Presentation 10Pt.Qxp
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1 history/context Prestonpans Heritage Campaign Prestonpans History/Context The Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 was the culmina- 4 tion of simmering, occasionally over boiling, dis- content. While monarchy lay at its heart the Rebellion was also fuelled by politics, religion, nationalism and economics. Lowland Scotland was caught up in a struggle which was far from straightforward and The Battle of Prestonpans was a key event, focussing thoughts on the future and opening eyes to the instability of the political situa- tion. Maps, drawings, paintings, prints and songs were circulated shortly after the event and these now give the clearest picture of contemporary opinion. Reports clearly describe the events on the day of the battle and of the manoeuvres which preceded it. Most accounts included the approaches to Prestonpans, the Jacobite repositioning, The Battle itself and the subsequent flight of the remaining Government Army, led by the unfortunately pillo- ried Johnny Cope. The death of Colonel Gardiner, following his mortal wounding under the Hawthorn Tree, was also reported but seems to have taken on a more significant role in later years, as The Battle entered folklore. There are still few Scots who cannot recount some aspect of The Battle but fewer still are aware of where it was fought or of its immediate and longer term resonance. Action: Raise awareness of the battle and its location and widen understanding of it and its implications. 1 The Cairn commemorating the battle of Prestonpans. ©St Andrews University Library. Licensor www.scran.ac.uk. 5 2 Battle of Prestonpans after Sir William Allan ©Edinburgh University Library. Licensor www.scran.ac.uk. 3 London Jacobites receiving news from Prestonpans by George Ogilvy Reid [1851-1928](oil on canvas) ©Alexander Fraser via Bridgeman Art Library / The Drambuie Collection. Licensor www.scran.ac.uk. 4 Contemporary satirical cartoon showing General Cope fleeing from the Battle of Prestonpans towards Berwick in 1745 ©National Library of Scotland. Licensor www.scran.ac.uk. 5 Plan of the Battle of Prestonpans, 1745 ©National Museums of Scotland. Licensor www.scran.ac.uk. 6 Map of the Battle of Prestonpans, 1745 The title on this map reads, 'A plan of the Battle of Tranent fought Sept[embe]r 21st 1745'. Unfortunately the name of the map maker is unknown in this instance. ©National Library of Scotland. Licensor www.scran.ac.uk. 2 6 3 1 legislation/ protection Prestonpans Heritage Campaign Prestonpans PROTECTING THE SITE ANCIENT MONUMENTS: The site of ‘The Battle’ is well documented in con- As with Historic Buildings, the selection of structures temporary records and plans and can easily be or remains for Scheduling is made by Historic identified on the ground today. There are signifi- Scotland, on behalf of the Ministers. Scheduled cant differences in the detail of the contemporary sites must be of National significance and are gen- accounts and in more recent interpretations but erally unroofed and unoccupied, limiting overlap these doubts appear relatively minor in relation to with the Listed Building Legislation. The Legislation the overall understanding of the action of The Battle does not provide for the protection for Battle Sites, and the events leading up to and preceding it. unless there are identified archaeological remains or evidence of structures created prior to or during It is perhaps surprising that there is no formal recog- the battle. There are however a number of nition for The Battle site within Scotland's existing Scheduled Ancient Monuments on and around the legislative framework. The existing legislation cov- site of The Battle, including: ering historic sites is contained principally within the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Preston Market Cross: (Scotland) Act 1997 and the Ancient Monuments A very fine structure, which was once the centre of and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. the town but is now rather isolated. Historic Scotland is currently preparing an Inventory Preston Tower: of significant Scottish battle sites and Prestonpans The remains of a large 15th Century tower house, will be included in this. The new document, which which was extensively altered in the 17th Century should be available by early 2007, will identify sites and subsequently superseded, following a fire, by and outline boundaries within which development Preston House. should be controlled. Responsibility for the imple- mentation of these controls will however rest with Tranent Tower: the Local Authorities, since the existing legislation Ruinous remains of a late 16th Century tower- does not allow for the Scheduling of sites where house. there are no identifiable physical remains. Birsley Brae: The site on which the Jacobite army camped and looked out over the Government army on the day before The Battle. The Scheduled site however relates to far earlier, medieval, coal working. Seton Mains: The largest of the Scheduled sites in the area, an extensive part of the