View source for Dunbar

{{Short description|Town in East Lothian, Scotland}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2018}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox UK place
|official_name = Dunbar
|gaelic_name = Dùn Bàrr<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ainmean-aite.scot/placename/dunbar/ |title=''na h-Alba ~ Gaelic Place-names of Scotland'' |access-date=12 October 2017 |archive-date=12 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012201356/https://www.ainmean-aite.scot/placename/dunbar/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|scots_name = Dunbaur
|static_image_name = Tolbooth, Dunbar High Street.JPG
|static_image_width = 280
|static_image_caption = [[Dunbar Town House]] and [[mercat cross]], Dunbar High Street
|country = Scotland
|area_total_km2 = 3.01
|area_footnotes =<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/php/uk-scotland.php?cityid=S19000831 |title=Dunbar (East Lothian, Scotland, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information |publisher=www.citypopulation.de |access-date=11 April 2019}}</ref>
 |population = {{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Dunbar}}
 |population_ref = ({{Scottish settlement population citation|year}})<ref>{{Scottish settlement population citation}}</ref>
|os_grid_reference = NT678789
|coordinates = {{Coord|56.002725|-2.516901|region:GB-ELN_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|pushpin_map = Scotland East Lothian
|unitary_scotland = [[East Lothian Council]]
|lieutenancy_scotland = [[East Lothian]]
|constituency_westminster = [[Lothian East (UK Parliament constituency)|Lothian East]]
|constituency_scottish_parliament = [[East Lothian (Scottish Parliament constituency)|East Lothian]]
|historic_county=
|post_town = DUNBAR
|postcode_district = EH42
|postcode_area = EH
|dial_code = 01368
|edinburgh_distance_mi = 26
|london_distance_mi = 325
}}

'''Dunbar''' ({{IPAc-en|d|ʌ|n|ˈ|b|ɑːr|audio=Dunbar.ogg}}) is a town on the [[North Sea]] coast in [[East Lothian]] in the south-east of [[Scotland]], approximately {{convert|30|mi|km|-1|abbr=off}} east of [[Edinburgh]] and {{convert|30|mi|km|-1|abbr=on}} from the [[Anglo–Scottish border|English border]] north of [[Berwick-upon-Tweed]].

Dunbar is a former [[royal burgh]], and gave its name to an ecclesiastical and [[Civil parishes in Scotland|civil parish]]. The parish extends around {{convert|7+3/4|mi|km|0}} east to west and is {{convert|3+1/2|mi|km|0}} deep at its greatest extent, or {{convert|11+1/4|sqmi|km2|abbr=on|0}}, and contains the villages of [[West Barns]], [[Belhaven, Scotland|Belhaven]], and East Barns (abandoned) and several hamlets and farms.

Dunbar has a [[Dunbar Harbour|harbour]] dating from 1574 and is home to the [[Dunbar Lifeboat Station]], the second-oldest [[RNLI]] station in [[Scotland]]. The Dunbar Primary School and Dunbar Grammar School opened in the 1950s and 1960s.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}

Dunbar is the birthplace of the explorer, naturalist, and influential conservationist [[John Muir]].{{sfn|Muir|1916}}{{sfn|Wolfe|2003}} [[John Muir's Birthplace|The house in which Muir was born]] is located on the High Street, and has been converted into a museum. There is also a commemorative statue beside the town clock, and [[John Muir Country Park]] is located to the north-west of the town. The eastern section of the [[John Muir Way]] coastal path starts from the harbour. One of the two campuses of Dunbar Primary School: John Muir Campus, is named in his honour. A sculpture, [[The DunBear]], the focal point of the DunBear Park mixed-use development, was erected as a tribute to John Muir and his role in the establishment of [[National Parks]] in the USA.

==History==
[[File:Dunbar Harbour and Castle ruins.jpg|thumb|Castle at Dunbar Harbour]]
[[File:Seal of Dunbar.png|thumb|right|Seal of Dunbar from Groome's Gazetteer{{sfn|Groome|1882}}]]
[[File:Seal of Dunbar from Samuel Lewis.png|thumb|right|Seal of Dunbar from Samuel Lewis{{sfn|Lewis|1851}}]]

===Etymology===
In its present form, the name ''Dunbar'' is derived from its [[Goidelic languages|Gaelic]] equivalent (modern [[Scottish Gaelic]]: ''{{lang|gd|Dùn Barra}}''), meaning "summit fort". That itself is probably a Gaelicisation of the [[Cumbric]] form ''{{lang|xcb|din-bar}}'', with the same meaning. This form seems to be attested as ''Dynbaer'' in the seventh-century ''[[Vita Sancti Wilfrithi]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.heroicage.org/issues/10/fox.html|title=Fox—The P-Celtic Place-Names of North-East England and South-East Scotland|website=www.heroicage.org|access-date=28 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.heroicage.org/issues/10/fox-appendix.html|title=Fox—P-Celtic Place-Names—Appendix|website=www.heroicage.org}}</ref>

=== Pre-history ===
Excavations in advance of a housing development by CFA Archaeology, in 2003, found the remains of a later [[Bronze Age Britain|Bronze Age]]/[[early Iron Age]] (800–540 BC) person, indicating that people were living in the area during that time.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Vol 50 (2011): A Rural Medieval Settlement and Early Iron Age Funerary Remains at Hallhill, Dunbar, East Lothian {{!}} Scottish Archaeological Internet Reports|url=https://journals.socantscot.org/index.php/sair/issue/view/80|access-date=2021-08-22|website=journals.socantscot.org}}</ref>

To the north of the present High Street an area of open ground called Castle Park preserves almost exactly the hidden perimeter of an [[Iron Age]] [[promontory fort]].{{sfn|Historic Environment Scotland|NT67NE 141}} The early settlement was a principal centre of the people known to the Romans as [[Votadini]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://el4.org.uk/county/revisiting-the-past/the-archaeology-of-east-lothian/early-historic-settlements/|title=Early historic settlements: the example of Castle Park, Dunbar|date=16 April 2018 |publisher=The Fourth Statistical Account of East Lothian|access-date=9 October 2022}}</ref>

===Early history===
Dunbar was subsumed into Anglian [[Northumbria]] as that kingdom expanded in the 6th century and is believed to be synonymous with the Dynbaer of [[Eddius]] around 680, the first time that it appears in the written record.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/dunbar-through-the-years-these-27-pictures-show-how-much-the-east-lothian-seaside-town-has-changed-since-the-1960s-3437773|title=Dunbar through the years: These 27 pictures show how much the East Lothian seaside town has changed since the 1960s|newspaper=The Scotsman|date=29 October 2021|access-date=9 October 2022}}</ref>

The 2003 archaeological excavation also found a cemetery comprising 32 long-[[cist]] burials. Cemeteries of this type date from the early Christian period (AD 4th–8th centuries) and have been found in several areas around Dunbar, including to the east of Spott roundabout and at the Dunbar swimming pool indicated a settlement existed during this time.<ref name=":0" />

The influential Northumbrian monk and scholar [[St Cuthbert]], born around 630, was probably from around Dunbar: while still a boy, and employed as a shepherd, one night he had a vision of the soul of [[Aidan of Lindisfarne|Saint Aidan]] being carried to heaven by angels and thereupon went to the monastery of [[Old Melrose]] and became a monk.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usbiography/c/stcuthbert.html|title=St Cuthbert|publisher=Undiscovered Scotland| access-date=9 October 2022}}</ref>

It was then a king's [[vill]] and prison to Bishop [[Wilfrid]]. As a royal holding of the kings of [[Northumbria]], the economy centred on the collecting of [[food render]]s and the administration of the northern (now Scottish) portion of that kingdom. It was the base of a senior royal official, a reeve (later [[sheriff]]).<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1a6Qw1R2lxoC&pg=PA318|title=Castle Park, Dunbar: Two Thousand Years on a Fortified Headland, Part 4|page=318|first1=David R. |last1=Perry|first2= Mark A. S. |last2=Blackburn|publisher=Society of Antiquaries of Scotland|year=2000|isbn=978-0903903165}}</ref>

===Scottish conquest===
Danish and Norse attacks on southern Northumbria caused its power to falter and the northern portion became equally open to annexation by Scotland. Dunbar was burnt by [[Kenneth MacAlpin]] in the 9th century. Scottish control was consolidated in the next century and when [[Lothian]] was ceded to [[Malcolm II of Scotland|Malcolm II]] after the [[battle of Carham]] in 1018, Dunbar was finally an acknowledged part of Scotland.<ref>Mack, Logan, (1924) "The Border Line - Solway Firth to the North Sea", Oliver & Boyd., p. 6</ref>

Throughout these turbulent centuries Dunbar's status must have been preserved because it next features as part of a major land grant and settlement by [[Malcolm III of Scotland|Malcolm III]] in favour of the exiled earl [[Gospatric, Earl of Northumbria|Gospatric]] of Northumbria (to whom he may have been full cousin) during 1072. Malcolm needed to fill a power vacuum on his south-eastern flank; Gospatric required a base from which to plot the resumption of his Northumbrian holding. The grant included Dunbar and, it can be deduced, an extensive swath of [[East Lothian]] and [[Berwickshire]] or Merse (hence March). Gospatric founded the family of Dunbar. The head of the House of Dunbar filled the position of [[Earl of Dunbar|Earls of Dunbar and March]] until the 15th century.<ref>Miller, James, ''The History of Dunbar'', Dunbar, 1830, pp.&nbsp;84–89.</ref>

