John Muir's Birthplace

news - about - search - email - home dunbar - djma - muir - jmbt - donate guided walk - jmd - order a copy Town House

Content updated Sun, 31 Jan 1999 23:22:19 GMT

John Muir's Dunbar... [home]

Silver Street

Town House

St. George Hotel

Stand again on the High Street beside the Town House. Some suggest the building dates from the early 1600s, some a few years later; 1593 is mentioned by one writer, but he had access to records that are now lost. Some features are very old. A first floor window (the one to the left of the tower) is thought to be from the castle, demolished in 1568. Until recently, the building housed meetings of the Burgh Council and Court. David Gilrye was once elected as a Councillor. The Council ran all the Burghs affairs. The Provost and Bailies were the Burgh Court, which offered offenders the choice of a fine or a spell in the Gaol down the way. The Town Clerk ran all Burgh business and administration and the Registrar still officiates at civic marriages in the old Council Chamber. Part of the building is a Museum and Local History Room, with archaeological displays from ancient Dunbar.

Dunbar Town House (pre-1913)

The picture shows the building in John's time. The plaster was stripped off in 1913 and new offices were added to the north side in the 1920s. In a corner is the restored Market Cross; only the pedestal and pillar of it are thought to be original (they were found next door to David Gilrye's property). The head is formed from carved stones, which may have decorated the old kirk. An original Cross is recorded to have been opposite the West Port.