Dunbar

Dunbar, a town on the rocky coast of Haddingtonshire, backed by the Lammermuirs, 29 miles E. of Edinburgh by rail. Little remains of its sea-built castle, the stronghold from 1072 to 1435 of Gospatric and his descendants, the Earls of Dunbar and March. It stood many sieges, the most famous that of 1339, when 'Black Agnes' held it for six weeks against the English; but it was dismantled in 1568, the year after Queen Mary's abduction hither by Bothwell. Dunbar was the scene, too, of Cromwell's great victory over Leslie, 3d September 1650. Chief buildings are the militia barracks and the parish church, which, rebuilt in 1821, has a tower 108 feet high. Fishing is the principal industry, and the new Victoria Harbour was formed in 1844. Dunbar was created a royal burgh by David II., and till 1885 it united with North Berwick, Jedburgh, Haddington, and Lauder in sending one member to parliament. Pop. (1841) 3013; (1891) 3645. See James Miller's History of Dunbar (new ed. 1859).