In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Penston like this:
Penston, a collier village in Gladsmuir parish, Haddingtonshire, 3 miles S of Longniddry station, and 2¾ E by S of Tranent. The barony of Penston, lying around the village, belonged towards the close of the 13th century to William de Balliol, nephew of John Balliol of Barnard Castle, the father of King John Balliol; and passed to his descendants, the Baillies of Lamington. ...
It had, near the village, a strong old mansion, now represented by only the garden; has been famous, since the 14th century, for excellent coal; yielded coal, in the time of Oliver Cromwell, under a yearly rental of £400; and, in 1834, when its old mines seemed to be near exhaustion, had a new pit sunk in another quarter.—Ord. Sur., sh. 33, 1863.
Penston through time
Penston is now part of East Lothian district. Click here for graphs and data of how East Lothian has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Penston itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Penston in East Lothian | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/22245
Date accessed: 19th April 2024
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