Basic Site Details | Name: | Harbour Works, Port Seton | | Town, district or village: | Port Seton | | City or county: | East Lothian | | Country: | Scotland | | Parish: | | | Status: | | | Grid ref: | | | Notes: | Port Seton, N.B.—The memorial-stone of the new harbour works at Port Seton, in the Firth of Forth, was laid by Lady Elcho, on Friday. The enterprise now completed is virtually a restoration of an old harbour wrecked by a heavy ground-swell in 1803, and since allowed to fall into ruins. The site has been granted at a nominal rent by the Earl of Wemyss, who also contributed £2,000 towards the cost of the construction, the remaining £9,000 being borne by the fishermen in weekly payments. The new harbour embraces an area of about seven acres, providing anchorage for 200 boats. In carrying out the plans, which were prepared by Messrs D and T Stevenson, CE, of Edinburgh, the principal work has been the erection of breakwaters that shelter the harbour on the east and west. The pier on the east side is carried out 200 yards, and at its seaward extremity is curved round so as to face the north, and run in towards the western breakwater, which is only 130 yards in length, and from which it is separated by a distance of 125 feet, forming the entrance. In the construction of these breakwaters Portland cement concrete has been used, the material being run in a liquid state into huge moulds formed of wood on the site itself, so as to construct an entire pier as one great block. Along the top of the piers, which are 25ft;. in breadth, lines of rails have been laid, in anticipation of the development of a mineral trade. In the basin of the harbour much blasting had to be undertaken after the sand that lay on the top of the rock had been removed - the excavations thus accomplished having amounted to about 30,000 cubic yards. At spring-tides the water in the harbour will reach a maximum depth of 16 feet 6 inches. The contractors for the work were Messrs A. Morrison and Son, Edinburgh. [Building News 1 October 1880 p399 ] | Building Type Classification| The building is classified under the following categories: | | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes |  | Harbour | | |
Events| The following date-based events are associated with this building: | | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1879 | 1880 | Build/construction | |
PeopleDesign and Construction| The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column. | | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | D & T Stevenson | | | 1880 | | | | David Stevenson | | | 1880 | | | | Thomas Stevenson | | | 1880 | | |
ReferencesBibliographic References| The following books contain references to this building: | | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Hume, John R | 1977 | The Industrial Archaeology of Scotland | Vol1 The Lowlands and Borders | London: BT Batsford Ltd | p124 | | McWilliam, Colin | 1978 | Lothian (The Buildings of Scotland) | | | p140 |
Periodical References| The following periodicals contain references to this building: | | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Building News | 1 October 1880 | | | p399 |
Archive References| The following archives hold material relating to this building: | | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland | Canmore | ID 54927 | |
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