The abuin pentin shaws the Roman Brig that spans the Esk Water in Musselburgh.
The Romans cam here aroond the year 80AD an biggit a fort on the tap o Inveresk hill whare Inveresk Kirk an kirkyaird is the day. The front yett o the fort leukit strecht doon on tae this pairt o the Esk fae richt tae left whare they biggit the oreeginal stane brig. History tells us that at yae time, the herbour wis at the water mooth o the Esk an no whare Fisherraw herbour staunds the day. Howanever, ye can vernear draw a strecht line fae the front yett o the Roman fort, ower the Roman Brig an on tae whare the praisent Fisherraw herbour staunds. We ken an aw that the praisent herbour wis biggit in the 18th century an sits gey near tae whare the auld Roman herbour stuid sae, the herbour at the water mooth o the Esk maun hiv been somewhare in atween thae twa periods o history.
The oreeginal Roman brig hid juist the twa airches, an wis re-biggit that wey in the 13th century yaisin the oreeginal Roman foonds. A third airch, that ye can juist see a wee bittie o, an ither replenishments wis eikit tae the brig in the 19th century.
In 1314, the English King Edward II crossed ower the brig in his retreat fae the Battle o Bannockburn as did the Scots airmy, fleein fae the Battle o Pinkie in 1547. Bonnie Prince Chairlie an his Jacobite airmy mairched ower it on thair wey tae the Battle o Prestonpans in 1745 tho nae doot, thaim on horses micht weel hiv yaised the ford that crosses the water this side o the brig.
Aye. Ye can say richt eneuch that muckle water haes passed ablow the Honest Toun's auld Roman Brig in the lest 1900 year but think on the muckle history that haes passed ower it an aw.
See http://www.ayecan.com/ for mair aboot Scots.