===Later history===
The town became successively a baronial burgh and royal burgh (1370).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.johngraycentre.org/east-lothians-royal-burghs/|title=East Lothian's Royal Burgh|publisher=John Grey Centre|access-date=9 October 2022}}</ref> Cultivated [[Warren (burrow)|rabbit warrens]] on the links to the east and west of the town supplied [[food and the Scottish royal household|food to the royal household]]. In 1589, storms and windblown sand destroyed the warren on the west links.<ref>''Exchequer Rolls'', XII (Edinburgh, 1892), pp. 56, 368.</ref>

Major battles were fought nearby in [[Battle of Dunbar (1296)|1296]] and [[Battle of Dunbar (1650)|1650]]. The latter was fought during the [[Wars of the Three Kingdoms]] between a Scottish [[Covenanter]] army and English Parliamentarians led by [[Oliver Cromwell]]. The Scots were routed, leading to the overthrow of the monarchy and the occupation of Scotland.<ref>{{cite book|last=Reese|first=Peter|date=2006|title=Cromwell's Masterstroke: The Battle of Dunbar 1650|location=Barnsley|publisher=Pen & Sword Military|isbn=978-1-84415-179-0|pages=96–97}}</ref>

A permanent military presence was established in the town with the completion of [[Lauderdale House, Dunbar|Castle Park Barracks]] in 1855.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dunbar.org.uk/dunbar-high-street-closes/|title=Historic closes and wynds|access-date=6 December 2014}}</ref>

The local band, Dunbar Royal British Legion Pipe Band, which was founded in 1976, has competed with success in national competitions.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/17824891.royal-british-legion-pipe-band-record-greatest-achievement/|title=Royal British Legion pipe band record 'greatest achievement'|date=12 August 2019|newspaper=East Lothian Courier|access-date=9 October 2022}}</ref>

On 3 January 1987, a devastating fire destroyed much of the town's historic parish church: though the fire practically destroyed the monument and left only the outer walls remaining, the church has since been rebuilt with a modern interior.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/13556766.25-years-on-church-refurb-really-fires-the-imagination/|title=25 years on, church refurb really fires the imagination|date=12 January 2012|newspaper=East Lothian Courier|access-date=9 October 2022}}</ref>

==Archaeology==
During 2003, archaeological excavations at Oxwell Mains (Lafarge Cement Works) near Dunbar revealed the site of a [[Mesolithic]] house believed to be from around the [[9th millennium BC]]. The site suggests a domed building. Although considered extremely rare and a site of national importance this site is in the middle of an area planned for quarrying.

An archaeological excavation undertaken by [[Headland Archaeology]] on a site previously occupied by the Captain's Cabin (a local landmark) within the area of Castle Park identified a sequence of archaeological features reflecting around 2,000 years of human activity.{{sfn|Moloney|2002}}

The earliest feature was a large ditch which may have formed part of the defences around a [[promontory fort]] previously identified during earlier excavations near the coast at Castle Park. The scale of the ditches indicated an impressive monument. A [[radiocarbon]] date of between 50 BC and AD 70 was obtained from charcoal recovered from its infill.

Much later a rectangular building was built over the top of the infilled ditch. Large quantities of burnt grain were recovered indicating that the building was a grain store that had been destroyed by fire. It was established that this was part of the Anglian settlement that had also been identified during earlier excavations.

Between the 9th and 11th centuries the area was used as a cemetery. Archeologists excavated 76 articulated skeletons, and the disarticulated remains of a further 51 individuals were recovered. The articulated skeletons were all buried in the standard Christian fashion. A small number of the skeletons were in long [[cist]]s, but the majority were simple shroud burials.

A dump or [[midden]] above the cemetery contained many elephant ivory off-cuts dating to the 18th or 19th century.

==Climate==
As with most of the [[British Isles]], Dunbar has an [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Cfb'') with cool summers and mild winters. It is one of the sunniest and driest places in Scotland, with around 1,450 hours of sunshine and {{convert|600|mm|in|abbr=on}} of rainfall annually. Temperature extremes range from {{convert|31.0|C|F}} in August 1990<ref>{{cite web | publisher = [[KNMI (institute)|KNMI]] | url = http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/monitordetail.php?seasonid=14&year=1990&indexid=TXx&stationid=1833 | title = 1990 temperature | access-date = 6 November 2011 | archive-date = 5 June 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120605184844/http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/monitordetail.php?seasonid=14&year=1990&indexid=TXx&stationid=1833 | url-status = dead }}</ref> to {{convert|-12.0|C|F}} in January 1982.<ref>{{cite web | publisher = [[KNMI (institute)|KNMI]] | url = http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/monitordetail.php?seasonid=7&year=1982&indexid=TNn&stationid=1833 | title = 1982 temperature | access-date = 6 November 2011 | archive-date = 5 June 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120605184907/http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/monitordetail.php?seasonid=7&year=1982&indexid=TNn&stationid=1833 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

