Prestonpans

I was on my way to North Berwick for an afternoon of exploration and a possible visit to the Scottish Seabird Center. The train began to unexpectedly slow, we had just left a small station that I could not have said what was the name. I glanced up just in time to see a weather-worn monument on the right side of the train. It was seemingly in the middle of nowhere; a couple of farmhouses, but nothing much else. I tried hard to make out anything written on it, but despite our slow rate of travel time had ravished the monument making it difficult to read from a distance. The monument was destined to be a notation in my journal; another scrap of information unlikely to be pursued. The train crept along for another few minutes until an alarm sounded and it came to a complete stop.

An announcement soon came: There was a failed service ahead. This was one of the times when my understanding of the Scottish accent failed me. I thought the conductor said that there was a field service ahead. Were they working on the tracks? I had no idea that that may mean. Listening in on a few inquiries, and making one of my own, I determined what was happening. The train that left half an hour previously had broken down and we could not go around. We were to back up to the previous station, which I now learned was Prestonpans. The train would either let us disembark there to wait for the next train (which may or may not be soon depending on the removal of the disabled train) or we could return with the current train to Edinburgh. If we returned, the help station would make other arrangements for us. I was weighing my options when all of the sudden the monument once again passed before my window.

I decided to leave the train and explore the area. North Berwick would have to wait for another time. I ended up spending about two and half hours walking and exploring the area. It was a serendipitous afternoon, which will be chronicled elsewhere. Nevertheless, I managed to have an up-close inspection of the mysterious monument after all.

It turns out that the monument is dedicated to Colonel James Gardiner who died of injuries from the Battle or Prestonpans on 21 September 1745. The battle was the first major encounter of the Jacobin Rising of 1745. Mortally wounded, the Colonel was taken from the field and died in nearby Tranent. The memorial, which is currently in bad repair, was erected by public subscription in 1853.