borough-town of Scotland and the capital of East Lothian, or Haddingtonshire, is situated about 16 miles east from Edinburgh, being the first stage on the London road, and in W. Long, 2° 25' N. Lat. 55° 50'. It stands on the river Tyne, has four streets which are neatly built, cutting each other at right angles, with a townhouse erected in 1748, from a design by the celebrated Mr Adams. The school is commodious, with lodgings for the masters, and accommodation for boarders. The parish church is large, which formerly belonged to the Franciscan monastery, and was probably built about the beginning of the 13th century. The west end is now the place of worship, for the rest of it is completely in ruins. The aisle is the burying place of the family of Maitland, and contains several marble statues of the dukes of Lauderdale. On the monument of Maitland of Thirlstane is an epitaph composed by James VI. Haddington is a place of great antiquity, for it is filled by the mother of Malcolm IV. in a charter granted in 1178, meum Burgum de Haddington. Its political constitution is composed of a provost, three bailies, a dean of guild, treasurer, and 12 counsellors. Its incorporated trades are seven in number. It was once strongly fortified, of which different traces are still to be seen.

A considerable manufacture of coarse woollen cloth is carried on in the town and suburbs. It has two annual fairs, and a weekly market on Friday, computed to be the greatest in Scotland for all sorts of grain. Haddington has suffered much from the ravages of fire and the inundations of the Tyne, which rose 17 feet above its usual level in the year 1773, by which one half of the town was laid under water. Here the celebrated John Knox, father of the reformation, is said to have been born, and strangers are still thrown the house where he first drew his breath. It has a vote in electing a member of parliament along with North Berwick, Dunbar, Jedburgh, and Lauder. Its revenue is estimated at about £400l. sterling per annum.