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Haddington, East Lothian

Haddington
Haddington.jpg
A view of Haddington
Haddington is located in East Lothian
Haddington
Haddington
Haddington shown within East Lothian
Population 9,944 
OS grid reference NT511739
Civil parish
  • Haddington
Council area
Lieutenancy area
  • East Lothian
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town HADDINGTON
Postcode district EH41
Dialling code 01620
Police Scottish
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
EU Parliament Scotland
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
Coordinates: 55°57′29″N 2°46′26″W / 55.958°N 2.774°W / 55.958; -2.774

The Royal Burgh of Haddington (Scots: Haidintoun) is a town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is the main administrative, cultural and geographical centre for East Lothian, which as a result of late 19th century Scottish local government reforms, actually took the form of the county of Haddingtonshire for the period from 1889 to 1921. It lies about 20 miles (32 km) east of Edinburgh. The name Haddington is Anglo-Saxon, dating from the 6th or 7th century AD when the area was incorporated into the kingdom of Bernicia. The town, like the rest of the Lothian region, was ceded by King Edgar of England and became part of Scotland in the 10th century. Haddington received burghal status, one of the earliest to do so, during the reign of David I (1124–1153), giving it trading rights which encouraged its growth into a market town.

Today Haddington is a small town with a population of less than 9,000, although during the High Middle Ages it was the fourth biggest city in Scotland after Aberdeen, Roxburgh and Edinburgh. In the middle of the town is the Town House, built in 1748 according to a plan by William Adam. When first built, it inheld a council chamber, jail and sheriff court, to which assembly rooms were added in 1788, and a new clock in 1835. Nearby is the Corn Exchange (1854) and the County Courthouse (1833). Other nearby notable sites include the Jane Welsh Carlyle House, and Mitchell's Close.

Haddington is located predominantly on the northeast bank of the River Tyne, and was once famous for its mills. It developed into the fourth largest town in Scotland during the High Middle Ages, and latterly was at the centre of the mid-18th century Scottish Agricultural Revolution.


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