PLACE names in and around Dunbar will be explored at an exhibition opening in the town this week.
‘What does it mean?…Place-names in and around Dunbar’ has been curated by Dunbar and District History Society (DDHS).
The exhibition opens in Dunbar Town House on Friday and is based on the online book by DDHS member and volunteer Liz Curtis.
She said: “Over thousands of years, a succession of different peoples arrived in East Lothian, mostly seeking the excellent agricultural land.
“They spoke different languages – Brittonic, Old English, Old Norse (Scandinavian), Gaelic and Norman French.
“Then Scots developed locally, based on Old English. Each group named the land in their own way.
“They adopted the place-names of their predecessors or adapted them or created new names.
“As a result, East Lothian has a wonderfully varied collection of place-names, which illuminate our history.”
The full book can be found at spns.org.uk
A new season of talks in the Town House will begin on September 8 and a detailed syllabus will appear in early September at dunbarhistory.org.uk
Share