Historical perspective for Peffer Burn

effers, The, two streamlets in the N of Haddingtonshire, rising within a brief distance of each other in a meadow in Athelstaneford parish, and flowing the one westward to Aberlady Bay, the other eastward and north-eastward to a creek 1¾ mile N of Tyninghame House. West Peffer Burn has 6½ or 7 miles of course; and, except for the ¾ mile immediately below its source, flows the wove way between Dirleton on its right bank, and Athelstaneford and Aberlady on its left. East Peffer Burn has 6 miles of course, though, measured along its nominal tributary but real head-water of Cogtal Burn, it has at least 8; and it flows, over most of the distance, through Prestonkirk and Whitekirk parishes. Each stream has a fall, from source to mouth, of not more than 25 or 30 feet, and is, consequently, sluggish in its motion, looking like a large drain, and corresponding in character to the import of its name, ` the slowly running river.' The entire strath, traversed by both streams, though now a rich alluvial mould, was anciently a morass, bristling with forest, and tenanted by wild boars and beasts of prey. Large oaks hale often been found inhumed in moss on the banks, their tops generally lying towards the S. At the widening and deepening of the bed of the streams a number of years ago, for preventing an overflow and stagnation of water during winter, several stag-horns were dug up very near the surface of the former bed.—Ord. Sur., sh. 33, 1863.

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