Ada de Warenne, Mother of Kings, Malcolm IV and William I, was gifted Haddington by David I on her marriage to his son, Henry. Widowed in 1152, she retired to Haddington where she founded the Cistercian Priory of St Mary the Virgin. In 1548, the Treaty of Haddington betrothing Mary Queen of Scots to the…
King Alexander II is born in Haddington. The only son of William I, Alexander was born in the royal palace of Haddington, now the site of the County Court. He became king in 1214 and, in 1237, he concluded the Treaty of York with Henry III of England which defined the boundary of the two…
St Martin’s Kirk, the oldest surviving building in the town, dating from around 1100, is reputed to be the oldest church in Scotland. The following is a link to a PDF which is hosted by Historic Environment Scotland detailing the history of St Martin’s Kirk. Download PDF St Martin’s Church, Haddington, Statement of Significance(252.38 KB)
The Cistercian Priory of St Mary the Virgin, established by c. 1158, was one of the richest and largest nunneries in Britain and Ireland.
King David I gives Haddington and its lands to Ada, daughter of the Earl of Warenne and Surrey, when she marries his eldest son, Prince Henry. In the 12th century, King David I of Scotland granted a charter to Haddington, establishing it as a royal burgh. This status granted the town various privileges, including the right…
Haddington was one of the first chartered Royal Burghs created by David I in 1138. Unfortunately, the original charter has been lost or destroyed.