Inveresk is a civil parish

Civil parishes in Scotland

In Scotland, parishes, as units of local government, were abolished by the Local Government Act 1929. The geographical area is sometimes still referred to, however, for statistical purposes....

 and was formerly a village that now forms the southern part of 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:...

. It is situated on slightly elevated ground at the south of Musselburgh 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....

, 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...

. This ridge of ground, 20 to 25 metres above sea level, was used by the Romans as the location for a fort

Inveresk Roman Fort

Inveresk Roman Fort is an archaeological site within the grounds of St Michael's Church, Inveresk, a village in East Lothian, Scotland. Several seasons of excavation since 1946, both major and minor, have established the outline of the fort and recovered some of the interior detail.The fort covered...

 in the second century AD.

It is on the north bank of the River Esk

River Esk, Lothian

The River Esk is a river which flows through Midlothian and East Lothian, Scotland.It initially runs as two separate rivers, the North Esk and the South Esk....

. The element "Inver", from the Gaelic inbhir, refers to a confluence, presumably of the river Esk with the Firth of Forth

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...

 (cf "Aberlady

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...

" which contains "Abe-" the Brythonic equivalent).

Inveresk is notable for its fine street of 17th and 18th century houses. Inveresk Lodge is now privately leased, but the adjacent Inveresk Lodge Garden

Inveresk Lodge Garden

Inveresk Lodge Garden is a garden in the care of the National Trust for Scotland, in the village of Inveresk, East Lothian, Scotland, UK, south of Musselburgh.-History:...

 belongs to the National Trust for Scotland

National Trust for Scotland

The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, commonly known as the National Trust for Scotland describes itself as the conservation charity that protects and promotes Scotland's natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations to...

, and its west facing gardens overlooking the river Esk are open to the public. This was formerly the home of James Wedderburn. It was here that his son, Robert Wedderburn

Robert Wedderburn (poet)

Robert Wedderburn , the third son of James Wedderburn and Janet Barrie, was born in Dundee, and attended St Andrews University. Having entered St Leonard's College in 1526 he graduated BA in 1529 and MA in 1530, with his name listed at the head of the roll of graduates...

 was given some small beer and a bent sixpence when he claimed kinship. Inveresk has also been home to Musselburgh Cricket Club for over 50 years, in picturesque Lewisvale Park.