Fisherrow Harbour, Musselburgh

Fishing has been present in Musselburgh since early Roman times, although the present harbour at Fisherrow was not built until the 18th century, sitting close to the original site of an early Roman "harbour". In existence since 1592, the harbour at Musselburgh was then little more than a landing stage for fishing boats and small coastal craft. A wooden pier was added in 1626, but the town was spared the machinations of Oliver Cromwell when during his 1650 campaign in Scotland he searched for a port in the Forth for his supply ships. Fisherrow was rejected, Cromwell deciding the waters were too shallow. His attentions were turned on Dunbar instead.

Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries Fisherrow Harbour was regarded as being far from suitable for foreign trade, therefore escaping the necessity of having its own customs post and all the unwanted attention from the excisemen this would undoubtedly have incurred. Despite this, its fishing income was at times augmented by the import of Norwegian timber, the export of salt and coal, a thriving trade with Holland ...... and more than the odd dabbling with smugglers. Fisherrow was the landing place for countless fleets stretching from Dunbar to Fife, their catch taken to Edinburgh for sale by the Fisherrow wives. In 1791 Fisherrow had seven home fishing boats and forty nine fishermen. By 1839 the fleet numbered twenty eight, with one hundred and forty fishermen averaging hauls of between eighteen and twenty two tons. 

The early 19th century saw Musselburgh Town Council construct a new harbour in the mouth of the River Esk. Silting very quickly became a serious problem and this was just as quickly abandoned. It was subsequently decided to return to Fisherrow Harbour itself, improving it in stages. The present west pier was built in stone around 1850. It is at this time that the Fisherrow fishermen began to follow the herring, bigger boats sailing north to Caithness whilst others headed south to the East Anglian ports. The dwindling of herring stocks in the 1930s saw boats fishing instead for white fish, prawns and sprats ..... and the arrival of large ocean trawlers further hastened the decline of Fisherrow from the 1950s.

Other interesting information about Fisherrow and Musselburgh ...... the first loom for weaving fishing nets was invented here. The community at Fisherrow was close-knit, religion playing an important part in their lives. There was a local Fishwives Choir. The end of the fishing season was marked every September by a "Box Walk", local fishermen and fishwives marching in procession through the streets. Funds were handed out to the needy, and a thanksgiving service was held on the Sunday. Games and dancing were held in the grounds of Pinkie House. Fisherrow fishwives were formidable characters, a familiar sight selling their fish on the streets of Edinburgh clad in their stripped aprons. It was also their job to help bait the lines.

Today Fisherrow Harbour is little more than a haven for pleasure boats and the sea cadets training craft. Many sit here when the weather is good, enjoying the sunshine. The open water is at times dotted with sailing craft, local clubs racing around brightly coloured buoys or just basking in an afternoon on the water. Occasionally the sound of jetskis pierce the silence, children trail their ice-creams around the stone pier, dogs bound into the water. And then you have those whose sanity comes seriously into question. The afternoon of my recent visit saw the young gentlemen of the town partake of a little pier dipping ........ I think that's what they were calling it. Obviously a popular pastime, the idea is to launch oneself from the stone pier into the cold water, this activity taking place in the mouth of the harbour. If you forget your trunks, do it without. What's a bare bottom among friends! Water a trifle chilly? Channel swimmers use grease to keep warm. No grease? Try nutella. Not the same effect, but I guess they can always lick it off when they surface.

Fisherrow Harbour may no longer see boats coming home laden with fish, the stone walls no longer adorned with nets drying in the sun. What does remain, however, is the character of Fisherrow and pride in its fishing heritage. Many of the old fishermen's houses have been demolished, replaced by modern flats and houses. But the spirit of Fisherrow remains. Memories cannot be pulled down, cannot be erased from history. For as long as there is a harbour, images of the fleet setting sail will stay forever, captured in time, carried on every wave that breaks upon the beach.