Oldhamstocks

The following lengthy quotation about the parish of Oldhamstocks comes from the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland, edited by Francis Groome, published in London, 1903.

Oldhamstocks (anc. Aldhamstoc, 'old dwelling-place'), a village and a parish of Haddingtonshire. The village stands on the left bank of Oldhamstocks Burn, 3 miles S of Innerwick station on the Dunbar and Berwick, section of the North British railway, 18½ E by S of Haddington, and 3¼ W by S of Cockburnspath, under which it has a post office. It contains the parish church of Oldhamstocks, an ancient edifice, the Free church of Cockburnspath, and a public school.

The parish, containing also the village of BILSDEAN, until 1891 consisted of a main body, chiefly in Haddingtonshire, partly in Berwickshire, and a detached section entirely in Berwickshire. The Boundary Commissioners, in the year mentioned, transferred the detached portion (situated at Butterdean, and containing 1417 acres) to the Berwickshire parish of Coldingham, and then placed Oldhamstocks wholly in Haddingtonshire. The parish is bounded NE by the German Ocean, E by Cockburnspath, S by Abbey St Bathans, and SW and NW by Innerwick. Its utmost length from NE to SW is 5¾ miles; its width varies between 7½ furlongs and 2½ miles; and its area is 7530 acres, of which 110¾ are foreshore, and 930 (in the extreme S) belonged to Berwickshire. Oldhamstocks Burn, drawing head-streams from Innerwick winds 2¾ miles east-by-northward across the interior to Berwick or DUNGLASS Burn, which runs 4½ miles north-north-eastward along the Berwickshire border to the sea, through the deep wooded ravine of Dunglass Dean. MONYNUT WATER, a tributary of the Whitadder, runs 2¼ miles south-eastward along the South-western boundary; and the Weir Burn, also on its way to the Whiteadder meanders 3½ miles through the southern district, part of the way forming the boundary of the parish. The coast, only 1 5/8 mile long, trends Southeastwards to the mouth of the Dunglass Burn, and presents a bold rocky front to German Ocean, rising rapidly to a height of over 100 feet. Thence onward the surface ascends to the Lammermuirs' watershed, chief elevations being *Cocklaw Hill (1046 feet), Wightman Hill (1153), Heart Law (1283), *Corse Law (1042), and *Laughing Law (1008), where asterisks mark those summits that culminate on the confines of the parish. The rocks of the hills are Silurian, of the sea-board are carboniferous; and coal has been worked in a stratum lying near the surface, whilst sandstone, limestone, and ironstone are found. The soil is generally sharp and dry, very fertile towards the sea, but barren and healthy on the hills. The only antiquity is Castledykes, close to Bilsdean. DUNGLASS, noticed separately, is the only mansion. Oldhamstocks is in the presbytery of Dunbar and the synod of Lothian and Tweeddale; the living is worth £320. The public school, with accommodation for 100 children, has an average attendance of about 85, and a grant of nearly £90. Valuation (1884) £6895. (1898) £4468, lls. Pop. (1801) 575, (1831) 7202 (1861) 615, (1871) 592, (1881) 568, (1891) 443.