{{Weather box
| width =  <!-- Width parameter for wikitable, default width=90%. Leave blank for wikitable with no width defined. Set width=auto to fit the table in the next available space automatically. -->
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| location = Dunbar ({{convert|20|m|ft|abbr=on|disp=or|0}} asl, averages 1991–2020)
| Jan high C = 7.3
| Feb high C = 7.9
| Mar high C = 9.5
| Apr high C = 11.5
| May high C = 14.1
| Jun high C = 17.0
| Jul high C = 19.1
| Aug high C = 18.9
| Sep high C = 16.9
| Oct high C = 13.5
| Nov high C = 10.0
| Dec high C = 7.7
| year high C = 12.8
| Jan mean C = 4.8
| Feb mean C = 5.1
| Mar mean C = 6.4
| Apr mean C = 8.2
| May mean C = 10.6
| Jun mean C = 13.5
| Jul mean C = 15.4
| Aug mean C = 15.3
| Sep mean C = 13.6
| Oct mean C = 10.5
| Nov mean C = 7.3
| Dec mean C = 5.0
| year mean C = 9.7
| Jan low C = 2.3
| Feb low C = 2.3
| Mar low C = 3.3
| Apr low C = 4.9
| May low C = 7.1
| Jun low C = 10.0
| Jul low C = 11.7
| Aug low C = 11.7
| Sep low C = 10.2
| Oct low C = 7.6
| Nov low C = 4.6
| Dec low C = 2.3
| year low C = 6.5
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 48.4
| Feb precipitation mm = 38.8
| Mar precipitation mm = 39.1
| Apr precipitation mm = 34.3
| May precipitation mm = 45.6
| Jun precipitation mm = 61.9
| Jul precipitation mm = 64.1
| Aug precipitation mm = 61.5
| Sep precipitation mm = 50.1
| Oct precipitation mm = 63.4
| Nov precipitation mm = 58.3
| Dec precipitation mm = 56.6
| year precipitation mm = 622.1
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 10.2
| Feb precipitation days = 8.4
| Mar precipitation days = 8.6
| Apr precipitation days = 7.6
| May precipitation days = 9.0
| Jun precipitation days = 10.0
| Jul precipitation days = 10.7
| Aug precipitation days = 10.1
| Sep precipitation days = 8.7
| Oct precipitation days = 11.0
| Nov precipitation days = 11.2
| Dec precipitation days = 10.9
| year precipitation days = 116.4
| Jan sun = 59.0
| Feb sun = 81.9
| Mar sun = 116.8
| Apr sun = 155.7
| May sun = 196.9
| Jun sun = 169.0
| Jul sun = 174.6
| Aug sun = 160.7
| Sep sun = 128.7
| Oct sun = 97.8
| Nov sun = 73.4
| Dec sun = 51.5
| year sun = 1466.0
| source = [[Met Office]]<ref name="name">{{cite web |url=https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gcynwfb7z |title=Dunbar (East Lothian) UK climate averages |publisher=Met Office |access-date=25 March 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231116105349/https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gcynwfb7z |archive-date=16 November 2023}}</ref>
}}

==Environment==
Due to its geographical location, Dunbar receives less rain and more hours of direct sunshine per year than most places in Scotland.<ref name="name" />

Dunbar has two promenades, forming part of the [[John Muir Way]]. These provide an ideal viewpoint to see Dunbar's geological features including volcanic deposits and dykes seen from a high vantage point on the western clifftop promenade which passes the town's Public and Winterfield parks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visiteastlothian.org/things-to-see-do/outdoor-activities/walking/walking-top-10/dunbars-cliff-top-trail/|title=Dunbar's cliff top trail|publisher=Visit East Lothian|access-date=9 October 2022}}</ref>

There are two local beaches, the smaller East Beach next to the town featuring rock pools and the expansive Belhaven Beach on the outskirts.

Lochend Woods are a community resource owned and managed by the Dunbar Community Woodland Group.<ref>{{cite web | title=About | website=Lochend Woods  | date=30 April 2017 | url=https://dunbarwoods.org/about/ | access-date=30 July 2022}}</ref>

==Economy==
{{Summarize section|date=January 2023}}
The town centre has several independent, locally owned retail businesses, including gift shops, salons, cafes, a community-owned bakery and grocer and fishmonger, traditional sweet shop, chocolatiere, florists, garden centre (located within Knox's Newsagents) and pet shop. The town also has a zero waste shop as well as several vintage and antique stores and two charity shops. There are two [[RNLI]] stores reflecting the town's maritime connection. On the periphery of the town is a garden centre with cafe, an Asda store accompanied by a drive-thru [[McDonald's]] built in late 2015,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eastlothiannews.co.uk/news/Asda-to-move-into-East.1425087.jp |title=Asda to move into East Lothian - Local Headlines |publisher=East Lothian News |date=6 April 2006 |access-date=9 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Published on Wednesday 7 November 2007 11:33 |url=http://www.berwickshire-news.co.uk/news/New-ASDA-store-seeks-local.3452550.jp |title=New ASDA store seeks local suppliers - Local Headlines |publisher=Berwickshire News |date=7 November 2007 |access-date=9 September 2012}}</ref> a restaurant and hotel owned by [[Marston's]] named the Pine Marten.

