West Pans: Excavations at a Ceramic Production Site in Musselburgh, East Lothian
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ProcWEST Soc PANS: Antiq ScotEXCAVATIONS 139 (2009), 333–376 AT A CERAMIC PRODUCTION SITE IN MUSSELBURGH, EAST LOTHIAN | 333 West Pans: excavations at a ceramic production site in Musselburgh, East Lothian John Lewis* with contributions from Simon Chenery, Belén Cobo del Arco, Katherine Eremin, Sheila Forbes, Dennis Gallagher, George Haggarty, Suzanne Miller, Robin Murdoch and Jim Tate ABSTRACT Excavations were undertaken in 1981 and 1990–1 at the site of the 18th-/19th-century ceramics manufacturing complex of West Pans, near Musselburgh. The foundations of several structures were uncovered although many proved impossible to interpret or date. Several puddling pits, most of them quite small, were identified, as was part of a hovel (the circular structure surrounding a kiln) and the remains of two kilns, one of which might have been for glass-making. Other buildings could have been drying rooms or stores. The large quantities of ceramics from several phases of occupation between the early 18th and the early 19th century included porcelain wasters from the period when William Littler was at West Pans, c 1764 and 1777. Some evidence of the 19th-century village of West Pans was uncovered to the north of the area, on land reclaimed from the sea. To the east of the main site, a watching brief in 2002 and a salvage excavation in 2003 revealed part of a brick structure possibly associated with salt-making, another important early industry at West Pans. INTRODUCTION as the fragmentary record allowed. In parallel, George Haggarty has continued to study and The investigations were a sporadic series of publish material from the site, concentrating excavations and watching briefs, undertaken as upon the ceramic assemblage and the history opportunities presented. George Haggarty acted and significance of the site’s operation. as the link between several investigators on this project, directing some site work himself in THE SITE (ILLUS 1) 1981 and assisting in 1990–1, when Alan Radley supervised. John Lewis, who had worked on West Pans, once a bustling industrial centre, site in 1981, was subsequently commissioned is now a small hamlet located near the south by Historic Scotland to create a report on shore of the Firth of Forth, some 1.5km east of the excavations – based on available records Musselburgh, East Lothian and 11km from the (mainly drawings and photographs of variable centre of Edinburgh. Its few remaining houses, standard) and discussions with some of the which are centred on NGR: NT 3640 7325, sit excavators. He conferred with George Haggarty on what was once a rocky shore on the north over the historical summary and arranged for side of Ravenshaugh Road, the B1348 which specialists’ reports to be commissioned with runs from Musselburgh to Prestonpans. They the aim of providing as coherent an account are divided by a short vennel that runs from the * Scotia Archaeology, 5 Bank Street, Aberfeldy, Perthshire PH15 2BB 334 | SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND, 2009 Illus 1 Location maps WEST PANS: EXCAVATIONS AT A CERAMIC PRODUCTION SITE IN MUSSELBURGH, EAST LOTHIAN | 335 road towards the sea and once to the saltpans on that sandy soil had been used as infill in places, the rocky foreshore. In recent years the rocks suggesting that there was a calculated attempt to have been masked by the construction of large reclaim some of the land. lagoons to accommodate waste ash from a local To the south of the road the ground rises to power station. the Pan Braes, a name once describing the area The solid geology around this part of East as far as the road junction at Levenhall and from Lothian is of Upper Carboniferous age, mainly which clay was extracted. The clay was used not sandstone that has been a valuable resource as just in potteries but also in brickworks, several a building material. It takes a variety of forms, of which were set up around West Pans, two of from the soft white rock exposed during the which operated on the seaward side of Levenhall excavations to the very hard Millstone Grit during the 18th and 19th centuries. Although outcrops just along the road from the site. West the local clays range in colour from mid- and Pans also sits on the edge of the Midlothian dark grey to mid-brown, they fire red and are coalfield, formerly an area of great economic easily distinguished from the white-firing clays importance which supplied the fuel for many imported from Devon and Cornwall from the enterprises, including the salt, glass, brick mid-18th century (see below). and ceramics industries, all of which were significant locally. Another valuable local THE HISTORY OF WEST PANS resource was fireclay, another Carboniferous deposit, from which the refractory linings of George Haggarty and Sheila Forbes furnaces