Dunbar is a formerroyal burgh, and gave its name to an ecclesiastical andcivil parish. The parish extends around7+3⁄4 miles (12 km) east to west and is3+1⁄2 miles (6 km) deep at its greatest extent, or11+1⁄4 sq mi (29 km2), and contains the villages ofWest Barns,Belhaven, and East Barns (abandoned) and several hamlets and farms.
Dunbar is the birthplace of the explorer, naturalist, and influential conservationistJohn Muir.[4][5]The house in which Muir was born is located on the High Street, and has been converted into a museum. There is also a commemorative statue beside the town clock, andJohn Muir Country Park is located to the north-west of the town. The eastern section of theJohn Muir Way coastal path starts from the harbour. One of the two campuses of Dunbar Primary School: John Muir Campus, is named in his honour. A sculpture,The DunBear, the focal point of the DunBear Park mixed-use development, was erected as a tribute to John Muir and his role in the establishment ofNational Parks in the USA.
In its present form, the nameDunbar is derived from itsGaelic equivalent (modernScottish Gaelic:Dùn Barra), meaning "summit fort". That itself is probably a Gaelicisation of theCumbric formdin-bar, with the same meaning. This form seems to be attested asDynbaer in the seventh-centuryVita Sancti Wilfrithi.[8][9]
Excavations in advance of a housing development by CFA Archaeology, in 2003, found the remains of a laterBronze Age/early Iron Age (800–540 BC) person, indicating that people were living in the area during that time.[10]
To the north of the present High Street an area of open ground called Castle Park preserves almost exactly the hidden perimeter of anIron Agepromontory fort.[11] The early settlement was a principal centre of the people known to the Romans asVotadini.[12]
Dunbar was subsumed into AnglianNorthumbria as that kingdom expanded in the 6th century and is believed to be synonymous with the Dynbaer ofEddius around 680, the first time that it appears in the written record.[13]
The 2003 archaeological excavation also found a cemetery comprising 32 long-cist burials. Cemeteries of this type date from the early Christian period (AD 4th–8th centuries) and have been found in several areas around Dunbar, including to the east of Spott roundabout and at the Dunbar swimming pool indicated a settlement existed during this time.[10]
The influential Northumbrian monk and scholarSt Cuthbert, born around 630, was probably from around Dunbar: while still a boy, and employed as a shepherd, one night he had a vision of the soul ofSaint Aidan being carried to heaven by angels and thereupon went to the monastery ofOld Melrose and became a monk.[14]
It was then a king'svill and prison to BishopWilfrid. As a royal holding of the kings ofNorthumbria, the economy centred on the collecting offood renders and the administration of the northern (now Scottish) portion of that kingdom. It was the base of a senior royal official, a reeve (latersheriff).[15]
Danish and Norse attacks on southern Northumbria caused its power to falter and the northern portion became equally open to annexation by Scotland. Dunbar was burnt byKenneth MacAlpin in the 9th century. Scottish control was consolidated in the next century and whenLothian was ceded toMalcolm II after thebattle of Carham in 1018, Dunbar was finally an acknowledged part of Scotland.[16]
Throughout these turbulent centuries Dunbar's status must have been preserved because it next features as part of a major land grant and settlement byMalcolm III in favour of the exiled earlGospatric of Northumbria (to whom he may have been full cousin) during 1072. Malcolm needed to fill a power vacuum on his south-eastern flank; Gospatric required a base from which to plot the resumption of his Northumbrian holding. The grant included Dunbar and, it can be deduced, an extensive swath ofEast Lothian andBerwickshire or Merse (hence March). Gospatric founded the family of Dunbar. The head of the House of Dunbar filled the position ofEarls of Dunbar and March until the 15th century.[17]
The town became successively a baronial burgh and royal burgh (1370).[18] Cultivatedrabbit warrens on the links to the east and west of the town suppliedfood to the royal household. In 1589, storms and windblown sand destroyed the warren on the west links.[19]
Major battles were fought nearby in1296 and1650. The latter was fought during theWars of the Three Kingdoms between a ScottishCovenanter army and English Parliamentarians led byOliver Cromwell. The Scots were routed, leading to the overthrow of the monarchy and the occupation of Scotland.[20]
A permanent military presence was established in the town with the completion ofCastle Park Barracks in 1855.[21]
The local band, Dunbar Royal British Legion Pipe Band, which was founded in 1976, has competed with success in national competitions.[22]
On 3 January 1987, a devastating fire destroyed much of the town's historic parish church: though the fire practically destroyed the monument and left only the outer walls remaining, the church has since been rebuilt with a modern interior.[23]
During 2003, archaeological excavations at Oxwell Mains (Lafarge Cement Works) near Dunbar revealed the site of aMesolithic house believed to be from around the9th millennium BC. The site suggests a domed building. Although considered extremely rare and a site of national importance this site is in the middle of an area planned for quarrying.
An archaeological excavation undertaken byHeadland Archaeology on a site previously occupied by the Captain's Cabin (a local landmark) within the area of Castle Park identified a sequence of archaeological features reflecting around 2,000 years of human activity.[24]
The earliest feature was a large ditch which may have formed part of the defences around apromontory fort previously identified during earlier excavations near the coast at Castle Park. The scale of the ditches indicated an impressive monument. Aradiocarbon date of between 50 BC and AD 70 was obtained from charcoal recovered from its infill.
Much later a rectangular building was built over the top of the infilled ditch. Large quantities of burnt grain were recovered indicating that the building was a grain store that had been destroyed by fire. It was established that this was part of the Anglian settlement that had also been identified during earlier excavations.
Between the 9th and 11th centuries the area was used as a cemetery. Archeologists excavated 76 articulated skeletons, and the disarticulated remains of a further 51 individuals were recovered. The articulated skeletons were all buried in the standard Christian fashion. A small number of the skeletons were in longcists, but the majority were simple shroud burials.
A dump ormidden above the cemetery contained many elephant ivory off-cuts dating to the 18th or 19th century.
As with most of theBritish Isles, Dunbar has anoceanic climate (Köppen:Cfb) with cool summers and mild winters. It is one of the sunniest and driest places in Scotland, with around 1,450 hours of sunshine and 600 mm (24 in) of rainfall annually. Temperature extremes range from 31.0 °C (87.8 °F) in August 1990[25] to −12.0 °C (10.4 °F) in January 1982.[26]
Climate data for Dunbar (20 m or 66 ft asl, averages 1991–2020)
Due to its geographical location, Dunbar receives less rain and more hours of direct sunshine per year than most places in Scotland.[27]
Dunbar has two promenades, forming part of theJohn Muir Way. These provide an ideal viewpoint to see Dunbar's geological features including volcanic deposits and dykes seen from a high vantage point on the western clifftop promenade which passes the town's Public and Winterfield parks.[28]
There are two local beaches, the smaller East Beach next to the town featuring rock pools and the expansive Belhaven Beach on the outskirts.
Lochend Woods are a community resource owned and managed by the Dunbar Community Woodland Group.[29]
This sectionmay betoo long and excessively detailed. Please consider summarising the material.(January 2023)
The town centre has several independent, locally owned retail businesses, including gift shops, salons, cafes, a community-owned bakery and grocer and fishmonger, traditional sweet shop, chocolatiere, florists, garden centre (located within Knox's Newsagents) and pet shop. The town also has a zero waste shop as well as several vintage and antique stores and two charity shops. There are twoRNLI stores reflecting the town's maritime connection. On the periphery of the town is a garden centre with cafe, an Asda store accompanied by a drive-thruMcDonald's built in late 2015,[30][31] a restaurant and hotel owned byMarston's named the Pine Marten.
Tourism is part of the economy. Agriculture remains important but fishing has declined, although the harbour is still active, mainly landing shellfish. The main manufacturers areTarmac, producingcement at Oxwell Mains (the only integrated cement plant in Scotland), andBelhaven Brewery, producingScottish Ale.[32]
The town is served by theA1, connecting at Spott roundabout to the south of Dunbar, andDunbar railway station which has links to Edinburgh and the rest of Scotland, as well to asLondon and stations along the north-east England corridor.
Dunbar Golf Club: Laid out in 1857 and redesigned by Old Tom Morris around 1894, Dunbar East Links is situated on the estuary of theFirth of Forth. It is used as an Open Championship Qualifying Venue when the Open is played at Muirfield and all of the major Scottish Championships have been played here, The Scottish Amateur, Scottish Professional Championships, and Scottish Boys' Championship. The British Ladies and the Ladies Home Internationals have also enjoyed Dunbar as a venue. Dunbar is also home to Winterfield Golf Club.
Dunbar is also home toDunbar RFC. They play their home games at Hallhill Sports Centre and operate a 1st XV, 2nd XV and various school teams. The 1st XV play in theEast Region League Division 2.
Dunbar Grammar School hosts basketball training for many school and club squads. School teams often participate in the Scottish Cup competition for their appropriate level. The school also hosts training for the club Dunbar Dragons.
Dunbar Coastal Rowing Club[35] has twoSt Ayles Skiffs - 'Volunteer' and 'Black Agnes'. They are frequently seen rowing off the coast towards Belhaven or Torness or even just fishing. In 2018 they rowed to all of the named islands in theFirth of Forth. In 2019 they are competing in the World Championships atStranraer.
Foxlake in Dunbar was the first cable wakeboarding centre in Scotland.[36] As well as wakeboarding it also offers a water assault course, ringo rides and segways. There is also a cafe in the centre.
Surfing is popular on Belhaven Bay.[37] The Coast to Coast surf school is located next to Belhaven Bay. Paddle boarding is also popular on Belhaven Bay.
