Cockenzie and Port Seton

Cockenzie and Port Seton (Scots: Cockennie[1] [koˈkɪni]; Scottish Gaelic: Cùil Choinnich, meaning "cove of Kenneth")[2] is a unified town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is on the coast of the Firth of Forth, four miles east of Musselburgh. The burgh of Cockenzie was created in 1591 by James VI of Scotland. Port Seton harbour was built by George Seton, 11th Lord Seton between 1655 and 1665.

Cockenzie and Port Seton Scottish Gaelic: Cùil Choinnich Scots: Cockennie
Cockenzie and Port Seton from the air
Cockenzie and Port Seton Show map of East Lothian Cockenzie and Port Seton Location within Scotland Show map of Scotland
OS grid reference	NT399755
Civil parish	Tranent
Council area	East Lothian Council
Lieutenancy area	East Lothian
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Prestonpans
Postcode district	EH32
Dialling code	01875
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	East Lothian
Scottish Parliament	East Lothian

The town had a population of 4,493 in 2001.[3] Since the last Census in 2001, there have been many new houses built. The population is now about 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.

Power station

To the west of the town, between Cockenzie and Prestonpans is the site of Cockenzie power station, a large coal-fired power station which was a major employer from the 1960s until it closed in 2013, and enabled the town to survive and prosper. Demolition of the main plant is now complete and ownership transferred to East Lothian Council who are now looking for businesses to occupy the site.[4] Plans for an Energy Park on the site, to be used for the construction and repair of wind turbines, were scrapped in March 2015.[5]

Fishing

Port Seton Harbour

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 look and feel, 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.[6]

Tourism

To the east of Port Seton there is a large caravan campsite/holiday park at Seton Sands. The promenade area and the creation of a coastal walk, a part of the John Muir Way, have improved the environment in recent years.[6]

To the south east is Seton Collegiate Church, a collegiate church also known as Seton Chapel, an Ancient Monument in the care of Historic Scotland. Next to it was Seton Palace, now Seton House.

Transport

Cockenzie and Port Seton are served by direct bus links to and from Edinburgh, Prestonpans and Musselburgh. These services are operated by Lothian Buses (routes 26 and X26). The nearest railway station is at Prestonpans.

Churches

Chalmers Memorial Church

Cockenzie Methodist Church

Cockenzie and Port Seton have several churches of different denominations, including:

• Chalmers Memorial Church (Church of Scotland)
• Old Parish Church (Church of Scotland)
• Methodist Church
• Two Gospel halls

Leisure

In 2006, Cockenzie and Port Seton along with the neighbouring towns of Prestonpans and Longniddry were twinned with the town of Barga, Tuscany, Italy.[7]

In 2005, The 3 Harbours Arts Festival was inaugurated by Cockenzie, Port Seton and Prestonpans. It takes place in early June.

The town has a community centre with activities such as a youth club, football pitches and a skatepark within the grounds.

Notable people

• John Dalgleish Donaldson, professor and the father of Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark was born there in 1941
• John Bellany, artist, was born in Port Seton in 1942
• Robert Cadell, Sir Walter Scott's publisher, lived in Cockenzie
• Thomas Cadell, recipient of the Victoria Cross

See also

• Preston Lodge High School
• Tranent to Cockenzie Waggonway
• List of places in East Lothian
• List of places in Scotland

References

Citations

1. The Online Scots Dictionary
2. Cockenzie and Port Seton East Lothian Council. Retrieved January 17, 2008, from:http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/content/0,1094,113,00.html Archived 2008-02-09 at the Wayback Machine
3. 2001 Census - Cockenzie and Port Seton(PDF). East Lothian Council. Retrieved January 17, 2008, from:"Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 August 2004. Retrieved 21 October 2004.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
4. "Cockenzie Power station demolition gets under way - Edinburgh Evening News". Edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
5. "Cockenzie Energy Park plans scrapped (From East Lothian Courier)". Eastlothiancourier.com. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
6. Cockenzie and Port Seton. East Lothian Council. Retrieved January 17, 2008, from:http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/content/0,1094,113,00.html Archived 2008-02-09 at the Wayback Machine
7. Prestonpans: Battles of the '45

Sources

• Chalmers, George (1887). Caledonia : or, a historical and topographical account of North Britain, from the most ancient to the present times with a dictionary of places chorographical & philological. 4. Paisley: Gardner. pp. 522–526. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
• Cunynhame, Hugh (1791). The Statistical Account of Scotland. 10. Edinburgh : Printed and sold by William Creech; and also sold by J. Donaldson, and A. Guthrie, Edinburgh; T. Cadell, J. Stockdale, J. Debrett, and J. Sewel, London; Dunlop and Wilson, Glasgow; Angus and Son, Aberdeen. pp. 83–99. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
• Groome, Francis Hindes (1894). "Cockenzie". Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland. 1. Edinburgh: Thomas C. Jack. p. 274. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
• Groome, Francis, Hindes (1895). "Tranent". Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland : a survey of Scottish topography, statistical, biographical, and historical. 6. Edinburgh: T.C. Jack. pp. 448. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
• Henderson, John (1845). "Parish of Tranent". The New Statistical Account of Scotland. 2. Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons. pp. 282–303. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
• Lewis, Samuel (1851). "Cockenzie". A topographical dictionary of Scotland, comprising the several counties, islands, cities, burgh and market towns, parishes, and principal villages, with historical and statistical descriptions: embellished with engravings of the seals and arms of the different burghs and universities. 1. London: S. Lewis and co. pp. 216-217. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
• Lewis, Samuel (1851). "Portseton". A topographical dictionary of Scotland, comprising the several counties, islands, cities, burgh and market towns, parishes, and principal villages, with historical and statistical descriptions: embellished with engravings of the seals and arms of the different burghs and universities. 2. London: S. Lewis and co. pp. 390 554-555. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
• Miller, James (1900). Lamp of Lothian: or, the history of Haddington, in connection with the Public Affairs of East Lothian and of Scotland, from the earliest records to 1844. Haddington: W. Sinclair. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
• M'Neill, Peter (1884). Tranent and its surroundings : historical, ecclesiastical (2 ed.). Edinburgh: J. Menzies. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
• McNeill, P. (1902). Prestonpans and Vicinity: Historical, Ecclesiastical and Traditional. Tranent: P. McNeill. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
• Sands, J., of Ormiston, Tranent (1881). Sketches of Tranent in the olden time. Edinburgh: J. Hogg. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
• Scott, Hew (1915). "Tranent and Seton". Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. 1. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd. pp. 395–398. Retrieved 27 February 2019.

External links

• Cockenzie and Port Seton Local History Society