Past Events

To get an idea of recent events organised by the society – these are the past event listings from Feb 2023:
A summary of past events categorised articles including exceursion reports in chronological order from Jan 2019 onwards.
  • The Hidden Histories of Keith Marischal
    The history of the estate of Keith Marischal has been a topic of dispute for almost two hundred and seventy years. On the 9th February 2019 there will be a joint presentation on the hidden histories of the property. Keith Marischal was the ancestral seat of the Keith family from at least the twelfth century.…
  • From the old to the new, the story of Tyninghame Village – 9th March 2019
    Detailed research into the Kirk Session Minutes of the old parish of Tynninghame, that was joined to that of Whitekirk in 1761; together with documents held in the NRS, and field walking, has helped to discover more about the site of the early village, and when and what led to the establishment of the present…
  • Visit to Portmore Gardens Sat 22nd June
    Saturday 22nd June at 2.30 PM – Portmore Gardens, near Eddleston, Scottish Borders with Ian Hardie By invitation of the proprietor Mrs. C Reid, Portmore Gardens are located 1 mile north od Eddleston on the A703 (heading south on the left, post code EH45 8QU The entrance is identified by a lodge and stone pillars.…
  • Visit to Marchmont House Sat 13th July
    Saturday 13th July at 2.30 PM – Marchmont House, near Greenlaw, Berwickshire with Ian Hardie By invitation of the proprietors. Marchmont House is arguably one of Scotland’s finest mansions. It is an imposing Grade A listed Palladian masterpiece built in 1750 by Hume-Campbell, 3rd Earl of Marchmont. The current proprietors purchased the House and estate…
  • AGM & Lecture by Architect Tom Donaldson, Chalmers Memorial Church Sat 18th May
    The AGM will be held at 2.30pm on Saturday 18th May 2019 at Chalmers Memorial, Church 29 Gosford Road, Port Seton EH32 OHG A talk about the church will be given by Tom Donaldson, retired architect and elder of the church followed by a tour. Come and learn more about this excellent example of Arts…
  • ELAFNS Annual Dinner – with David Campbell 12th April 2019
    East Lothian Antiquarian & Field Naturalist Society Annual Dinner for 2019 will take place at the Maitlandfield House Hotel, Haddington on Friday 12th April 2019 at 7 for 7 30pm. Late News: Tim Porteous has had to call off due to an urgent family matter. He has however arranged for what will be an excellent substitute…
  • Tyninghame Visit 7th Sep 2019
    Saturday 7th September A walk at Tyninghame looking at the mansion house, the ruin of St Baldreds Kirk and the site of the old village of Tyninghame.
  • Measuring the Past, Modelling the Future – John McCreadie – Saturday 12th October
    The talk will describe how we create high resolution 3d digital models using laser scanning combined with drone and terrestrial photography. We work in the heritage sector creating “digital twins” of real world buildings, structures, objects and landforms to help with their conservation and management.
  • Alister Hadden “A little bit of Wallyford History” – Saturday 23rd November
    Saturday 23rd November Alister Hadden “A little bit of Wallyford History” Alister will give an illustrated talk on Wallyford’s history, industrial heritage in coal mining and brick manufacture. He is from Wallyford and present Chairman of Wallyford Community Council, and has been involved in having a mining memorial installed within Wallyford, along with mining coal…
  • Stephanie Leith – “St Martin’s Church, Haddington” – Saturday 14th March 2020
    PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF DATE TO THE 14TH MARCH 2020 This well-preserved ruin is a rare survival of a 12th century church in Scotland. Belonging to the Cistercian nunnery of St Mary’s, St Martin’s was used by both the nuns and the people of Haddington, and can give us an insight into how the…
  • Liz Curtis – “East Lothian’s place-names: A journey through time.” Saturday 8th Feb 2020
    Please note the change of date to: Saturday 8th Feb 2020 Liz will present an illustrated talk outlining how East Lothian’s place-names have developed over the last 2,000 years. Successive waves of settlers, including Britons, Anglians, _ ” Scandinavians and Gaelic-speaking Scots, have all contributed 71 to the rich mix of place-names we know today.…
  • East Lothian Place Names
    Members of the East Lothian Antiquarian and Field Naturalists Society gathered at the Maitlandfield House Hotel on 8th February for another in their series of Winter lectures. Honorary President, Stephen Bunyan, welcomed Liz Curtis of Dunbar who is a member of the Scottish Place Names Society. She gave a fascinating talk on the history behind…
