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Summary

Description

Robert Stevenson, engineer, 1835, incorporating part of earlier harbour of 17th century, W pier altered late 19th century. Tidal harbour of irregular polygonal form. W pier forms breakwater largely of hammer- faced squared and coursed rubble, with central section of old vertically coursed rubble. E pier larger, essentially L-shaped, in squared and coursed rubble, with 5 ft wall to seaward side.

Statement of Special Interest

A harbour was first built here in the early 17th century by the Earl of Winton, chiefly in connection with his new saltpans, but it was largely destroyed by storm in the mid 17th century, and its role taken over by Port Seton ("Cowkany Easter") until it was destroyed in turn in 1810. The current haven was constructed by Messrs Cadell of Cockenzie in the 1830s for about ?6,000.

Earlier maps name the village "Cowkany, Cockeny, Cockainie, etc", possibly from old Gaelic "Cul Choinnich (Kenneth?s Neuk)". For long, Cockenzie had 2 economic mainstays - the fishing trade, especially for oysters, and the production of salt. There were 11 salt pans round the harbour area in the 1790s and the last did not close till after World War 2. Salt production was inextricably linked with coalmining in the surrounding area, as were the workers - both salters and colliers were bound as serfs under Scots law until 1799! The fishermen did not suffer this stigma and by World War 1 there were more than 650 fishermen and nearly 150 registered boats in Cockenzie and Port Seton.

Some structures around Cockenzie Harbour still include vestiges of ancient walls, some probably connected with the old salt industry.

References

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