Editing East Lothian (section)

== History ==

===Early history===

Following the end of the Roman occupation of Britain, Lothian was populated by Brythonic-speaking [[Ancient Britons]] and formed part of the kingdom of the [[Gododdin]], within the [[Hen Ogledd]] or Old North. In the 7th century, all of the Gododdin's territory fell to the Angles, with Lothian becoming part of the kingdom of [[Bernicia]].

Bernicia united into the [[Kingdom of Northumbria]] which itself became part of the early [[Kingdom of England]]. Lothian came under the control of the Scottish monarchy in the 10th century.

The earliest reference to the [[shires of Scotland|shire]] of Haddington, or Haddingtonshire, occurred in the 12th century, in two charters issued by [[David I of Scotland|King David]]. The shire covered the eastern part of Lothian.

===Medieval and early modern period===
[[File:Dirleton S.jpg|thumb|left|Dirleton Castle]]

Haddingtonshire was heavily involved in several medieval and early modern conflicts and several fortified castles and buildings such as [[Dunbar Castle]], [[Tantallon Castle]] and [[Dirleton Castle]] date from this period.

In the 12th and 13th centuries, the [[Palace of Haddington]] was one of the seats of the [[Kings of Scotland]]. King [[William the Lion]] of Scotland used the palace from time to time and it was the birthplace of [[Alexander II of Scotland|Alexander II]] in 1198.<ref>{{Canmore|num=56510|desc=Palace of Haddington|access-date=12 February 2017}}</ref> The palace and town were burned and pillaged in 1216, by an English army under the command of [[John, King of England|King John of England]]. In 1296, the [[Battle of Dunbar (1296)|Battle of Dunbar]] was a decisive victory for the forces of [[Edward I of England]] against the forces of [[John Balliol]], the Scottish king who was Edward's vassal.

Haddingtonshire was also the site of conflict during the war of the [[Rough Wooing]], with many houses and villages burnt by the English in May 1544 after the [[burning of Edinburgh|sacking of Edinburgh]], the Scottish defeat at the [[battle of Pinkie]], [[Dunbar Castle]] burnt in 1548, and the [[siege of Haddington]]. Haddingtonshire lairds supported the English cause, including [[John Cockburn of Ormiston]], [[Alexander Crichton of Brunstane]], and [[Regent Arran]] demolished their houses.

During the [[War of the Three Kingdoms]], another [[Battle of Dunbar (1650)|Battle of Dunbar]] took place in 1650 between [[Covenanters|Scottish Covenanter]] forces and the [[Commonwealth of England|English Parliamentary forces]] under [[Oliver Cromwell]]. The Parliamentary forces were victorious and able to march on to take Edinburgh.

Following the [[Restoration (Scotland)|Restoration]] of the monarchy, [[Glorious Revolution]] and [[Acts of Union 1707|Acts of Union]], [[Jacobitism|Jacobite]] forces conflicted with Government forces, with the main conflict taking place as part of the [[Jacobite rising of 1715|1715 Rising]] and [[Jacobite rising of 1745|1745 Rising]]. Under the command of [[John Cope (British Army officer)|Sir John Cope]], the British Army met with the Jacobites under [[Charles Edward Stuart]] at the [[Battle of Prestonpans]] in the west of the county in September 1745, with the Jacobite side gaining a significant victory before being defeated at the [[Battle of Culloden]] in April 1746.

===Modern history===
[[File:Haddington Sheriff Court (geograph 3774105).jpg|thumb|[[County Buildings, Haddington|County Buildings]] in Court Street, Haddington, the former headquarters of East Lothian County Council]]
Haddingtonshire County Council was created in 1890 under the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889]], which established elected county councils across Scotland, taking over most of the functions of the [[Commissioners of Supply]], which had been the main administrative body of the shire since 1667. The county council was based at [[County Buildings, Haddington|County Buildings]] in Court Street, Haddington, which had been built in 1833 and also served as the county's [[sheriff court]].<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num= LB34260|desc= Haddington County Buildings including rear wings and former villa at 27 Court Street and excluding flat roofed block to southeast and pitched quadrangle to south (John Muir House), Court Street, Haddington|fewer-links=yes|access-date=18 July 2021}}</ref>

In April 1921 the county council voted to request a change of the county's name from Haddingtonshire to "East Lothian".<ref>{{cite news |title=Border news in brief |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |access-date=21 December 2022 |work=Southern Reporter |date=7 April 1921 |location=Selkirk |page=6 |quote=It was agreed at a special meeting of Haddington County Council on Friday [1 April 1921], on the motion of Lord Polwarth, to apply for a Provisional Order to vest Haddington County Buildings in the Council, and to change the designation of the county from "Haddington" to "East Lothian".}}</ref> The government agreed and brought the change into effect as part of the East Lothian County Buildings Order Confirmation Act 1921, which received [[royal assent]] on 8 November 1921. The act also transferred ownership of the County Buildings to the county council.<ref>{{cite news |title=East Lothian Order |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |access-date=21 December 2022 |work=The Scotsman |date=25 April 1921 |location=Edinburgh |page=10}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=13760|page=1950|date=15 November 1921|city=e}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo5/11-12/123/pdfs/ukla_19210123_en.pdf|title=East Lothian County Buildings Order Confirmation Act 1921|publisher=[[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|The National Archives]]|accessdate=10 November 2023}}</ref>

In 1975 under the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973]], Scotland's county councils were dissolved and a new system of regional and district councils was created. East Lothian [[Regions and districts of Scotland|District]] was created within the wider [[Lothian]] [[Regions and districts of Scotland|region]]. The district comprised the historic county of East Lothian plus the burgh of Musselburgh and the parish of [[Inveresk]] (which included [[Wallyford]] and [[Whitecraig]]) from the county of Midlothian.

When further reforms in 1996 moved Scotland to a system of 32 unitary local authorities, the modern council area of East Lothian was created.