Coastal Communities Museum
A volunteer led local museum in North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

Winter Talks

We have a regular Winter Talks programme for Members and Patrons.

Our talks are held in the chapel area at St Andrew Blackadder Church, St Andrew Street, North Berwick EH39 4NU.

Drop in to talks welcome – £5 entrance donation. Doors open for 6.30pm for a 7pm start.

Interested in being a Member or Patron? Get in touch with Barbara Clark for free trial membership

including free admission to our next talk. You can be sure of a warm welcome.

Winter Talks – Walking Pilgrim Routes, Thursday 23 January 2025

Photo ©Tom Brownlee

Walking Pilgrim Routes by Tom Brownlee, Thursday 23 January 2025

After a break over the festive period, we continue our series of Winter Talks on Thursday 23 January with Tom Brownlee, who will share his experiences of Walking Pilgrim Routes in East Lothian and beyond.

During the Middle Ages many thousands of pilgrims took to the road to visit holy sites such as Jerusalem, Rome, Santiago and St Andrews. By the 1300s Europe provided a veritable constellation of pilgrim routes.

North Berwick's early development owes much to its role as a staging post on the Way of St Andrews, providing lodging, food and spiritual refreshment for the pilgrims crossing the Firth of Forth. The Reformation hastened the decline of pilgrimages across many parts of Europe, including Scotland. However, the late 20th and 21st Centuries have witnessed a surge in the popularity of pilgrimages, with the Camino de Santiago de Compostela becoming a bucket list item.

Tom Brownlee will explore the early history of sacred journeys, with a focus on North Berwick's significance during this period, before sharing his experiences of walking the Camino de Santiago and other pilgrim routes.

Tom’s talk will commence at 7.30pm in the Chapel area, St Andrew Blackadder Church, St Andrew Street, North Berwick, and is open to all. Entry is free for Members of the Coastal Communities Museum, and by £5 donation for Non-Members. The talk will be followed by some light refreshments.


 
Judith Booth