Tourism is part of the economy. Agriculture remains important but fishing has declined, although the harbour is still active, mainly landing shellfish. The main manufacturers are [[Tarmac (company)|Tarmac]], producing [[cement]] at Oxwell Mains (the only integrated cement plant in Scotland), and [[Belhaven Brewery]], producing [[Beer in Scotland|Scottish Ale]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scottishbrewing.com/breweries/Belhaven.php |title=Belhaven Brewery |access-date=2021-05-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060213104506/http://www.scottishbrewing.com/breweries/Belhaven.php |website=ScottishBrewing.com |archive-date=2006-02-13 }}</ref>

==Transport==
The town is served by the [[A1 road (Great Britain)|A1]], connecting at Spott roundabout to the south of Dunbar, and [[Dunbar railway station]] which has links to Edinburgh and the rest of Scotland, as well to as [[London]] and stations along the north-east England corridor.

==Sport==
[[File:Dunbar RFC in action.jpg|thumb|alt=Dunbar RFC over 30s|Dunbar RFC]]
[[File:Dunbar Coastal Rowing Club.jpg|right|thumb|Rowing off Dunbar harbour mouth with the [[Bass Rock]] in the background.]]
[[File:Paddle Boarders at Eye Cave Beach Dunbar (geograph 6133543).jpg|thumb|Paddleboarders at Eye Cave Beach]]

===Football===
Dunbar is home to the [[football (soccer)|football]] club [[Dunbar United F.C.|Dunbar United]], who play at New Countess Park and compete in the {{Scottish football updater|Dunbar}}.

Dunbar is also home to the Dunbar United Colts Football Club, who play their home matches at Hallhill Sports Centre.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dunbarcolts.co.uk/|title=Homepage - Dunbar United Colts F.C.|website=www.DunbarColts.co.uk|access-date=19 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220092650/http://www.dunbarcolts.co.uk/|archive-date=20 February 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The town briefly had a [[Scottish Football Association|senior]] club, [[Dunbar Town F.C.|Dunbar Town]], immediately before the [[Second World War]], which played in the [[East of Scotland League]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=Sport of all sorts |journal=Edinburgh Evening News |date=5 June 1937 |page=14}}</ref>

===Golf===
Dunbar Golf Club: Laid out in 1857 and redesigned by Old Tom Morris around 1894, Dunbar East Links is situated on the estuary of the [[Firth of Forth]]. It is used as an Open Championship Qualifying Venue when the Open is played at Muirfield and all of the major Scottish Championships have been played here, The Scottish Amateur, Scottish Professional Championships, and Scottish Boys' Championship. The British Ladies and the Ladies Home Internationals have also enjoyed Dunbar as a venue. Dunbar is also home to Winterfield Golf Club.

===Rugby===
Dunbar is also home to [[Dunbar RFC]]. They play their home games at Hallhill Sports Centre and operate a 1st XV, 2nd XV and various school teams. The 1st XV play in the [[East Regional Leagues (Rugby Union)|East Region League Division 2]].

===Basketball===
Dunbar Grammar School hosts basketball training for many school and club squads. School teams often participate in the Scottish Cup competition for their appropriate level. The school also hosts training for the club Dunbar Dragons.

===Coastal Rowing===
Dunbar Coastal Rowing Club<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dunbarcoastalrowing.org.uk|title=Homepage - Dunbar Coastal Rowing Club|website=www.dunbarcoastalrowing.org.uk|access-date=6 July 2019}}</ref> has two [[St. Ayles Skiff|St Ayles Skiffs]] - 'Volunteer' and 'Black Agnes'. They are frequently seen rowing off the coast towards Belhaven or Torness or even just fishing. In 2018 they rowed to all of the named islands in the [[Firth of Forth]]. In 2019 they are competing in the World Championships at [[Stranraer]].

=== Wakeboarding ===
Foxlake in Dunbar was the first cable wakeboarding centre in Scotland.<ref>{{Cite news|last=McIver|first=Brian|date=8 April 2015|title=Wakeboarding comes to Scotland|work=Daily Record|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/other-sports/water-torture-wakeboarding-comes-scotland-5477342|access-date=17 June 2021}}</ref> As well as wakeboarding it also offers a water assault course, ringo rides and segways. There is also a cafe in the centre.

=== Surfing and paddle boarding ===
Surfing is popular on Belhaven Bay.<ref>{{cite news|last=Cox|first=Roger|date=13 December 2014|title=Surfing at Belhaven Bay|work=Scotsman|url=https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/things-to-do/roger-cox-surfing-belhaven-bay-near-dunbar-1518153|access-date=17 June 2021}}</ref> The Coast to Coast surf school is located next to Belhaven Bay. Paddle boarding is also popular on Belhaven Bay.

