Seal from a charter by King James VI to the Royal Burgh of "Hadingtoun", 1596. (Held in the National Archives of Scotland)

East Lothian Archive Service has recently been set up to look after records relating to East Lothian and its people.  The service is based at the Library and Museum Headquarters in Haddington.  Plans are underway to build an archive repository and search room as part of the proposed East Lothian Cultural Centre.

Where to find East Lothian Records

Most of the official records relating to East Lothian are held by the National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh.  These records will remain in Edinburgh until our new building is complete.  They include local authority, county council and church records.  Click here to find out more.

East Lothian Archive Service currently holds some burgh records for the towns of North Berwick, Haddington, Musselburgh and Dunbar, and a small number of records relating to local schools, organisations and people.  Please contact us for further information.

East Lothian records can also be found in other repositories including the National Library of Scotland and the Lothian Health Services Archive.

Our Local History Centre holds a wide range of material relating to local and family history, including books, photographs, old parish records and census information.

Click here for links to other Archive websites

Access

Access to specific archives in our collections is by appointment only during office hours.  Please contact us for further information.

Depositing Records

We would be very pleased to know about any records you would like to deposit in our new repository.  We are unable to accept records until the building is complete, except in an emergency situation, but we would be happy to visit you and offer advice.

Contact Us

If you have an enquiry or would like more information about our collections and services please contact: