Bolton Parish Description,
 
written by the Womens Rural Institute in 1974.

The Original Text Reads....:

Bolton Parish, since 1928 combined with Saltoun, in the Presbytery of Haddington [now Lothian] is small, irregularly shaped, about six miles long and four miles broad. Like so many of the southerly parishes of East Lothian, it runs up to a point towards the Lammermuirs.
Neighbouring parishes comprise Gladsmuir, Haddington, Yester, Humbie and Saltoun. The Colstoun Water, a tributary of the Tyne, forms the most part of the march between Bolton and Haddington.

The parish remains as it always has been, purely agricultural. Before the second World War, the "village" consisted of kirk, manse and school together with Under Bolton farm and farm cottages. In fact, the word "Kirkton" suited it best. Within the last few years, six Orlit houses have been built.
The Kirk was built about the year 1814 [actually 1809] in the manner, or at least with a feeling, of 18th century Gothic. It stands on the site of a much older church, described as having very thick walls, of which no vestige remains. The earliest mention of a church appears to be that William de Vipont or his wife Lady Emma of St.Hilary, granted the church to Holyrood, to which it was confirmed by Richard, Bishop of St.Andrews (1163-1178). The church was dedicated by David de Bernham, Chamberlain of the King, Bishop of St.Andrews in the 4th decade of the thirteenth century.
Within the tower of the present church is a bell 1 foot 4 inches [40cms] in diameter at the skirt. It is inscribed "Michael Burgerhuys me fecit 1618". The canons are complete. [whatever that means.] It must of course have come from the earlier church. The Kirk possesses two beautiful silver Communion Cups dated 1696 given by Robert Broun of Colstoun. [No longer, alas! They were sold to provide funds for essential repairs to keep the building standing.]
A pewter dish which is used for christenings probably came from the old church. It is much battered and bears the inscription "This is for the Kirk of Boylton 1692". There is also a fine pewter tappit hen. [Actually, there are two, one slightly damaged. However, they are not really tappit hens, just modified flagons.].

Alterations to the church took place at the beginning of this century [ie, the 20th.] when the pulpit was removed to the side, and behind the altar a stained glass window was placed by Major William Baird of Lennoxlove in memory of his uncle, 12th Lord Blantyre. Later the square choir enclosure was removed and some years ago a central aisle was formed, the two side aisles being retained.
A bronze tablet on the north wall commemorates the men of the parish who fell in World War Two.
Until the reformation, the Kirk was served by the canons of Holyrood. Since then there have been over twenty ministers, some of whom stayed a very short time. They were:

Andrew Simson (with Saltoun) 1567
James Carmichael 1574
William Balfour 1574
John Spottiswoode 1576
David Forsyth 1580
James Lambie 1587
John Manderston MA 1602
John Courtnay 1646 [probably a misreading for 1640]
Patrick Hepburn MA 1661
James Nairn MA 1662
Walter Paterson MA 1665-1681
John Sinclair MA 1682-1705
William Hamilton 1708-1743
John Hamilton (his son) 1744-1797
Alexander Brunton 1797-1803
Andrew Stewart MD 1804-1815
John Abernethy 1816-1843
Thomas Drummond 1843-1883
John Barr Service 1883-1928
Robert Ninian Paisley MA 1928-1947
Alexander Campsie CB MC DD 1948-1958
George W.H.Louden BD STM 1959-1979
[and since then:
Allan Scott MA 1979-1984
John Wilson MA BD 1985-1997
Donald Pirie LTh 1999-2006
Malcolm Lyon BD 2007- ]

One of these, John Courtnay, was summoned before the Commons in 1649 for failing to oppose the Engagement. In 1661 he thought it best to desert his charge and retire to Ireland for a time. The Rev.Andrew Stewart married a daughter of the 10th Lord Blantyre. He had taken his MD and had successfully treated her for consumption. It is said that Lord Blantyre built Bolton manse for them and created the present charming oval room as his daughter played the harp, and this instrument sounds best when played in an oval room. The minister now lives in the manse at Saltoun. [Since 1979 in the manse at Yester, in Gifford.]

Edward Irving preached his first sermon in Bolton Kirk. He was a great friend of the Rev.Mr.Story, tutor at Colstoun, who was the father of the well-known Principal Story.

