The Crookston School Project is a plan to re-create the derelict Crookston School as an exciting new Heritage Centre for Musselburgh, Inveresk, Wallyford and Whitecraig.
The School site is no longer of use for its most recent purpose as a road transport depot, and has become a dilapidated eyesore. Situated in the Edinburgh Green Belt, there is no prospect of it getting planning permission for housing development.
But the 1-acre site is surrounded by the battlefield of the 1547 Battle of Pinkie Cleugh. This battle, which has been recognised by Historic Environment Scotland as the biggest, and one of the historically most important, battles in Scotland, was a decisive turning point in the life and reign of Mary, Queen of Scots. Carberry Hill, where Mary’s reign came to its effective end 20 years later – in an armed confrontation between Mary & Bothwell, and the Confederate Lords – lies about a mile to the south. There could hardly be a more appropriate location for a Visitor Centre devoted to these battles and their place in Mary’s Scottish life.
Such a Centre could realistically aim to attract many thousands of tourist visits each year and become a major asset to the area, and to the whole of East Lothian. So the Project has considerable potential attraction for heritage funding bodies: but, of course, our application will require to be supported by a thoroughly worked through development plan.
We are now working to set up a membership organisation whose goal will be to develop, over the next year, a Plan covering all the important aspects of this proposal. The organisation, to be known as ‘Crookston School Project’, has been accorded charitable status by OSCR — the Scottish Charity Regulator.
We now warmly invite you to apply for membership of Crookston School Project, by completing this Membership Application. There is no membership joining or annual fee.
The first AGM of the Crookston School Project will be held on Tuesday, 3 March 2020 at 7pm, at the Brunton Hall Esk 2 meeting room.
Please return the form to any of the Crookston School Working Group (Ian Irving, Barry Turner at 5 Carberry Close, Roger Knox, Alister Hadden, Andrew Coulson) or bring it along to the meeting.
Inveresk Village 
East Lothian already has a Heritage Museum at Preston Grange. Perhaps efforts could be made to develop this, very much larger, site to its full potential. 1 acre site hardly seems big enough to accommodate thousands of visitors.
LikeLike