Lothian National Trust

Today we ticked off two historic properties on the other side of the Forth. After battling our way through the Edinburgh bypass traffic, we arrived at Musselburgh, a coastal town of 20,000 inhabitants. Our destination was Newhailes House, a Palladian mansion set within 80 acres of parkland. It was the home of the Dalrymple family for over three centuries and has been in the care of the National Trust for Scotland since 1997. Unfortunately the tours were already fully booked and we had to content ourselves with a walk around the grounds. General entry to the estate is free and many families were out in force. We examined the dovecot just beyond the main entrance.

Pigeons were kept as a source of meat and eggs. The squat white building contains over 600 nesting boxes and was restored in 2018. The house is A-listed and comprises the original core, flanked by later extensions. Sir David Dalrymple purchased the property in 1709 and oversaw the construction of the library wing, anticipating the beginnings of enlightenment culture. The new laird sat in the Parliament of Scotland from 1698 to 1707 and graduated to the post-union House of Commons. He served as Lord Advocate and Auditor of the Exchequer in Scotland. The family became a wealthy Edinburgh legal and political dynasty, although John Dalrymple (brother of Sir David, and Secretary of State) was painted as one of the darkest figures in Scottish history when he organised and authorised the 1692 Massacre of Glencoe. Newhailes passed through multiple generations until the barony became extinct in 1971, following the death of Mark Dalrymple. He had no children and his widow Lady Antonia passed away in 2017 at the age of 91, thus ending the family line. She had occupied an apartment within the mansion and - finally - an estate cottage. The Government had accepted around seven thousand volumes from the massive Newhailes Library collection upon the passing of Sir Mark, in lieu of death duties. The National Trust adopted a policy of minimal conservation, aiming to freeze the property in time. The grounds once contained a series of impressive garden features, including an atmospheric shell grotto, an elegant summerhouse, water gardens with cascades combined with quieter, reflective pools, and a beautiful walled flower garden. The latter area fell into disrepair and functioned as a mink farm for several decades in the 20th century. Now partly restored, we wandered the paths and came across pumpkins, apples and sunflowers. The stable block (also A-listed) has been converted to a café but we opted for the ice-cream parlour in the former dairy, before heading further along the coast to the Scottish Ornithologists Club headquarters at Aberlady. The shop and art gallery are open to the general public. We perused the Coastlines exhibition, featuring paintings by Liz Myhill and Louise Pallister. Craggy rocks hosted resting razorbills and curlews waded through the ebbing tide. We meticulously chart the contours of the coast but the birds regard it simply as their playground. We drove inland to Preston Mill - the last working water-driven example in East Lothian and a rare survivor from the days when almost every village had a milling operation. Grain from local farms was turned into oatmeal and animal feed. The exact date of opening is undocumented but it is believed that parts of the stone building date from the 17th century and the structure is known to have been remodelled at least four times. The resemblance to a witch's hat makes the mill instantly recognisable. It also featured in the hugely popular Outlander TV series, which ensures a steady flow of visitors from across the globe. The machinery is around 150 years old different grades of oatmeal were produced. A small country mill was largely a self-sufficient project. Vegetables would have been grown onsite, and poultry kept. A tour was just about to begin as we arrived and we joined the group. The mill was formerly a focal point of village life. People stopped to buy grain and eggs, while indulging in the inevitable gossip.

Preston Mill was given to the National Trust in 1950 (following a major flood) and ran commercially until the end of that decade. It is now A-listed and the adjacent visitor centre hosts a small exhibition. The River Tyne flows close by the site and a lade brings water to power the internal workings. The wheel was last replaced in 1909. A system of conveyor belts, gears, hoists and pulleys processes the raw grains and the tour was informative. The working conditions must have been cramped and the dusty atmosphere would not have been kind to the lungs. It was also a noisy place to work, as we found out when the guide opened the sluice gates, which cranked the machinery into action. No ear plugs back in the day. The distinctive red pantiles on the roof were brought over by boat from the continent. They also served as ballast on the return journey, after the initial cargo had been offloaded. We inspected the kiln and noted the bricks on the outer wall that marked the levels of previous episodes of high water, a problem that still occurs today. The Outlander scenes had the principal character Jamie Fraser hiding underwater from the pursuing redcoats. The John Muir Way passes right through the complex and a handful of walkers ambled by. The popular lowland trail cuts right through Central Scotland, from Dunbar to Helensburgh. Although the mill remains in full working order, this is purely for demonstrative purposes. No flour is actually produced these days. A little gem of a place.