The town itself is served by two primary schools, West Barns Primary School[38] and Dunbar Primary School,[39] and a non-denominational state secondary school, Dunbar Grammar School.[40] Dunbar Grammar School also serves a wide catchment area which includes the surrounding areas and villages ofEast Linton,Stenton, andOldhamstocks. There is also a small number of children who live inCockburnspath that attend Dunbar Grammar. The school currently has a roll of 1,006 pupils. As of August 2024, John Johnstone is the Head Teacher, succeeding Claire Slowther. Prior to Slowther's ascent to Head Teacher from Deputy Head Teacher in August 2018, the school was run by longstanding Head Teacher Paul Raffaelli. Dunbar Primary School is split between two campuses, the original building which is now referred to as "John Muir Campus" taking Primary 1–3s along with nursery pupils, with the newer-built "Lochend Campus" taking Primary 4–7s.
Chapel tower (withdoocot conversion) of the Trinitarian Priory, Friarscroft, west of the town. Founded c. 1240 by Christiana de Brus, Countess of Dunbar.
Dunbar Castle, possibly from the 14th century, rebuilt and remodelled c.1490 and c.1520. Largely ruined with the aid of gunpowder (deliberately by Act of Parliament) in 1567 and with the whole north end removed with the aid of explosives (detonated using a specially-invented electrical system) for the new Victoria Harbour 1842–44.
Parish Church (see above) byJames Gillespie Graham 1818–21 in local red sandstone from Bourhouse quarry.[46]
Parish Church Hall (1910), located behind the post office off the High Street, contains stained glass removed fromSt Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, redundant there on the creation of the Thistle Chapel.[46]
Dunbar Methodist Church is the oldest Methodist Church in Scotland, having been erected in 1764. Both John Wesley and Charles Wesley were trustees of the Society in Dunbar and John preached at the Methodist Church on 21 occasions.[47]
Mercat Cross (c.1911) created from medieval fragments to replace lost original sited opposite West Port. Now beside Town House.
Lauderdale House (1790–92), designed byRobert Adam and executed by his brother John after Robert's death; built round the carcass of Dunbar House (c.1730).
Cromwell Harbour, very old fishing harbour which dates to 1600s.
Ordance Survey Tidal Gauge - Beneath the Castle Rock at Victoria Harbour is a small castellated building, now the Harbourmaster's office, but originally built in 1913 by theOrdnance Survey and used as part of a network that was used to establish the 'Mean Sea Level' that is used as the reference benchmark for all heights 'above sea level' in the UK.
Dunbar Battery (1781) was built to protect the town from privateers in the 18th century and restored in 2017 by Dunbar Harbour Trust with improvements made to access and a new outdoor amphitheatre sensitively inserted within the defensive walls. The Dunbar Battery also features "Sea Cubes", a public artwork by Scottish artist Donald Urquhart. The project won theArchitects' Journal Architecture Awards 2017 for the Best Budget Project of the Year and was Commended in theScottish Civic Trust My Places Awards 2018.
SaintWilfrid (633–709) - 7th to early 8th century Englishbishop andsaint; imprisoned for a time in Dunbar[48]
SaintCuthbert (634–687) - earlysaint andevangelist of theNorthumbrian church,Bishop ofLindisfarne,[49] at a time whenNorthumbria was a leader in promoting and spreading the message of Christianity in a British and wider European context[50] and, he was, according to some authors, born in and initially brought up in Dunbar to a local noble family, before being fostered in theMelrose area with a related or allied family as per the traditions of his class and time.[51]
Black Agnes (1312–1369) - Countess of Dunbar and heroine of local folklore[52]
Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scots (1404–1445) - wife ofKingJames I of Scotland, who served as theRegent ofScotland in the immediate aftermath of his death and during the minority of her sonJames II of Scotland, before being engulfed in a power struggle with members of the nobility. In desperation she took refuge inDunbar Castle where she was subsequently besieged by her opponents, in which place and circumstances she died in the year 1445.[53]
John Stewart, Duke of Albany (1482–1536) - de facto ruler of Scotland and important soldier, diplomat, and politician in a Scottish and continental European context, was the only son of the aboveDuke of Albany, and managed where his father had failed and becameRegent ofScotland, while he also becameCount ofAuvergne andLauraguais in France and, lastly, inherited from his father the position ofEarl of March, which allowed him to likewise useDunbar Castle as his centre of power in Scotland.[55][56]
John Muir (1838–1914) - important conservationist, geologist, environmental philosopher, and pacifist; one of the founders of the United States system of National Parks andSierra Club, born in Dunbar
General Sir Reginald Wingate (1861–1953) - 1st Baronet, army officer and colonial governor, 'the maker of theAnglo-Egyptian Sudan',Governor-General of the Sudan (1899–1916), British High Commissioner in Egypt (1917–1919), commander of military operations in theHedjaz (1916–1919), for many years the senior general of the British army, long-time resident in Dunbar[58]
Bruce, George (1791).The Statistical Account of Scotland. Vol. 5. Edinburgh : Printed and sold by William Creech; and also sold by J. Donaldson, and A. Guthrie, Edinburgh; T. Cadell, J. Stockdale, J. Debrett, and J. Sewel, London; Dunlop and Wilson, Glasgow; Angus and Son, Aberdeen. pp. 474–487. Retrieved29 September 2018.
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