Capping the summit on the north or sea-side of the house,
and also adorned with vases, scroll work, etc., is the following
inscription : —
ALL IS THE GIFT OF INDUSTRY
WHATE'ER EXALTS EMBELISHES OR RENDERS LIFE DELIGHTFUL
PENSIVE WINTER CHEERED BY HIM
SlTS AT THE SOCIAL FlRE AND HAPPY HEARS
THE EXCLUDED TEMPEST IDLY RAVE ALONG.
Thomson, author of "The Seasons" is said to have
been a friend of Lord Drummore's and author of these inscriptions.
It is also said that in Drummore House Thomson wrote his "Castle
of Indolence" If Thomson had to do with the outward parts
of the building, as surely would he have to do with the designing
of certain of the inside parts too, for on the ceiling of
the drawing-room, in beautiful fresco-work, we find the four
ages of man illustrated—childhood, youth, middle, and old
age; and these again are charmingly represented by the fruits,
flowers, etc., of the four seasons; while the arts and sciences
are copiously delineated on the surrounding walls. Both stucco
and fresco arc said to be the handiwork of Italians.
After Lord Drummore, the estate came into the hands of the
Finlays, connections of the Finlays of Wallyford, whence that
same Captain Finlay hailed who led the Cinque Ports or I'lack
Dragoons, and took such an active part in the massacre of
harmless men, women, and children during the military riot
at Tranent known as the "Tranent Mob" (See
"History of Tranent.")
The Finlays did not remain long in the district after the
massacre at Tranent. They sold the estate in 1808, when Mr
William Aitchiespn became the purchaser. He died in 1839 and
was succeeded by his son, Mr William Aitchiespn, who dying
in 1846 was succeeded by the present proprietor, Colonel William
Aitchieson. The Colonel has had a very bright military career,
first with the old gist or Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders,
and latterly with the Scots Fusilier Guards, with whom he
served for twenty-five years, and saw-some rough service in
South Africa.
We are not sure but this is a branch of the same Achesons,
the great shippers at Acheson's, now Morison's Haven, during
tlie 16th century, and presently represented by the Earl of
Gnslord in the Irish Peerage. The Drummore family name was
originally spelt similarly. The Achesons came out strong at
the Reformation time.
MORISON'S HAVEN.
This was a haven of rest for the toilers of the dvep long
before the days of Morison, and had a very different name
tuu. The haven lies a little to the west of Cuthill. "
On 22nd April 1526 King James V., while at Newbattle Abbey,
granted a right of constructing a harbour on the lands of
Prestongrange, which was ratified in Parliament nth October."
These lands at this period belonged to the Abbey of Newbattle
: but it seems to have been to the Acheson family that the
charter was granted, for immediately we find that Alexander
Acheson took possession, and it became Acheson's Haven. This
Alexander was an ancestor of the Earl of Gosford in the Irish
peerage of the present day. Indeed, as an elder in Davidson's
church, 1597, he is entitled at that period Alexander Acheson
of Gosford. The Achesons became famous as shippers in those
days, and we find them still flourishing in the district about
a century afterwards. Two brothers Acheson were ciders in
Davidson's church, 1602, and we find from the session records
of that period that quite a number of their children had been
baptized by Davidson.
Acheson's Haven was at one time a custom-house port, whose
range included all creeks and landing-places between the mouth
of the Figgate Burn at Portobello and the mouth of the Tyne
near Dunbar; and it had the right of levying customs and the
various sorts of dues to the same extent as those exigible
at Leith.
In 1609, or very shortly afterwards, when Morison became proprietor
of Prestongrange, the name of the harbour underwent another
change, and became Morison's Haven ; and from that date up
to the year 1800, what with the exportation of coal from Prestongrange,
salt exportation, and the exportation of multitudinous other
goods manufactured at Prestonpans, throughout that lengthened
period it beheld no little prosperity.
For a considerable time during the past century there was
virtually no trafficking in the harbour; but about a quarter
of a century ago, when the first Limited Company took the
Prestongrange Collieries in hand, they began to open up trade
with foreign ports, and before the collieries again changed
hands they were not only exporting largely but importing heavily
too.
The present Company have put on an extra spurt, and the amount
of business done here at the present time is in excess out
of all comparison with any previous period of its history.
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