There is believed to have been settlement in the area for over 1,500 years, and Spott is the site of many finds from the time of the Romans occupation of southern Scotland.[1] An Anglian homestead is located at nearby Doon Hill.[2]
Spott holds the dubious distinction of playing host to the last executions of the Scottish witch-hunts of the 17th and 18th centuries, when several alleged witches were executed at Spott Loan in October 1705. The first Battle of Dunbar in 1296, took place less than a mile from Spott. Before the second Battle of Dunbar in 1650, the Scots army, which vastly outnumbered Oliver Cromwell's army, camped at Doon Hill, just to the east of Spott, before leaving the high ground to meet Cromwell and defeat.[3]
The war memorial in Spott dates from 1920 and was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer.[4]
The Witches' Stone, by the road to the south-west of the village
Spott House
Spott House has served as home to the proprietors of Spott since the 13th century. Elias de Spott swore fealty to King Edward I of England at Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1296. Over the centuries the estate has changed hands on several occasions and many eminent Haddingtonshire families – the Humes, Douglasses, Murrays and the Hays – have held the lands of Spott. The old Hume laird of Spott was killed in the fields at harvest time in September 1591 by the Homes of Ayton in a feud. His murderers fled to England, and suspicion fell on his son-in-law James Douglas.[5]
Spott House was originally a tower house, constructed in 1640, the family home of the Hays of Yester. It is reputed to have housed Oliver Cromwell during the Battle of Dunbar (1650). In 1830, it was purchased by James Sprot, who had the house remodelled by William Burn, the pioneer of the Scots Baronial style. The estate remained in the Sprot family until 1947, when it was sold to Sir James Hope. It was eventually sold to the Lawrie family, who sold it to the Danish-born Lars Foghsgaard in 2000.[8] Following Foghsgaard's return to Denmark the estate was put up for sale in 2010, but after three years with no purchaser, was broken up into smaller lots of land or buildings.[9]
Church
The origins of the church are somewhat vague, but it is certain there was a church here before the Reformation, when Spott Kirk was a prebendary of the Collegiate Church of Dunbar.[10][1] Major repairs were carried out on the church in 1790 and again the following century giving its present cruciform shape. One arm of the church is an ancient burial vault. In 1570 the minister, John Kelloe, strangled his wife in the manse before delivering 'a more than usually eloquent sermon'.[11] He was executed (strangled then burnt) on October 4 1705 in Edinburgh at the Gallow Lee on Leith Walk for the crime.[1][12]
Patrick Simson, the Greek language expert, whose father was minister in Dunbar, preached here.[11]
^Reynolds, Rory (2 March 2013). "£25m Spott Estate broken up to attract buyers". The Scotsman. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
^Martin, John (1791). The Statistical Account of Scotland. Vol. 2. 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. 451–456.
^ abScott, Hew (1915). Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd. pp. 417–420.
Roughead, William (1913). "The Parson of Spott". Twelve Scottish Trials. William Green & Sons.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Spott, East Lothian.
Canmore - Spott, Battle of Dunbar site record
Scotland's Genealogy - Spott Parish, East Lothian
FamilySearch - Spott, East Lothian, Scotland
GEN UKI - Spott
Spott Church
February 27, 2023
spott, east, lothian, spott, small, village, eastern, fringes, east, lothian, scotland, just, over, miles, south, west, dunbar, village, straddles, unclassified, road, leading, from, main, highway, grid, reference, nt673755, spottspott, parish, churchspottshow. Spott is a small village on the eastern fringes of East Lothian in Scotland just over 2 miles 3 2 km south west of Dunbar The village straddles an unclassified road leading from the main A1 highway at grid reference NT673755 SpottSpott Parish ChurchSpottShow map of East LothianSpottLocation within ScotlandShow map of ScotlandOS grid referenceNT673755Civil parishSpottCouncil areaEast Lothian CouncilLieutenancy areaEast LothianCountryScotlandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townDUNBARPostcode districtEH42Dialling code01368PoliceScotlandFireScottishAmbulanceScottishUK ParliamentEast LothianScottish ParliamentEast LothianList of places UK Scotland 55 58 16 N 2 31 26 W 55 971 N 2 524 W 55 971 2 524 Coordinates 55 58 16 N 2 31 26 W 55 971 N 2 524 W 55 971 2 524 Contents 