==Education==
[[File:Dunbar Grammar School (geograph 4212714).jpg|thumb|Dunbar Grammar School]]
The town itself is served by two primary schools, West Barns Primary School<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edubuzz.org/westbarns/|title=West Barns Primary – Together Everyone Achieves More|website=Edubuzz.org|access-date=19 June 2017}}</ref> and Dunbar Primary School,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edubuzz.org/dunbarprimary/|title=Dunbar Primary School - Standing together. Facing the future.|website=Edubuzz.org|access-date=19 June 2017}}</ref> and a non-denominational state secondary school, Dunbar Grammar School.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edubuzz.org/dunbargrammar/|title=Dunbar Grammar School - Non sine pulvere palma|website=Edubuzz.org|access-date=19 June 2017}}</ref> Dunbar Grammar School also serves a wide catchment area which includes the surrounding areas and villages of [[East Linton]], [[Stenton]], and [[Oldhamstocks]]. There is also a small number of children who live in [[Cockburnspath]] that attend Dunbar Grammar. The school currently has a roll of 1,006 pupils. As of August 2024, John Johnstone is the Head Teacher, succeeding Claire Slowther. Prior to Slowther's ascent to Head Teacher from Deputy Head Teacher in August 2018, the school was run by longstanding Head Teacher Paul Raffaelli. Dunbar Primary School is split between two campuses, the original building which is now referred to as "John Muir Campus" taking Primary 1–3s along with nursery pupils, with the newer-built "Lochend Campus" taking Primary 4–7s.

==Religion==
===Presbytery of Dunbar===
The town Dunbar was within the Church of Scotland presbytery of Dunbar.{{sfn|Scott|1915}}
*Coldingham, Parish and Priory (notices of Cockburnspath, etc.), A. Thomson (1908).
*The History of Dunbar. James Miller (1859).{{sfn|Miller|1859}}
*An Old Kirk Chronicle. Peter Hately Waddell, D.D. (1893).
*The Churches of St Baldred. Rev. A. I. Ritchie (1880).
*Saint Mary's, Whitekirk. Rev. E. B. Rankin (1914).
*History of Berwickshire Naturalists' Club (for Cockburnspath, Oldhamstocks, etc.)

Today, there are several churches in Dunbar.  These are:

===Church of Scotland===
* Dunbar Parish Church, Queens Road
* Dunglass Parish Church, Kirk Bridge
* Belhaven Parish Church, Belhaven Road

===Episcopal and Methodist Church===
* St. Anne's Church, Westgate
** Methodist Church, Victoria Street

===Catholic Church===
* Our Lady of the Waves Church, Westgate

==On film==
Films which have shots of Dunbar include:
*Dunbar (1958) 3&nbsp;min, B&W, silent<ref>{{cite web |title=Dunbar |url=https://movingimage.nls.uk/film/5583 |website=National Libraries of Scotland |publisher=Moving Image Archive |access-date=16 October 2018}}</ref>
*Dunbar - The A1 Resort (1970) 20&nbsp;min, colour, sound<ref>{{cite web |title=Dunbar - The A1 Resort |url=https://movingimage.nls.uk/film/1815 |website=National Libraries of Scotland |publisher=Moving Image Archive |access-date=16 October 2018}}</ref>
*Lothian Landscape (1974) 21&nbsp;min, colour. Narrated by [[Gordon Jackson (actor)|Gordon Jackson]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Lothian Landscape |url=http://movingimage.nls.uk/film/2258 |website=National Library of Scotland |publisher=Moving Image Archive |access-date=16 October 2018}}</ref>
*Haunted locations featuring LPS {{clarify|date=September 2024}} on various TV outlets 2008–2018
*Outlander - John Muir Country Park, filmed camp scenes (2020–2022)

