century...
and Longniddry
Longniddry
Longniddry is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, with a population of 2,613 .Longniddry is primarily a dormitory village for commuters to Edinburgh, with good transport links by road and rail to the capital...
were twinned with the town of Barga
Barga
Barga is a medieval town and comune of the province of Lucca in Tuscany, central Italy. It is home to around 10,000 people and is the chief town of the "Media Valle" of the Serchio.-Geography:...
, Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Five years ago, the Three Harbours Festival was inaugurated by Cockenzie, Port Seton and Prestonpans. It takes place in early June.
The town is also home to the popular and active Cockenzie & Port Seton Amateur Radio
Amateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
Club (CPSARC) which draws members from the local area and across the country.
Notable people
- Mary, Crown Princess of DenmarkMary, Crown Princess of DenmarkMary, Crown Princess of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat, is the wife of Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark...
's family originates from Port Seton; her father John Dalgleish DonaldsonJohn Dalgleish DonaldsonJohn Dalgleish Donaldson is an Australian professor and father of Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, the wife of the heir apparent to the throne of Denmark, Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark.-Family and marriages:...
was born there in 1941 - Robert CadellRobert CadellRobert Cadell was a bookseller and publisher closely associated with Sir Walter Scott. He was born at Cockenzie, East Lothian, Scotland, the fifth son of John Cadell, a Laird of Cockenzie, and Marie Buchan, his wife....
, Sir Walter Scott's publisher, lived in Cockenzie - John BellanyJohn BellanyJohn Bellany, CBE, RA is a Scottish painter.He was born in Port Seton. During the 1960s, he studied at Edinburgh College of Art and then at the Royal College of Art in London....
, artist, was born in Port Seton in 1942
External links
See also
- Preston Lodge High SchoolPreston Lodge High SchoolPreston Lodge High School is a six-year non-denominational school located in the town of Prestonpans. It serves students from Prestonpans, Port Seton, Longniddry and the surrounding areas...
- Tranent to Cockenzie WaggonwayTranent to Cockenzie WaggonwayThe Tranent to Cockenzie Waggonway was the first railway in Scotland, opened in 1722. It was 2½ miles long and connected two towns in East Lothian, transporting coal from the pit heads at Tranent to Cockenzie harbour via Meadowmill. Horse drawn wagons were used which held 2 tons of coal...
- List of places in East Lothian
- List of places in Scotland