Battle site has been scheduled as a result of the discovery of crop markings indicating prehistoric enclosures and settlements. Although unrelated to the battle itself this designation gives protection to much of The Battle site. Additional Scheduling may include the waggonway and associated 18th century walls. THE LOCAL PLAN The use of land is also covered by The Town and Country Planning Act (Scotland) 1997. This Act places responsibility for most of its implementation on Local Authorities. East Lothian Council is respon- 2 Detail from Map of the Battles of Pinkie (1547) and Prestonpans (1745) sible for Prestonpans and, like Historic Scotland, has ©National Library of Scotland. Licensor www.scran.ac.uk. a will to protect the Battle Site. The Current Local Plan does not however specifically identify the Action: LISTED BUILDINGS open site or area covered by the Power Station fuel plant as being important as a Historic Site, although Conduct a thorough survey of The designation of a building for Listing depends it would be covered by the Council's general Policy largely on its architectural merit, its age and any on control of development affecting archaeologi- features and buildings of sig- associations with historic events or characters. As cal sites. The site should however be clearly identi- nificance and clearly identify far as can be determined there are no standing fied in any future amendments to the Local Plan buildings within The Battle site which date from the and efforts made to provide protection to it, in line and protect the battle site. time of The Battle although there are buildings with- with historic Scotland's forthcoming Inventory. in the area encompassed by the troop move- ments and wider action relating to The Battle. Most of these are now listed. The principal Listed Buildings, which are relevant to The Battle, are: Cockenzie House and Great Barn: Category A Listed house and associated structures. Cockenzie Harbour: Category B listed harbour structure, extensively scheduled ancient monuments rebuilt but retaining some of its earlier fabric and form. listed buildings Seton House: gardens and designed landscapes Category A Listed house and policies, built after The Battle in 1789 but incorporating remains and elements from Seton Palace. The small estate vil- lage of Seton is illustrated on early maps of The Battle but little early 18th Century fabric seems to remain. Bankton House: Category A Listed house, which at the time of the battle was owned by Colonel Gardiner and called Olive Bank. Prestonpans Parish Church: Category A Listed church, within the town itself. There are monuments to some of those who fell within the cemetery. Tranent Parish Church: Category A Listed church, which featured directly in the events of the day before The Battle. Government troops fired on Jacobites within the Churchyard and Colonel Gardiner was taken to the Church Manse, where he died, after The Battle. The Church has been extensively rebuilt but the Churchyard and many 18th Century monuments remain. Tranent Doocot: Category B Listed doocot, which is adjacent to the Church. There are probably other, unrecognised, buildings in the area which played a part, albeit small, in The Battle. Amongst these are the remain- ing stone stores or offices at Cockenzie Harbour and structures and walls around Tranent Church. A thorough survey of the area should be undertaken and a list of buildings contemporary to The Battle prepared, with recommendations for potential Listing. 1 OS map locating the positions for listed buildings and scheduled monuments. Birsley Brae is located just to the south off the map. © Crown Copyright/database right 2006. An Ordnance Survey/Digimap supplied service. 2 site analysis Prestonpans Heritage Campaign Prestonpans Site analysis 1 trainline lower traffic volume road The site of the battle proposes a unique opportuni- high traffic volume road ty to promote and safeguard the heritage of existing high voltage overhead powelines/ pylons Prestonpans. existing power station conveyor belt from coal store to power station The first step towards establishing a strategy for the existing built urban edge future is to identify the issues which undermine coal store location accessibility and obstruct connections to the site, embankments segregating landscape both in terms of its physical presence, within the Blindwells development edge urban context, but also in terms of its past and his- fragmented urban edge torical significance. Providing connections to the site of the battle and the surrounding areas and acting decisively to remedy the problems which render it a fragment- ed landscape at present, is also an issue of health and safety. The high voltage power lines, com- bined with the array of successive barriers segre- gating one patch of public space from the other, break the continuity of landscape and create an unwelcoming atmosphere. fractured landscape disparate patches of inaccessible Action: land Provide design solutions to over- lines of transportation dominating area come problems of access and fragmentation of the battle site.