were made. All of these industries As its name suggests, salt-making was once an were well represented around Prestonpans, a important industry at West Pans. What is probably small but significant industrial centre well into the earliest reference to the site is contained in a the mid-20th century. Its coastal location also charter dated 17 December 1452 and ascribed provided the means for exporting its produce, to the Abbot of Dunfermline (NAS B52/1/15), which was shipped out from harbours at Leith, which refers to saltpans on a rocky shore near Musselburgh and Morrison’s Haven, less than Musselburgh. The only stretch of rocky shoreline 1km east of West Pans. near the town was at West Pans although it is no The strip of land bordering the main road longer visible because of land reclamation. West probably saw intense ribbon development Pans and the ‘Kings Pan Craig’ are mentioned during the late 18th century, when the sea lapped in many other charters, some of which suggest against the rear walls of some of the West Pans that salt-making was carried out over a long properties. It appears that the road was widened period of time. A document of 1711 which lists by Musselburgh Council at the beginning of the tenements and houses in West Pans inherited the 19th century, as well as being raised at by Edward Jossie from his uncle, Robert Jossie the east end of the settlement. A significant (NLS 27/79 ff 23–8), also mentions nine saltpans portion of the coastline to the north of the and the names of their deceased owners. These settlement was reclaimed during the various were: the king (unspecified), one; Alexander industrial activities, with ash, slag and other Robertson, two; George Fawsyde, one; Robert waste materials from saltpans, glassworks and Barber, two; George Anderson, one; and William potteries being used as infill. Whether this was and Edward Merchisone, one each. Although we a deliberate act or merely a convenient means will probably never know when salt-making of getting rid of waste is not clear. This process began at West Pans, it certainly continued into has continued into more recent times through the 19th century (NAS RS 27/1350). the pumping of large quantities of ash into the On 1 March 1644 a merchant burgess of lagoons. However, excavation also indicated Edinburgh, John Jossie (his name is spelt in 336 | SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND, 2009 several ways in different documents), and his some rocks and Bucket-pots for building of son, Robert, purchased a parcel of arable land Salt pans and a white-stone quarry within the from Colonel William Douglas of Kellhead, his yard’ (NLS Acc 7228/403 6Y). References to wife, Agnes Fawsyde, and their son, William ‘Jossie’s yard’ continue to appear in documents (RMS 9, 1566). Jossie’s holdings, which had into the early 20th century. Jossie went on to formed part of the Prestongrange estate, became establish a glassworks at West Pans only for the known as the Drum Mohr (Drummore) estate. enterprise to flounder, leaving him with a loss This acquisition was alleged to be 64 acres in area of £20,000 (Scots), a considerable sum at that but there appears to have been a miscalculation time. It seems likely that Jossie’s redundant in the original survey, and the same piece of works was reopened a short time later by land was later resurveyed when it was found to Cornelius Visitella, a renowned glass-maker measure approximately 81 acres (RMS 9, 1530). who had learned his skills in London under A later charter tells us that this purchase also Robert Mansell (Turnbull 2001, 110). The included saltpans and ten individual tenements glassworks was still being run by the Visitella at West Pans (NAS RS 27/79, ff 23–8). family in 1662 (NAS RD 4/6/290; Turnbull Jossie built a large house, often referred to as 2001, 28). On his death in 1668, Jossie’s lands the ‘West House’ in contemporary documents, passed to his son, Robert. Robert’s nephew and just east of the vennel in West Pans. It had a heir, Edward, sold some of his land holdings yard of ‘3 Quarters of an acre all enclosed, in West Pans to Andrew Ross, a Musselburgh with a high stone dike, a double dovecote, with clothier, in 1729 (NLS, Acc 7228/403 6Y). Illus 2 The site, showing the position of trenches and principal structures exposed in 1981 and 1990–1 WEST PANS: EXCAVATIONS AT A CERAMIC PRODUCTION SITE IN MUSSELBURGH, EAST LOTHIAN | 337 These holdings included the mansion house appears to have been in financial trouble within and yard, dovecot, bucket pots and stone quarry three years of its inception (NAS B52/13/1, (Caledonian Mercury 1729). 1A3). In 1736, Jossie’s old house and yard passed Samuel Lambus (or Lammas) may also have into the hands of Sir James Dalrymple of Hailes established a works at West Pans, having paid £1 (NAS RS 27/162/f 46) and then to Christian, sterling in January 1754 for the right to use local his daughter.