In the Kirkyard is the Blantyre family vault and there are some fine 17th and 18th century tombstones. Among others is the family tombstone of Gilbert Burns, brother of the national poet. He came to East Lothian as farm manager to Mrs.Dunlop, friend of Robert Burns, and lived in the present house of West Morham. In 1808 he became factor [ie. business manager or estates manager] to Lord Blantyre and moved into an old house at Grants Braes, long since demolished, where his mother came to live with him.
She is described as of ordinary height with a beautiful red and white complexion, red hair and a fine square forehead. She died in 1820 aged 88. The site of the house is now marked by a cairn, and the well which served the family has been cleaned out and preserved by the Burns Club of Tranent.

Gilbert was ordained an Elder of the Church on June 22nd 1808, for the Sacrament of 26th June. He was assigned the delivery of tokens [that is, the issue of Communion tokens, permitting the Godly to partake of the Eucharist] at Lethington, Colstoun,East and West Bearford,Myreside, Monkrigg, Dalgowrie, Westfield and Begbie.
The family tombstone was placed by Gilbert in memory of his three children, Isabella, Agnes and Janet, and also of his mother. Two other children died in the same year as their father, 1827, and his sister Annabella died in 1832. They were all buried at Bolton.

Until about 1830, an old building in the churchyard housed the Bolton Hearse, probably the oldest piece of coach-building in Scotland. According to the Church records for 1773, the Heritors resolved to purchase a new and fashionable hearse out of the funds belonging to the poor. [The Poor were probably not asked for their views!]. It cost 37 pounds 14 shillings Sterling. The charges for its use were: "For the 1st mile with 2 horses - 8 shillings, but 10 shillings if harness was wanted for 4 horses, and that each mile after, whilst in their service, 9 shillings if 2 horses, but 12 shillings if 4 horses, and that a shilling more should be given to the keeper each time it went out, and if he had to go along with it then twopence should be given to the employer for each mile they used it."
The body is hung with four leather straps fixed to "C" springs made of wood, and lined with steel and iron. The undercarriage is made of wooden bars. Round the panels are painted in colours sand glasses, skulls, and cross bones, with the following mottoes - "tempus Fugit. Memento More". The roof is covered with black cloth with a black fringe round the moulding, but little of this is left. It was long a saying in the countryside if anything was built out of the perpendicular "It's a' askley like the Bowton Hearse". Why this saying originated is not clear, as the hearse is perfectly perpendicular.

Chamers, in his "Caledonia", says that the Manor of Bolton was early enjoyed by the St.Hilaries, who were succeeded by William de Vipont, who married Emma de St.Hilary. In the reign of James the Second it belonged to George, Lord Haliburton of Dirleton.

Patrick Hepburn, 2nd son of the 1st Earl of Bothwell, is frequently styled "of Bolton" as he held a part of that Barony which his father had also had as part of the forfeited estates of Archerfield, Lord Haliburton, and he had acquired fresh rights to the lands from Alexander,Master of Home, whose daughter Nicola he had married. Her mother was Nicola Ker, the heiress of Samuelston.
In 1516 he was acting as Sheriff of Haddington and in Feb. 1516-17 he was acting as Admiral Depute. In June 1528 he harboured certain rebels in his Tower of Bolton. King James the Fifth sent a force which burnt the Tower and presumably took the rebels.

In 1541 George Broun of Colstoun brought an action against Patrick, Master of Hailes, [and?] Patrick his son for molesting and interrupting him in the occupation of certain lands. His complaint was that the two Hepburns and their accomplices had "sown oats on a piece of ground, and had unjustly spoiled and distrurbed him; and that last June their servants had wantonly and unjustly threatened his servants while they were peacefully dealing with trees growing on a piece of ground called Garnarishaugh and are endeavouring to expel him, the said George, and despoil him of possession without process of law. Further, that the Master of Hailes and his son were sheriff depute of the Constabulary of Haddington in the Sheriffdom of Edinburgh and were judges as well as parties in the Action."
The King, by his commission, appointed certain men, seven in number, to be Sheriff's depute to inquire into and decide the questions at issue. There is no record of their decision.

