Gullane
Encyclopedia
Gullane is a town on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth
in East Lothian
on the east coast of Scotland
. There has been a church in the village since the 9th century. The ruins of the Old Church of St. Andrew built in the 12th century can still be seen at the western entrance to the village; the church was abandoned after a series of sandstorms made it unusable, and Dirleton
Parish Church took its place.
Gullane Bents, the village's award-winning beach
, is backed by large sand dunes that in recent years have become rather overgrown by invasive shrub
s like sea-buckthorn
. Gullane is part of the John Muir Way
, a long-distance footpath along the coast between Musselburgh
and Dunglass
.
The local population includes many elderly people. Urbanisation has led to some recent housing developments, and Gullane is gaining popularity as a commuter village for nearby Edinburgh
(some twenty miles away). Amenities include the village hall
and a selection of shops including a chip shop, bakery
and sweet shop
. There is a primary school
, and secondary school children attend school five miles away in North Berwick
.
Greywalls Hotel
was built in 1901 to a design by Sir Edwin Lutyens; the gardens were designed by Gertrude Jekyll
. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has its training school at Gullane.
on numerous occasions, most recently in 2002. It will play host again in 2013. In addition to Muirfield, Gullane is the site of several other high-quality golf
courses in the village and surrounding area. At the Gullane Golf Club, to which many local residents belong, three interesting 18-hole links courses straddle a large grassed-over volcanic plug.
From the top of the hill on each course there is a fine view over Aberlady
and Aberlady Bay
towards Edinburgh and the Forth Bridge as well as the coast of Fife
and the Lomond Hills
. Internationally acclaimed artist Frank W Wood
painted a magnificent view of Gullane in 1933.
Abutting Gullane Number 3 course is the Luffness
Golf Club course, and on open space beside a souvenir store that used to be a blacksmith's forge is a Children's Course, on which adults are not permitted unless accompanied by a child. Gullane numbers 1 and 2 courses and Luffness are often used as Open Championship qualifying courses when the open is at Muirfield. Children are allowed to play on courses numbers 2 and 3 after they graduate from the Children's Course. In midsummer, golf is possible into the late evening, occasionally as late as 10:30 pm, allowing a full round to be completed after dinner. As a result, Gullane is a popular destination for golfing tourists
.
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
in East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
on the east coast of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. There has been a church in the village since the 9th century. The ruins of the Old Church of St. Andrew built in the 12th century can still be seen at the western entrance to the village; the church was abandoned after a series of sandstorms made it unusable, and Dirleton
Dirleton
Dirleton is a village and parish in East Lothian, Scotland approximately east of Edinburgh on the A198. It contains . Dirleton lies between North Berwick , Gullane , Fenton Barns and the Yellowcraigs nature reserve, Archerfield Estate and the Firth of Forth...
Parish Church took its place.
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
, is backed by large sand dunes that in recent years have become rather overgrown by invasive shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s like sea-buckthorn
Sea-buckthorn
The sea-buckthorns are deciduous shrubs in the genus Hippophae, family Elaeagnaceae. The name sea-buckthorn is hyphenated here to avoid confusion with the buckthorns...
. Gullane is part of the John Muir Way
John Muir Way
The John Muir Way is a continuous coastal path in East Lothian, Scotland, UK. It is named in honour of the Scottish 19th-century conservationist John Muir, who was born at Dunbar, East Lothian, in 1838 and became a founder of America's national park system...
, a long-distance footpath along the coast between Musselburgh
Musselburgh
Musselburgh is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, six miles east of Edinburgh city centre.-History:...
and Dunglass
Dunglass
Dunglass is a location in East Lothian, Scotland, lying east of the Lammermuir Hills on the North Sea coast. It has a 15th century Dunglass Collegiate Church, now in the care of Historic Scotland...
.
The local population includes many elderly people. Urbanisation has led to some recent housing developments, and Gullane is gaining popularity as a commuter village for nearby Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
(some twenty miles away). Amenities include the village hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
and a selection of shops including a chip shop, bakery
Bakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
and sweet shop
Sweet Shop
- Overview :Sweet Shop is a limited edition compilation of rare and unreleased recordings by London-based glam rockers Rachel Stamp. It was released in 2004 via Rachel Stamp's official website and sold at gigs around the UK...