==Notable buildings==
[[File:Ordnance Survey Tide Gauge House, Dunbar Harbour, East Lothian.jpg|thumb|Ordnance Survey Tide Gauge House, Dunbar Harbour]]
* Chapel tower (with [[doocot]] conversion) of the Trinitarian Priory, Friarscroft, west of the town. Founded c. 1240 by Christiana de Brus, Countess of Dunbar.
* [[Dunbar Castle]], possibly from the 14th century, rebuilt and remodelled c.1490 and c.1520. Largely ruined with the aid of gunpowder (deliberately by Act of Parliament) in 1567 and with the whole north end removed with the aid of explosives (detonated using a specially-invented electrical system) for the new Victoria Harbour 1842–44.
* Parish Church (see above) by [[James Gillespie Graham]] 1818–21 in local red sandstone from Bourhouse quarry.<ref name="auto">Buildings of Scotland:Lothian by Colin McWilliam</ref>
* Parish Church Hall (1910), located behind the post office off the High Street, contains stained glass removed from [[St Giles' Cathedral]], Edinburgh, redundant there on the creation of the Thistle Chapel.<ref name="auto"/>
* Abbey Free Church (1850) by [[Thomas Hamilton (architect)|Thomas Hamilton]].
* St Anne's Episcopal Church (1889) by [[Robert Rowand Anderson]].
* Dunbar Methodist Church is the oldest Methodist Church in Scotland, having been erected in 1764. Both John Wesley and Charles Wesley were trustees of the Society in Dunbar and John preached at the Methodist Church on 21 occasions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dunbar |url=http://www.methodistheritage.org.uk/dunbar.htm |website=Methodistheritage.org.uk |access-date=2 January 2019}}</ref>
* [[Dunbar Town House]], High Street, (c.1550).
* Mercat Cross (c.1911) created from medieval fragments to replace lost original sited opposite West Port. Now beside Town House.
* [[Lauderdale House, Dunbar|Lauderdale House]] (1790–92), designed by [[Robert Adam]] and executed by his brother John after Robert's death; built round the carcass of Dunbar House (c.1730).
* [[Dunbar railway station|Railway station]] (1845) but altered.
* Cromwell Harbour, very old fishing harbour which dates to 1600s.
* Ordance Survey Tidal Gauge - Beneath the Castle Rock at Victoria Harbour is a small castellated building, now the Harbourmaster's office, but originally built in 1913 by the [[Ordnance Survey]] and used as part of a network that was used to establish the 'Mean Sea Level' that is used as the reference benchmark for all heights 'above sea level' in the UK.
* Dunbar Battery (1781) was built to protect the town from privateers in the 18th century and restored in 2017 by Dunbar Harbour Trust with improvements made to access and a new outdoor amphitheatre sensitively inserted within the defensive walls. The Dunbar Battery also features "Sea Cubes", a public artwork by Scottish artist Donald Urquhart. The project won the ''[[Architects' Journal]]'' Architecture Awards 2017 for the Best Budget Project of the Year and was Commended in the [[Scottish Civic Trust]] My Places Awards 2018.

==Notable people==
=== Pre 1000===
* Saint [[Wilfrid]] (633–709) - 7th to early 8th century English [[bishop]] and [[saint]]; imprisoned for a time in Dunbar<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.englandsnortheast.co.uk/CuthbertWilfrid.html|title=Saint Cuthbert and Saint Wilfrid 657-688AD|website=www.EnglandsNortheast.co.uk|access-date=19 June 2017}}</ref>
* Saint [[Cuthbert]] (634–687) - early [[saint]] and [[evangelism|evangelist]] of the [[Northumbria]]n church, [[Bishop]] of [[Lindisfarne]],{{sfn|Hunt|1888}} at a time when [[Northumbria]] was a leader in promoting and spreading the message of Christianity in a British and wider European context<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.northumbrianassociation.com/index.php?page=the-gospel-story-the-truth|title=The Gospels Story - Northumbrian Association|website=www.NorthumbrianAssociation.com|access-date=19 June 2017}}</ref> and, he was, according to some authors, born in and initially brought up in Dunbar to a local noble family, before being fostered in the [[Melrose, Scottish Borders|Melrose]] area with a related or allied family as per the traditions of his class and time.<ref>Battiscombe, C. F. (ed), The Relics of Saint Cuthbert, Oxford University Press, 1956</ref>

===1001-1500===
* [[Black Agnes]] (1312–1369) - Countess of Dunbar and heroine of local folklore{{sfn|Vian|1888}}
* [[Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scots]] (1404–1445) - wife of [[King]] [[James I of Scotland]], who served as the [[Regent]] of [[Scotland]] in the immediate aftermath of his death and during the minority of her son [[James II of Scotland]], before being engulfed in a power struggle with members of the nobility. In desperation she took refuge in [[Dunbar Castle]] where she was subsequently besieged by her opponents, in which place and circumstances she died in the year 1445.{{sfn|Brown}}
* [[Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany]] (1454–1485) - second son of [[King]] [[James II of Scotland]] and [[Mary of Guelders]], was [[Duke of Albany]], [[Earl of March]], Lord of [[Annandale, Dumfries and Galloway|Annandale]] and [[Isle of Man]] and the [[Warden of the Marches]], which altogether gave him an impressive power base in the east and west borders, centred on Dunbar Castle which he owned and lived in. He attempted to seize control of Scotland from his brother [[King]] [[James III of Scotland]], but was ultimately unsuccessful.{{sfn|Mackay|1898a|p=264-267}}
* [[John Stewart, Duke of Albany]] (1482–1536) - de facto ruler of Scotland and important soldier, diplomat, and politician in a Scottish and continental European context, was the only son of the above [[Duke of Albany]], and managed where his father had failed and became [[Regent]] of [[Scotland]], while he also became [[Count]] of [[Auvergne]] and [[Lauraguais]] in France and, lastly, inherited from his father the position of [[Earl of March]], which allowed him to likewise use [[Dunbar Castle]] as his centre of power in Scotland.{{sfn|Bonner}}{{sfn|Mackay|1898b|p=317-322}}

