OS1/15/55/13

Continued entries/extra info

"Additional to the ecclesiastical edifices which have been enumerated, Haddington had two monastic establishments - One
in the burgh and one in the village of the Abbey. The former a large & venerable structure built apparently in the 12th or 13th century
and still in considerable preservation was a monastery of Franciscan or Greyfriars. Lord Seton appears to have been one of its principal
benefactors and in 1411 was buried within its walls. The strictly monastic part of the edifice was defaced by Edward III.
Even the choir and transept of the church are now in a somewhat dilapidated state, but the square tower 90 feet high
is still entire and the western part of the cross fitted up in a superior style in 1811 is the present parish church. On account
of the beauty of its structure and because of the lights constantly exhibitted at night from its lofty windows
were seen at a great distance, the ruinous choir was anciently called Lucerna Laudoniae,
the Lamp of Lothian. The length of the fabric from east to west is 210 feet, the length of the transept or cross from
north to south is 110 feet and the breadth of the nave is 62 feet." Fullarton's Gazetteer of Scotland, pages 723-4.
"Of Franciscan friars or Minorites, East Lothian had its share of their establishments. During the reign of Alexander II a Franciscan monastery was founded in Haddington town. In February 1355-6 while Edward III wasted the whole lands of East Lothian he burnt the town and monastery of Haddington with the church of the Minorites. Fordun speaks feelingly of this as a sumptuous work which was universally admired as the Light of Lothian. Major on the other hand inveigles against the Minorities for building so costly a church and supposes that the circumstances as much