. There is a primary school
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
, and secondary school children attend school five miles away in North Berwick
North Berwick
The Royal Burgh of North Berwick is a seaside town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately 25 miles east of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable holiday resort in the 19th century because of its two sandy bays, the East Bay and the...
.
Greywalls Hotel
Greywalls
Greywalls is an Edwardian country house at Gullane in East Lothian, Scotland. It was built in 1901 for Alfred Lyttelton, to designs by Sir Edwin Lutyens. It has been run as a hotel since 1948...
was built in 1901 to a design by Sir Edwin Lutyens; the gardens were designed by Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll was an influential British garden designer, writer, and artist. She created over 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and the USA and contributed over 1,000 articles to Country Life, The Garden and other magazines.-Early life:...
. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has its training school at Gullane.
Golf
Gullane is the home of Muirfield which has hosted The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
on numerous occasions, most recently in 2002. It will play host again in 2013. In addition to Muirfield, Gullane is the site of several other high-quality golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
courses in the village and surrounding area. At the Gullane Golf Club, to which many local residents belong, three interesting 18-hole links courses straddle a large grassed-over volcanic plug.
Aberlady
Aberlady is a coastal village in the Scottish council area of East Lothian. On Aberlady Bay, it is five miles northwest of Haddington and approximately 18 miles east of Edinburgh, to which it is linked by the A198 Dunbar - Edinburgh road.Aberlady Parish Church dates back to the 15th century. It...
and Aberlady Bay
Aberlady Bay
Aberlady Bay is a bay in East Lothian, Scotland between Aberlady and Gullane.In 1952, Aberlady Bay became the UK's first Local Nature Reserve and is served by the East Lothian Council Rangers....
towards Edinburgh and the Forth Bridge as well as the coast of Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
and the Lomond Hills
Lomond Hills
The Lomond Hills , also known as the Paps of Fife lie in the centre of Fife, Scotland. At 522m West Lomond is the highest point in the county of Fife.-Natural geography:...
. Internationally acclaimed artist Frank W Wood
Frank W Wood
Frank Watson Wood commenced his career as a Royal Navy officer, and was described in 1907 as "naval artist, Portsmouth". He went on to become an internationally regarded watercolorist....
painted a magnificent view of Gullane in 1933.
Abutting Gullane Number 3 course is the Luffness
Luffness
Luffness is a hamlet in East Lothian, Scotland. It lies between the towns of Gullane and Aberlady and is approximately 20 miles east of Edinburgh....
Golf Club course, and on open space beside a souvenir store that used to be a blacksmith's forge is a Children's Course, on which adults are not permitted unless accompanied by a child. Gullane numbers 1 and 2 courses and Luffness are often used as Open Championship qualifying courses when the open is at Muirfield. Children are allowed to play on courses numbers 2 and 3 after they graduate from the Children's Course. In midsummer, golf is possible into the late evening, occasionally as late as 10:30 pm, allowing a full round to be completed after dinner. As a result, Gullane is a popular destination for golfing tourists
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
.
Notable residents
- Ronnie CorbettRonnie CorbettRonald Balfour "Ronnie" Corbett, OBE is a Scottish actor and comedian of Scottish and English parentage who had a long association with Ronnie Barker in the British television comedy series The Two Ronnies...
, comedian and TV personality. - Andrew DriverAndrew DriverAndrew David Driver is a professional footballer who plays for Scottish Premier League team Hearts as a left winger. He has represented Scotland at schoolboy level and England, where he was born, for the under-21 side.-Hearts:...
, professional footballer for Hearts - Gavin HastingsGavin HastingsAndrew Gavin Hastings, OBE is a former Scotland rugby union player. He is frequently considered one of the best, if not the best, rugby player to come out of Scotland. His nickname is "Big Gav".Hastings was born in Edinburgh...
, former Scotland Rugby Captain - Quintin JardineQuintin JardineQuintin Jardine is a Scottish author of two series of crime novels, featuring the characters Bob Skinner and Oz Blackstone.-Biography:...
, celebrated crime novelist
External links
- http://194.200.14.131/documents/contentmanage/Walks%20Around%20gullane-2855.PDF East Lothian Council - Leaflet "Walks around Gullane"
See also
- Gullane railway stationGullane railway stationGullane railway station served the village of Gullane in Scotland. It was served by the Aberlady, Gullane and North Berwick railway. This line diverged from the North British Main Line at Aberlady Junction, east of the current Longniddry station.-History:...
- List of places in East Lothian