  • The SOE at Belhaven Hill – on Zoom 8th April 2021
    Early in WW2, the school was evacuated from Belhaven Hill, and the building was requisitioned by the War Department. It became a special training school for the Special Operations executive (SOE). The SOE was established by Winston Churchill soon after Dunkirk, with the instruction to “Set Europe Ablaze”. Trained SOE agents would be dropped in…
  • Talk on Papple Steading Project 13th May
    Zoom talk by George Mackintosh on the Papple Steading project The Society is delighted that Member George Mackintosh is to give a Zoom talk on his Papple Steading project: 7.15 for 7.30 PM, Thursday 13th May ‘21. Born in Inverness, George was brought up on a farm which has clearly influenced his passion for conservation…
  • Papple Steading Planned Visit
    As there are still many Covid cases in the County, the planned visit to Papple Steading is postponed until later in the summer Picture Credit: Kognos, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Aberlady Bay Nature Reserve: from sea to tree and everything in between
    The Society is pleased to present this zoom talk by John Harrison, Warden, Aberlady Bay Local Nature Reserve, on Thursday 11th November, 2021, 7.15 PM for 7.30 PM For a small coastal site, the nature reserve boasts an impressively diverse rangeof species, which are associated with an excellent diversity of different habitats.
  • East Lothian’s geological journey: from tropical paradise to icy wastes
    Zoom talk by Fiona McGibbon, Open University Associate Lecturer and Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Open Learning, Edinburgh University. East Lothian’s geological journey: from tropical paradise to icy wastes. The Society is pleased to present this talk on Thursday 13 January, 2022, 7.15 PM for 7.30 PM Fiona will take us on a virtual…
  • Saltcoats Castle and the Livingstones
    Zoom talk by David Sowerby, a professional engineer, an amateur Archaeologist and a student of castles, who lives in East Lothian. Saltcoats Castle and the Livingstones The Society is pleased to present this talk on Thursday 3rd March, 2022, 7.30 PM. The talk will mostly focus on the castle itself, with some supporting information about…
  • ELAFNS AGM & Outline Summer Programme
    This year the AGM will be held on Saturday 14th May 2022 at 2.30pm. Venue the Stables, behind Prestonkirk church.  There is ample parking. The AGM will be followed by a talk on the History of Whitekirk Church by Thomas Torrance, former Session Clerk there and a presentation with images of the graveyard.  Followed by…
  • Visit to Papple Steading Saturday 11th June
    Guided tour by George Mackintosh ending with tea / coffee and cake. Largely outside – internal viewing optional. Self discovery of adjacent Papple Wood. An opportunity to find out more about George Mackintosh’s potential home, in this exciting development.
  • East Lothian’s geological journey: see it for yourself
    A follow-on from January Zoom talk by Dr Fiona McGibbon. Coastal geology field visit led by Fiona McGibbon, Open University Associate Lecturer and Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Open Learning, Edinburgh University.
  • Visit to Prestongrange Church and Churchyard
    Saturday 27th August 2022.  1.30 pm An opportunity to explore this historic church, built as a simple rectangle with west tower by the Rev John Davidson in 1596. Discover clues to the original building that can still be found within the present church.  Early east extension in 1635, underlying mining that led to rebuilding the…
  • The ancient Sundials of Scotland
    Dennis Cowan has been hunting for ancient Scottish sundials for around 20 years and has several thousand photos of around 600 Scottish sundials. Many of these sundials are of types unique to Scotland and as such are found nowhere else in the world. Many of these sundials from Dennis’s collection of photos will be shown.…
  • Woodhall Dean – largely unseen
    Talk by Lesley Fairweather, a retired biology teacher, with a keen interest in local flora and fauna. The Society is pleased to present this talk on Saturday 5th November 2022, at the Maitlandfield House Hotel, Haddington. Non-members welcome – a small donation appreciated Lesley Fairweather Lesley is a retired Biology teacher and has a strong…
  • Berwickshire Naturalists’ Club – Two Talks this autumn
    Our “sister” society, the Berwickshire Naturalists’ Club has two talks scheduled which might be of interest to our members.
