A couple of weeks ago we stopped off in Haddington in passing. A friend had told us that St Mary’s Church there was worth seeing. Unfortunately it wasn’t open that day, but it was still worth a visit.
The photo doesn’t give the idea of how large it is. The church was founded in the 1380s but was more or less a ruin by 1548, a victim to the ‘Rough Wooing’ by King Henry VIII, his attempt to persuade the guardians of the infant Mary, Queen of Scots to allow him to marry his son Prince Edward to Mary, thus securing Scotland for himself and England.
The setting is lovely with the River Tyne running right past the church grounds.
I know that people love to have a river view from their homes but I always wonder how often the river pays you a visit!
I love old stone bridges too, so it might be worth being flooded out every now and again for this view – or maybe not! There’s a swan just in view if you look closely. If you’re in the area Haddington is well worth a visit, it’s really historic and has some eclectic shops. We had a lovely lunch there.
SKIRVING country!
I really must try to have a proper look around sometime too. My Watsons came from Haddington, but so too did William Skirving (c. 1745 – 1796) who was one of the five Scottish Martyrs for Liberty. He was educated in Haddington. And the portrait artist Archibald Skirving 1749-1819. What does that church and churchyard hide?.
Jeremy,
SNAP! By word of mouth through my grandfather anyway, he said we were originally from Haddington. I went to Register House in Edinburgh and was able to see and photocopy some of the documents relating to William Skirving, mainly letters that had been sent to him after he moved to Fife and as you know he was secretary of Friends of the People, his downfall. We didn’t see any Skirving gravestones there but we didn’t have time to look at them all as we were on our way to a funeral.
A pity it wasn’t open but what a grand exterior! I also love old bridges.
I paused to think what might have happened if Mary and Edward had married – but he died long before she would have been old enough for more than a betrothal. If Henry had seized her as an infant, she would have been brought up as a Protestant and (after Edward’s death) I suppose married off to someone extremely loyal to the Tudors. Unless she simply disappeared like other rivals to the throne!
Constance,
I have a feeling that whoever Mary married it would not have gone well for her. It didn’t help that she had no father to compare men with, but I suppose she was always going to attract the wrong sort. There’s an alternative history book that you should write!