Haddington Twinning Association Bulletin Board

East Lothian Courier – 17th October 2019.

Haddington’s annual festival will not take place next year [ 2020] . The popular week-long event has attracted thousands of people over more than 50 years. However, the unavailability of the town’s Corn Exchange, which has acted as a hub for the event, and rising costs have meant it will not take place in 2020.

Jan Wilson, chairwoman of the town’s community council, told the ” Courier” that it was a tough decision, we also have to look at what is going to cost for groups to run events and having to pay for halls.

Theres is no way the community council could fit that bill – it would be too great.

A fun day is still being planned for next year but it means a dramatic downscaling on the annual attraction, which usually includes everything from quizzes to ceilidhs and concerts.

The rising costs were not an issue specific to Haddington, but the whole of East Lothian, with galas and Christmas light switch-on events likely to be affected.

Provost John MacMillan said he was dissappointed, and he is hoping that maybe Haddstock might comeback and hoping other things might replace it.

Irene Higgenbotham – 19th Oct. 2019

Haddington Twinning AGM 2019 The Annual General Meeting of Haddington Twinning will be held in the Buffet Room of the Town House in Haddington, on Tuesday 29 October 201 9 at 7.30pm.Following the business meeting, there will be a couple of short presentations on the town of Aubigny sur Nère and an opportunity to learn about Haddington Twinning’s future activities. If there are any nominations for the Office Bearers as follows, please let me know by Tuesday 22 October at the latestChairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary , Minute Secretary, Treasurer, Youth Representative We are serving tea/coffee and home-made cake.  If you are willing to do some home- baking for the event please let me know. I look forward to seeing you all. 
Yours sincerely

Elaine SecretaryHaddington Twinning0044(0)7818 751654

AGENDA

1. Apologies
2. Minutes of AGM 2018 (attached below) 
3. Chairman’s report
4. Treasurer’s report
5. Independent Examiner’s report
6. Election of committee members and office bearers7. Any other business

Join Haddington Twinning in this year’s celebration to taste Le Beaujolais Nouveau 2019, with saucisson & cheese and watch the fun French comedy film ” Les Visiteurs ” [ cert 15 ]

Tickets – £ 8 per person – available from Joe Forte Sports and Erica’s Florist Haddington High Street.

You will have to guess the years ?

Tantallon Castle was begun in the 1350’s by William Douglas, one of the most powerful men in Scotland.

In 1354, William had gained all his fathers’ lands, as well as those of his Uncle, the ” Good Sir James ” of Douglas, Robert the Bruce’s great ally. The estates included the small but rich barony of North Berwick, east of Edinburgh.

In 1358 he became the first Earl of Douglas, by which time work may already have been well advanced on his new fortress – residence of Tantallon.

In the 1380’s, the house of Douglas split into two branches, known as the ” Black ” and the ” Red ” . Tantallon passed to the junior line – the ” Red Douglases ” , who became the Earls of Angus and one of the most influential noble families in Scotland. They held the castle for the next 300 years.

The area in front of castle is now largely an open space, but when the castle was lived in it would have been fille with structures essential to life in the castle.

The only structure there now is the Do’cot or Dovecot dating to the 1600’s . It contained over 1.000 nesting boxes for pigeons. The birds bred over the winter months, providing meat when other sources of meat were scarce.

Tantallon Castle lay at the heart of the Barony of North Berwick. Wonderful views from the battlements help give a sense of the stronghold in the landscape.

Out to sea lies the Bass Rock. This forbiding volcanic rock has been a place of refuge and captivity for centuries. In the 700s it supposedly gave sanctuary to St. Baldred, and the remnants still survive of a later chapel dedicated to him . In 1406, a castle on the rock was temporary home to the young prince, James Stewart – the future James 1 – as he waited for a ship to take him to safety in France.

We enjoyed our adventure through Tantallon Castle today, and will return sometime soon when its not so WINDY.

Photographs – Irene Higgenbotham.

A poorly armed but highly motivated Scots army marched out of Edinburgh to do battle with the English at Pinkie – near Edinburgh , they were swiftly annihilated. The battle was sparked by English demands that Edward V1 of England [ age 10] should marry Mary Queen of Scots [ age 5 ] – an event known as the Rough Wooing. It was estimated that 15,000 Scots were killed, 1500 captured and English losses amounted to only 500 killed or wounded.

Re-enactment of Battle.