SHRG: Siege of Haddington Research Group

18/08/2024

Hello All

News coming through of the discovery or a mill bearing / possible cannon ball found in a field on the south side of Haddington ... not sure exactly where yet. Whats the difference between a Mill bearing and a cannon ball? Just what you use it for I assume !! All comments welcome on this one....

08/06/2024

So we are just finalising the schedule for the ELAF events. and I am now heading off to research the use of mercenaries in East Lothian so I can present a talk in September. Looking forward to finding out more about the role of Count Courtpenny and Count De Salm as their forces in Scotland, throw in a few Italians, Spanish, Albanians and Dutch and it should be quite a multinational affair !!

We are still looking for a good site to carry out some more conflict archaeology this year. Ideas on a postcard please.

03/01/2024

Happy New Year!!!

Lets hope 2024 will be as exciting as last year's work at the Franciscan Precinct. Just a note to say that the dig report for the Test Pits is having its final edit and should be available for review in January.... and I can get back to writing up the siege history.

The image below is Test Pit 2 in the Manse Gardens showing the tantalizing foundations of a building we think dates back to the 15th Century....only issue being its a long way down !!!

19/11/2023

Just to reassure folk that the report for the summer test pit digging is still in the process of being written !! I have just finished photographing all the finds and gathering together the on site images taken on the weekend ... and this one in particular maybe of interest as it shows the greenware found on site....

19/11/2023

Hello All ... something to look out for next month.... this will be very useful for those wanting to know more about the soldiers and soldiering during the time of the siege.

29/10/2023

Good Evening
I spent the afternoon having a look at the graffiti which sits above the 'Horsemen'. I filled in the scratches and this is what I could make out. What do you think this could be. A Game an image or maybe a map ? Please have a go yourself at by tracing in the scratches.

11/10/2023

Latest images from the SHRG Test Pit Survey of the Holy Trinity Manse can be found at the HHS website news page.

Categories News News & Events SHRG Archaeology: Did we find Haddington’s Franciscan Friary? Post author By HHS Post date September 12, 2023 Categories In News, News & Events, SHRG The friary dig - Sept 2023 We have documentary evidence that there was once a friary somewhere in the vicinity of the ...

10/09/2023

Great news ... all our work on the Siege Garden has paid dividends. Well done everyone !!

Beautiful Scotland Award 2023 Some of the Blooming Haddington committee and volunteers were delighted to attend the “Beautiful Scotland” Celebration and Awards evening on Friday 8th September 2023. We were awarded a Gold Medal for our category of Medium town a great recognition for all the hard ...

27/08/2023

Hi All
Jenn Scott is speaking down in Birmingham on Haddington and Leith if you are in and around Birmingham on 16th September

https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-shows-and-conferences/retinue-to-regiment-tudor-warfare-conference.php?fbclid=IwAR0RiuXLuhk6Cj01pv2DdsusP6QPFgSgmi2RJdTiYZmIxvfYijbzbY8_vl4

The book might be useful as well.

Retinue to Regiment Tudor Warfare Conference - just one of the military history conferences & shows available to book at Helion & Company.

19/08/2023

Just a reminder that its East lothian Archaeology Fortnight at the beginning of September. SHRG will be putting on a number of walks and talks as well as 'The Not So Big Dig at the Holy Trinity Church on the weekend of the 8th 9th 10th September. Details on the ELC website at

Annual conferences organised by City of Edinburgh Council, East Lothian Council and Scottish Borders Council.