Prestonpans

The coastal town of Prestonpans lies 9 miles east of Edinburgh, nestling between Musselburgh and Cockenzie in the beautiful county of East Lothian.

The town gained burgh status in 1552 and was actually a collection of adjoining villages including Aldhamer, Preston ("Priests' Town") and Cuthill. The name "Pans" derives from the Monks of Holyrude and Newbattle who obtained salt by evaporating sea water in large pans.

Prestonpans was once a very important industrial town with salt works, soap-making, brewing, brickworks and potteries.

Many important people have visited Prestonpans, most notably, Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745 when his Jacobite army defeated the government army at the Battle of Prestonpans.

The town still has some impressive buildings in the conservation village of Preston.

Click here for our History of Prestonpans Pages

(including The Battle of Prestonpans, it's Industrial Past, Witchcraft & Resources for Genealogists and Family Historians)

Click here for our Prestonpans Today Pages

(including Local Organisations & Business; Things to See and Do; Where to Stay)

Click here for our Prestonpans General Pages

(including Websites; Governance; Transport and Publicationsh

Click here for our Prestonpans Miscellany

(including Pans People and Little Known Fact and other stuff)

Photographs

Take a look at some photographs of Prestonpans - here or here [geo.ed.ac.uk].