Sir Richard Maitland of Lethington, known as "Auld Maitland" obtained a charter of the forfeited estate of Bolton and in 1613 his grandson sold the Barony to his cousin John, 2nd Lord Thirlestane. Richard, 4th Earl of Lauderdale, sold the Barony of Bolton and also Lethington to Viscount Teviot in 1696, and in 1702 Lord Blantyre purchased the property with the money left to him by his cousin Francis Stuart, the famous Duchess of Lennox and Richmond. ["La Belle Stuart"]

Pilmuir House is a particularly charming little laird's house of the 17th century. It was built by William Cairns and his wife, Agnes Brown, and a panel over the doorway bears his initials and those of his wife with the date 1624. [Their tombstone may still be read, in part, in Bolton churchyard.]
Alterations to Pilmuir have been very slight and it remains practically as it was in the time of the Cairns. The south side of the house looks over a spacious pleasaunce, surrounded by a high stone wall, and contains some fine trees and a recatangular doocot. This cote has a slate roof with 15 entrance holes and nests for fully 1000 pigeons. The walls are three feet thick and there is a window in one of the gable walls.

A short distance away stands the old Free Kirk of Saltoun and Bolton. The church was pulled down a short while ago. A fine spring of pure water bubbles up at the manse gate and has never been known to run dry. It is called The Cadgers' Well.

The first reference to a school in Bolton is in a Presbytery Minute of 23rd March 1636, but a school had been established before this time, because on 6th April the Heritors agreed at a visitation to pay "ye old provision established by my Lord of Lauderdale". The Session Minutes begin in 1663. From that time until he was deposed in 1679, there there is constant reference to Ninian Miln, schoolmaster. The stipend was 100 merks and there was a schoolhouse and a dwelling house both mortified by the Heritors. Ninian Miln seems to have been anything but satisfactory! In 1669 he was charged with:

"Diverse gross misdemeanours, as particularly his great neglect of the school, his going to gams and pastimes qn the children were at school, and maintaining that he might do so; his scandalous tipling and drinking; his having refused to keep the act of Presbytery appointing him not to be away for a whole day without the minister's leave; his having owned and maintainet yt he would not be accountable to the minister in things belonging to his office; his great neglect in not filling up the register of baptisms or marriages for more yn six years together and other faults of the like nature, none of which he could deny. It was thought fit yt he having several times promised by word of mouth to the minister yt he would amend but had not done it, he should now giv under his hand a confession of the sd faults obliging himself to amend ym for the time to come; all of which was drawn up in a paper which was read in the hearing of the Heritors and approved by ym, but he refused to subscribe."

He refused again on 6th April and was dismissed as from Whitsunday 1679 and was replaced by the schoolmaster of Earlston, Walter Scot, who was still teaching there in 1700. What happened after that does not appear, but the school is mentioned in the Records of the Baron Court of Colstoun, thus:

"The whilk day it being proposed by Charles Broun of the said Barony to the whole tenants there that it was necessary and expedient that a school master for teaching the children to read and write and teaching arithmetic were necessary to be had upon the ground, and for his part for encouraging the said proposal he would himself contribute for the said encouragement of a shool master for the place and give him ten shillings yearly together with a house, providing that the whole of the other tenants would give him a load of coals bringing home for each plough conditionally they bringing them home always in the summer time and for further encouragement James Aitken promised to give a gratuity each year during his life and residence half a peck of linseed further." [One can grasp the burden of this, but the language is pretty obscure.]

This is preceded by a list of those who owned suit and service to the Court and who had agreed to the proposal. Against some of the names are the amounts they had agreed to contribute - half a boll of pease, two pecks of meal, a firlot and two pecks of pease, a firlot of bear and 6 forpits of oats apiece from three of the tenants.
Out of 14 tenants there are 5 whose forebears are on the farms of Colstoun a century earlier.
The old school has been replaced by another built just before the First World War and is now the village hall. [This school in its turn closed and became the village hall. The earlier building was demolished.]
The new school is, alas, to be abolished and the children are to go to the primary school in Gifford.

The well-known farm of Under Bolton which stands hard by the church boasts a very fine dovecot. It is perfectly round but, unlike most of the other cotes, has the same circumference at the roof as at the base, 45 feet. The walls are 29 inches thick and the lean-to slated roof is crowned by a handsome dome-shaped glover with 8 entrance holes each 3 inches high and arched. There are 710 nests inside.