1 History 2 Spott House 3 Church 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksHistory EditThere is believed to have been settlement in the area for over 1 500 years and Spott is the site of many finds from the time of the Romans occupation of southern Scotland 1 An Anglian homestead is located at nearby Doon Hill 2 Spott holds the dubious distinction of playing host to the last executions of the Scottish witch hunts of the 17th and 18th centuries when several alleged witches were executed at Spott Loan in October 1705 The first Battle of Dunbar in 1296 took place less than a mile from Spott Before the second Battle of Dunbar in 1650 the Scots army which vastly outnumbered Oliver Cromwell s army camped at Doon Hill just to the east of Spott before leaving the high ground to meet Cromwell and defeat 3 The war memorial in Spott dates from 1920 and was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer 4 The Witches Stone by the road to the south west of the villageSpott House EditSpott House has served as home to the proprietors of Spott since the 13th century Elias de Spott swore fealty to King Edward I of England at Berwick upon Tweed in 1296 Over the centuries the estate has changed hands on several occasions and many eminent Haddingtonshire families the Humes Douglasses Murrays and the Hays have held the lands of Spott The old Hume laird of Spott was killed in the fields at harvest time in September 1591 by the Homes of Ayton in a feud His murderers fled to England and suspicion fell on his son in law James Douglas 5 His successor Sir George Home entertained James VI the Duke of Lennox Sir Thomas Erskine Sir Robert Kerr and others with a merry banquet at Spott in October 1600 6 An English visitor William Eure met the king in a chamber at Spott House 7 Spott House was originally a tower house constructed in 1640 the family home of the Hays of Yester It is reputed to have housed Oliver Cromwell during the Battle of Dunbar 1650 In 1830 it was purchased by James Sprot who had the house remodelled by William Burn the pioneer of the Scots Baronial style The estate remained in the Sprot family until 1947 when it was sold to Sir James Hope It was eventually sold to the Lawrie family who sold it to the Danish born Lars Foghsgaard in 2000 8 Following Foghsgaard s return to Denmark the estate was put up for sale in 2010 but after three years with no purchaser was broken up into smaller lots of land or buildings 9 Church EditThe origins of the church are somewhat vague but it is certain there was a church here before the Reformation when Spott Kirk was a prebendary of the Collegiate Church of Dunbar 10 1 Major repairs were carried out on the church in 1790 and again the following century giving its present cruciform shape One arm of the church is an ancient burial vault In 1570 the minister John Kelloe strangled his wife in the manse before delivering a more than usually eloquent sermon 11 He was executed strangled then burnt on October 4 1705 in Edinburgh at the Gallow Lee on Leith Walk for the crime 1 12 Patrick Simson the Greek language expert whose father was minister in Dunbar preached here 11 See also Editlist of places in East LothianReferences Edit a b c Thomson Robert Burns 1845 The New Statistical Account of Scotland Vol 5 Edinburgh and London William Blackwood and Sons pp 224 233 Doonhill Homestead Historic Scotland Retrieved 27 February 2013 Ordnance Gazetteer for Scotland Dictionary of Scottish Architects Robert Lorimer Calendar of State Papers Scotland 1589 1593 vol 10 Edinburgh 1936 pp 572 575 595 Calendar State Papers Scotland 13 2 Edinburgh 1969 pp 720 722 John Duncan Mackie Calendar State Papers Scotland 13 2 Edinburgh 1969 p 771 Andrew Cusack The Spott Estate Dunbar http www andrewcusack com 2010 11 28 spott estate dunbar Reynolds Rory 2 March 2013 25m Spott Estate broken up to attract buyers The Scotsman Retrieved 3 February 2016 Martin John 1791 The Statistical Account of Scotland Vol 2 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 451 456 a b Scott Hew 1915 Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation Vol 1 Edinburgh Oliver and Boyd pp 417 420 Cassel s Old and New Edinburgh vol 5 p 155Further reading EditRoughead William 1913 The Parson of Spott Twelve Scottish Trials William Green amp Sons External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Spott East Lothian Canmore Spott Battle of Dunbar site record Scotland s Genealogy Spott Parish East Lothian FamilySearch Spott East Lothian Scotland GEN UKI Spott Spott Church Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Spott East Lothian amp oldid 1071094715, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