  • The Amazing Strutter
    The amazing Strutter project – talk by Gerald Lohan, a member of the team building a working replica of the World War 1 fighter plane, the Sopwith Strutter. The Society is pleased to present this talk at 2.30 pm on Saturday 3rd December 2022, at the Maitlandfield House Hotel, Haddington Non-members welcome – a small…
  • The Roman Treasure from Traprain Law
    Talk by Dr Fraser Hunter, Principal Curator, Iron Age & Roman Collections, National Museum of Scotland. The Society is pleased to present this talk at 2.30 PM on Saturday 25th February, 2023 at the Maitlandfield House Hotel, Haddington. Non-members welcome – a small donation appreciated. Dr Fraser Hunter Dr Fraser Hunter is based in the…
  • Life in Mesolithic East Lothian
    The Society is pleased to present this talk at 2.30 PM on Saturday 18th March, 2023 at the Maitlandfield House Hotel, Haddington.Non-members welcome – a small donation appreciated. Rob Engl, MA (Hons) FSA, MCIFA Rob graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1999 and has subsequentlyworked in commercial archaeology for 23 years. This has included…
  • Woodhall Dean Visit: 14 May 2023
    Visit led  by Lesley Fairweather: a follow-on from her Woodhall Dean talk. Woodhall Dean visit: SUNDAY 14th May 2023 After Lesley’s very successful talk the Society is delighted that she has offered to take members on a guided walk through this wonderfully cared for valley of natural tranquillity. Almost certainly there will be a spectacular display of…
  • Visit to Oxenfoord Castle
    Gardens and Grounds, Thursday 15th June 2023 2.30pm It is with pleasure that Members are invited to a private visit hosted by Harriet Dalrymple. Oxenfoord Castle, which commands a magnificent position above the river Tyne on the A68 near Pathhead, is A listed and was designed by Robert Adam between 1780 -82 and included part…
  • Ancient Woodland – a Living Link with the past
    Tucked away in the folds of the Lammermuir hills is a hidden gem: Woodhall Dean, a wonderful old oakwood – a precious remnant of the ancient woodland which once covered most of Scotland. The wood is a nature reserve owned by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and, at 60 hectares, is the largest area of semi-natural…
  • The Battle of Prestonpans Jacobite Museum
    The Society has arranged a visit to the Battle of Prestonpans Jacobite Museum, Town Hall, High St., Prestonpans, EH32 9AY on Saturday 15 July 2023 at 2 for 2.30pm. Members will be offered a cup of tea from 2pm, after which Dr Arran Johnston, one of our members, will give us an introductory talk in…
  • James Hutton: the forgotten Berwickshire farmer
    The talk will cover Hutton’s contributions both as an innovative farmer and a skilled natural philosopher. His contribution on heat and plant growth was a world-first and his insights into fertility and the physico-chemical properties of soils was far ahead of his contemporaries. He also provided the experimental justification for measuring atmospheric humidity by “wet…
  • Visit to Eaglescairnie Mains, 14 Oct 2023
    Society members had a memorable afternoon exploring the farm hosted by Michael Williams and his daughter Nicola. Between them, Michael, his wife Barbara and daughter / husband manage this fascinating enterprise – a fairly small farm of some 140 Ha. Members heard, up-front, that the business objective was to unite wildlife and landscape conservation with…
  • The “Rule of Thumb”
    A Neolithic Basis for the Imperial Measurement System The Society is pleased to present this talk by East Lothian resident Tim Flinn, a retired teacher and lecturer in such subjects as economics, psychology and statistics. It will be held at 2.30 PM on Saturday 18th November, 2023 at the Maitlandfield House Hotel, Haddington. Non-members welcome…
  • The Men of Warre
    A Talk by Jenn Scott, Historian On Saturday 9th December at 2.30 pm at the Maintlandfield Hotel, Haddington ‘They were as well dressed as it is possible to be in such a country’In this talk, Jenn Scott, her most recent book, The Men of Warre,: the clothes, weapons and accoutrements of the Scots at War…
  • Captain Eric “Winkle” Brown