In the early part of this century [ie. the 20th] it was the fashion for farm workers to move each year, and in consequence there were no gardens with flowers or even "berry busses", and only occasionally a few dejected looking "greens". About the year 1910 an old man of 80 took service at Under Bolton. When the next Hiring Day came round a neighbour said to him "Aiblins ye'll no' be movin' on the noo; it's likely ye'll be for settlin' doon". The reply was "I've nivver been ony mair than a year in ony place an' I'm no' gaun tae begin in my auld age" - and off he went.
These constant moves were very hard on the wives, whose furniture was damaged and crockery broken in the yearly shifts which took place in farm carts.
This practice however no longer obtains and the countryside is brightened by well-tended gardens.

On the other hand, the road improvements and hard cutting back of hedges have not added beauty to the scene. Those of us who can remember the hedges covered with honeysuckle and wild roses, the air heavy with their scent, and the verges of the roads a mass of all kinds of wild flowers, cannot but deplore the change.

In these parts turnips are called Baggies. [Not to my knowledge!: Webmaster] The origin of the name seems to come from the Latin RutaBaga by which name they were known when first introduced into East Lothian. They were considered a great delicacy and were served for dessert instead of fruit.

With the advent of scientific farming, much beauty has been lost. No longer do we see the flocks of women working in the fields wearing the East Lothian "Ugly" and looking in the distance like bright tropical birds. Why these bonnets were ever called Uglies is incomprehensible. Lovelies would have been a better word. Even plain girls looked pretty when wearing an Ugly. They were eminently practical, protecting the wearer against all kinds of weather.

Bolton Parish is very small, as has been already mentioned, but it has a flourishing Church Guild and Sunday School. There is also a Youth Club and Bowling Club, and the Rural Institute was one of the first to be formed in East Lothian. It certainly made a great difference to parish life. Some neighbours who were not on speaking terms became good friends after joining the Institute and the demonstrations and talks brought many interests into what had often been rather dull lives; many women found they had unsuspected talents. One scene springs vividly to mind.
A group of Bolton Rural ladies, pausing at the top of a hill on their way to a meeting during the War to watch tracer bullets being fired from a German plane at an air post, admiring the visual effect, which they described as "beautiful".

Bolton Rural Institute is one of the smallest in the County and takes pride in the fact that it has won the Co-Operative Cup at the County Rally three times.

The only ancient monument in the parish is a Roman Fort called The Chesters, which lies alongside the Gifford-Begbie road, the old road from Gifford to Edinburgh. The most part of the Fort is under cultivation and the defences can only be seen from the road side. Near Bolton and leading toward Saltoun is [was!] a track called the Packman's or the Cadger's Road. Near the farms of East and West Blance it joins a hard road and passes the Cadger's Well.

Although there was constant fighting in Haddington, only three miles away, during the Middle Ages, there is no record of any disturbance of any kind in Bolton, save the burning of Bolton Tower. Even during the '45, there is no reference to Bolton except that George Gordon of Beldorney, an officer in prince Charles Edward's army, was sent in command of a party to search gentlemen's houses in East Lothian for arms or horses. He dropped his pocket book in Tranent. Among his instructions was the following:
"From thence (Newhall) you go to Eaglescarne Esquire for a cropt eared Gelding, hollow backed. Here you may get a good fowling piece or two."

However, a reminder that the parish did not escape unscathed from war stands forenent the Church in the shape of the First World War Memorial, a drinking fountain surmounted by a cross. It bears the names of nine young men who saw Bolton no more.

The terraces and haughs of the Tyne and the lower Colstoun valley have rich alluvial soils, and the intervening area has heavy clay soils developed on boulder clay overlying sandstone, marl or shale. On the flat surface of Bolton Muir about 400 feet above sea level, the clays tend to be cold and sour. Trees, however, do well on this and there are a good many plantations and fine hardwood trees.

There are no specially rare wild flowers in the Parish, excepting Epipactis latifolia and Orchis nidus-avium. Rare bird visitors have been a Jay and a Green Sandpiper. Lately a pair of Peregrines have been seen.  

Transcribed from a typescript of the Bolton Women's Rural Institute, dated 1974 or thereby.