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Elphinstone, East Lothian

Elphinstone, East Lothian
FieldValue
countryScotland
official_nameElphinstone
static_image_nameMain Street, Elphinstone - geograph.org.uk - 4341910.jpg
population
population_ref()
coordinates
os_grid_referenceNT396702
unitary_scotlandEast Lothian
lieutenancy_scotlandEast Lothian
constituency_westminsterEast Lothian
constituency_scottish_parliamentEast Lothian
post_townTRANENT
postcode_districtEH33
postcode_areaEH
dial_code01875

Elphinstone is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, southwest of Tranent. The ruins of Elphinstone Tower, the former seat of the Elphinstone family, lie nearby.

Etymology

The village's name was first recorded in the 13th century. It may mean "estate belonging to Ælfwine", from Old English Ælfwinestun. A local fairy tale offers a more fantastical origin for the name, tracing it back to an elf who was imprisoned in stone by a witch whom he had crossed.

History

The Protestant reformer George Wishart was brought to Elphinstone by Patrick Hepburn, 3rd Earl of Bothwell en route to St Andrews where he was tried and burned at the stake on 1 March 1546.

Between 2011 and 2018 the population of the village increased from 520 to 590 and it has basic amenities, including a primary school, a community centre, a newsagent, and a miners welfare club.

Landmarks and economy

The remains of Elphinstone Tower

Located half a mile west of the village, Elphinstone Tower, built in the 13th to 15th century, is a former five-storey tower, now a ruin, with only the lower level remaining. The Elphinstone clan held the lands of Elphinstone and took their name from their lands.

Mines owned by the Edinburgh Colliery Company, Limited were formerly the main employer in the village. Many of the houses in the village were owned by the company. now Inveresk Research International is one of the main employers in the area. Elphinstone Tower Farm produces cereal crops.

References

References

  1. {{Scottish settlement population citation
  2. Black, George F.. (1971). "The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History". New York Public Library.
  3. Harrison, Henry. (1996). "Surnames of the United Kingdom". Clearfield Company.
  4. Tim Porteous. (15 September 2018). "Tim's tales: The origin of 'Meg's Chuck' in Elphinstone". East Lothian Courier.
  5. R W Cargill. "Torchbearers of the Truth: George Wishart (1513-1546)". John Ritchie Ltd.
  6. "Elphinstone in East Lothian (Scotland)".
  7. "Tranent and Elphinstone Community Action Plan 2014-1019".
  8. "Elphinstone Tower". Historic Environment Scotland.
  9. "Elphinstone". Scotweb Marketing Ltd.
  10. "Lothians Housing Evidence given by Robert Brown". Scottish Mining Website.
  11. "Elphinstone Tower farm". Savills.
Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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