I N V E R E S K P A R I S H L O R E FR OM PA G A N T I M E S . ‘ I N S TI R L G . R M D . M U S S E L B U R G H B L A R . P R I N T E D B Y T. C . I I N T R O D U C T I O N . ' TH E s tory of bygone times in s mall com munities a fiords a n dm a b s o m s c s ms a n d s c a ir le in ight int the anner , u to , o ial the c s o condition of S otti h pe ple. A s t udy of thes e old- world wa ys a s they exis ted at I n s k has d d m ch d h to the u a n d vere yiel e u elig t a thor, in res pons e to frequent invitations he n ow offers s ome of the fruit he ha s ga thered a s a contribution to local h s n ot w hou o h s m a fin d i tory, it t h pe t at other y in it m of s a n d s he ha s c d s o e the intere t plea ure experien e . Acces s to Paris h a n d Burgh Records has enabled him o mbod m f c s b f s h d a n d t e y any a t never e ore publi e , an endeavour ha s been made to convey an idea of how a valu a ble thes e Records re. I n the com pilation of the pres ent work numerous a nd ’ s carce p ublications in the Advocates a n d other libraries b co s d a n d ma k d c mm c d have een n ulte , infor tion in ly o uni ate b s f i ds is f ck w d d y per onal r en here grate ully a no le ge . T S C O N T E N . E C HAPT R . I o o a ca . T p gr phi l , II s o c . Prehi t ri , om of o m a n s III . C ing the R , I V om a n s . A fter the R V cs of om a s . Reli the R n , ’ V I S t f I s . c a s o Mi h el nvere k , V I I m of a a c a n d u c . Ti e W ll e Br e , V Da w of o m a o III . n the Ref r ti n, io od . o ma r IX . Ref r t n Pe i , X in s of Ada m o r . M i t y Mr C lt, Old om m u n o XI . C i n S n u co ds eventeenth Ce t ry Re r , is nc —XV II a a . u XIII . P r h Fin e Cent ry , X V o I . s of V u Cl e X II . Cent ry , V V n X . O ofX . u pening III Ce t ry , G oom ol ow d Su n s n l f l e by hi e , in is of Dr a M try . C rlyle, The P ms en t a is u c P r h Ch r h , ’ ’ B id s s s Dr. ood s a n d . ever e XIX . M ie Mr g Mini trie , XX m o a E s . Me r ble vent , Dis u s d a s o s XXI . ting i he P ri hi ner , sc a n a Mi ell e , I L L S T R A T I U O N S . GE PA . a f o — a Portr it o A u th r F ci n g title pa ge . — om m u n on o n 1727 a c of a C i T ke , B k title p ge ’ l h s s — O d S t. c a In a c a . I Mi el , vere k F ing Ch p . From Or na Wa er Co our Dra w n ak en in 1803 the proper igi l t l i g t , ty of m ra of he F ee ir ex M n t S . e Ba r G . B . C . Ad i l l t, Al il , t , om n 1 4 1~ a c of a 4 . m u n on o 8 a v C i T ke , B k ltern ti e a title p ge . 5 I n v s u rc 18 5— V . 0 8 . w ere k Ch h , W ie , 6 O d s n u e oo 1651 . l e t Mi t B k , , n o G en e a Sir Wm o 7 . us . a t Pi kie H e, r l H pe, B r , 8 Fa c - s m a - a Accou n oo 1655 . i ile h lf p ge t B k , , 9 R v d m e . a o . A C lt , M . A , From Portra J a m es on a t Ga rts herrie Hou s e it by . I n s ou s J a Es vere k H e, . A . P rk , q . , 11 Old om m u n o a . a s a n d co ds C i n Pl te , Ch rter Che t Re r , 12 s of Ea rl of Du n m - a 11 . Cre t fer line P ge 7 , m o a S on a r w u n Me ri l t e , C rber y Hill , here Q ee a s u nd d to con d a Lo ds M ry rre ere the fe er te r , on u m n of a m Sm ow M e t Willi yth , T n Clerk , on e Bu r e 1805 Recovere 1894 St i d , d . 15 v d R e . a a D D . e . Alex n r C rlyle , . , 6 En d S u 1 . s s s u We t High treet , M elb rgh , how n r old hous e in wh ch Com m ss on er Ca rdon n e ec v S i ,g i i i l r ei ed m o e the Nove s n ow rem ove S ll tt li t, d . S c m n s of New om m u o a pe i e C ni n Pl te, 8 of Ol Fs No d 1 . d ow S S Bit i herr , rth i e , High treet , e now occu e w h m o ern n m en Sit pi d it d te e t. Gl h a p t e r I . T O P O G R A P H I C A L . NVERE SK is an ancient and historic parish in - - the north east of the county of Mid Lothian . f f The burgh o Musselburgh forms part o it . Until early in the eighteenth century it wa s I n n era s k ~ called and Musselburgh , but this con u n t j c designation has since then been dropped . The parish is about three miles from north to a - south , and from two to two and half from east of to west . Its northern boundary is the shore the Firth of Forth from R a ven s ha u gh burn on the east to Magdalen burn on the west . The of Du ddin s ton parishes g , Newton , and Liberton in - on Mid Lothian adjoin it the west , Dalkeith and Cra n s tou n on in the same county the south , and Tranent and Prestonpans in Haddingtonshire on the east . The Esk divides the parish into two nearly equal parts from south to north , and empties itself here into the Firth . The name Inveresk is significant of s that position , and in it elf contains evidence f o antiquity . With a like geographical meaning s - h imilar compound place names are common enoug , A 2 INV ERESK PAR ISH LORE . n but few indeed can tell as much as this o e does . Eek ou t of r old V comes a ve y stock . ariations of U x it are found in Ax , Ex , Ox , , Ouse , Uisque , of Usk , Esce , all meaning water, and in many these forms it is applied to rivers in Great f . o Britain Such root words , descriptive the f o i. e. natural features a country, , rivers, mountains and the like , cling with firm hold in common of o speech , while names given to places ab de are more subject to change when people of a different t of language become occupants . The impor ance word study is coming more and more to be re The f cognised . very form o the word Inveresk helps to discover its history . It has been found that in words in u s e in Celtic times the descriptive part comes after the root portion ; in those of v Anglic or Saxon origin the re erse holds good .