    By George Robertson, 2.30 pm Saturday 20th January 2024, Maitlandfield Hotel, Haddington. Captain Eric “Winkle” Brown RN is perhaps the most famous and accomplished Test Pilot of his generation. After a short but distinguished career in the early years of WW2, he became a test pilot at a time when new aircraft types were constantly…
  • The Centenary Conference
    The Centenary Conference of East Lothian Antiquarian and Field Naturalists’ Society East Lothian through the Ages: Program 11 May 2024 at St Mary’s HaddingtonSponsored by McInroy & Wood 09.00-09.30     Registration 09.30-09.35     Welcome (including a brief history of the Society) The Honorary President – The Duke of Hamilton and Brandon 09.35-10.15     The historical significance of the place-names of East LothianDr Simon Taylor,…
  • Pottery Production in Prestonpans and Portobello
    within the historical context of the overall Scottish output The Society is pleased to present this talk by Graeme Cruickshank, 2.30 PM on Saturday 16th March, 2024 at the Maitlandfield House Hotel, Haddington. “Prestonpans was the acknowledged centre of the Scottish pottery industry in the 18th century led by the Cadells, Gordons and Watsons. This tradition…
  • The Pevsner Architectural Guide to Lothian with Professor Aonghus MacKechnie
    This book event is being promoted by the Lamp of Lothian and is on Thursday 11 April at 7.30pm – it is free of charge This is the first revision of Colin McWilliam’s pioneer volume in the Buildings of Scotland series, fully resurveyed and based on extensive new research. Professor Aonghus MacKechnie, who revised the…
  • Opportunity to join a Berwickshire Naturalists’ Club ( BNC ) visit to Belsay Hall and Gardens.
    ELAFNS is endeavouring to forge a closer relationship with BNC and on occasions we may for instance reciprocally invite attendance at each other’s events. Such an opportunity has arisen. On Saturday 8th June BNC is hiring a bus to visit Belsay Hall and Gardens ( close to Morpeth ). This bus will leave Berwick upon…
  • The Centenary Event
    The conference on 11th May 2024 celebrated the 100th anniversary of the formation of the East Lothian Antiquarians and Field Naturalists’ Society. There was a full day of lectures and presentations from distinguished academics and experts in their fields on the theme of “East Lothian Through the Ages”. The event was a sell-out with over…
  • Visit to General Register House
    East Lothian Antiquarian & Field Naturalists’ Society visit to General Register House, Edinburgh on 18th July 2024. Following on from the “Balfour Legacy” talk by National Records of Scotland archivists Society members enjoyed a superb visit to General Register House on 18th July 2024. A team of three archivists led the proceedings. The visit was…
  • Links to Conference Videos
    You can view all of the Conference Videos by clicking the links below: Title Author Link Welcome (including a brief history of the Society) The Honorary President – The Duke of Hamilton and Brandon https://youtu.be/Ut9H1Wx-zV4 The historical significance of the place-names of East Lothian Dr Simon Taylor, Reader (Celtic and Gaelic), University of Glasgow https://youtu.be/UfTpdnIwkwg…
  • Visit to The Ridge
    Hosted by Kate Darrah The visit to the Ridge at Dunbar on Tuesday 20th August 2024 was very well attended by about 18 members. We were hosted by Managing Director Kate Darrah and her deputy Katie Wood. the group assembled in the Ridge office in Dunbar High Street, where Kate Darrah gave a very interesting…
  • The Lagoons at Musselburgh
    Led by John Hunt on Saturday 21 September 2024. A good number of members enjoyed another successful outing to the Lagoons at Musselburgh led by our field naturalist Council member John Hunt. The Lagoons have literally risen from the ashes from the old Cockenzie power station. These man-made wetlands have become one of the best…
  • A Hundred Years of Moth Recording in East Lothian
    The first Society Lecture of the new season took place at the new venue of Holy Trinity Church in Haddington on 19th October. The talk on 100 years of moths in East Lothian was given by entomologist Katty Baird from North Berwick. Moths like butterflies are part of the Lepidoptera family. However there are thousands…