===1501-1900===
* [[James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell]] (1534–1578) - notorious third and last husband of [[Mary, Queen of Scots]], and owner of Dunbar Castle
* [[Alexander Dow]] (1735–1779) - influential [[Oriental studies|Orientalist]], author and British [[East India Company]] army officer; resident and educated in Dunbar for part of his boyhood
* [[Robert Wilson (engineer)|Robert Wilson]] (1803–1882) - one of the inventors of the ship's [[propeller]], born and bred in Dunbar from a local family
* Sir [[Anthony Home]] (1826–1914) - British soldier who was notable as a recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]] and the eventual achievement of the rank of [[Surgeon-General (United Kingdom)|Surgeon-General]] of the [[British Armed Forces]]; born and bred in Dunbar from a local family
* [[John Muir]] (1838–1914) - important conservationist, geologist, environmental philosopher, and pacifist; one of the founders of the United States system of National Parks and [[Sierra Club]], born in Dunbar
* [[Walter Runciman, 1st Baron Runciman]] (1847–1937) - major shipowner and maverick [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] politician, born in Dunbar to parents from Dunbar{{sfn|Johnstone|Cregier}}
* [[Reginald Wingate|General Sir Reginald Wingate]] (1861–1953) - 1st Baronet, army officer and colonial governor, 'the maker of the [[Anglo-Egyptian Sudan]]', [[Governor-General of the Sudan]] (1899–1916), British High Commissioner in Egypt (1917–1919), commander of military operations in the [[Hedjaz]] (1916–1919), for many years the senior general of the British army, long-time resident in Dunbar{{sfn|Daly}}
* [[Jack Hobens]] (1880–1944) - Scottish-American [[professional golfer]]
* [[John Turnbull (actor)]] (1880)
* Dr [[James Wyllie Gregor]] (1900–1980) - botanist, born in Dunbar

===1901-present===
* [[William Alexander Bain]] (1905–1971) - pharmacologist
* [[Sadie Aitken]] (1905–1985) - Scottish actor, theatre manager, film critic for BBC
* [[Hugh Trevor-Roper]] (1914–2003) - renowned English historian who boarded at [[Belhaven Hill School]]
* [[Davy Henderson]] (b. 1962) - Scottish musician ([[The Fire Engines]], [[The Nectarine No. 9]])
* [[Maria Lyle]] (b. 2000) - para-sprinter, won medals at both the Commonwealth and Paralympic Games

==Twin towns==
Dunbar is [[Sister city|twinned]] with
* [[Lignières, Cher|Lignières]], France.<ref name=twin>{{cite web|url=https://www.jmbt.org.uk/2021/04/16/twins-for-40-years-dunbar-martinez/|title=Twins for 40 Years! Dunbar & Martinez|date=16 April 2021|publisher=John Muir's Birthplace|access-date=9 October 2022}}</ref>
*[[Martinez, California]], United States.<ref name=twin/>

==Gallery==
[[File:2010-08 Scotland - Dumbar.jpg|thumb|800px|Dunbar Castle and Victoria Harbour|center]]
<gallery>
File:Bass Rock from Dunbar.jpg|Bass Rock from Dunbar
File:Coastal East Lothian - A Windy Day at Belhaven (geograph 2435863).jpg|The Bridge to Nowhere, with [[Bass Rock|The Bass]] and the [[North Berwick Law]]
File:Dunbar-John Muir beach.JPG|View towards Belhaven Bay (John Muir Country Park) with North Berwick Law and Bass Rock in the distance
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Scotland|United Kingdom}}

* [[John Muir's Birthplace]]
* [[John Muir Way]]
* [[List of places in East Lothian]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin|30em|indent=yes}}
*{{cite ODNB|id=26488|title=Stewart [Stuart], John, second duke of Albany|last=Bonner|first=Elizabeth}}
*{{cite ODNB|id=14646|title=Joan [née Joan Beaufort]|last=Brown|first=M. H.}}
*{{cite book |last1=Bruce |first1=George |title=The Statistical Account of Scotland |volume=5|date=1791 |publisher=Edinburgh : Printed and sold by William Creech; and also sold by J. Donaldson, and A. Guthrie, Edinburgh; T. Cadell, J. Stockdale, J. Debrett, and J. Sewel, London; Dunlop and Wilson, Glasgow; Angus and Son, Aberdeen |pages=[https://archive.org/details/b21365799_005/page/474/mode/2up 474]–487 |url=https://archive.org/details/b21365799_005/page/474/mode/2up |access-date=29 September 2018}}
*{{cite book|last1=Bute|first1=John, Marquess of|last2=Lonsdale|first2=H. W.|last3=MacPhail|first3=J. R. N.|title=The Arms of the Royal and Parliamentary Burghs of Scotland|date=1897|publisher=William Blackwood & Sons|location=Edinburgh|pages=103–105|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.c2916083&view=2up&seq=112|access-date=11 April 2017}}
*{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Dunbar|volume=8|noicon=1}}
*{{cite ODNB|id=36977|title=Wingate, Sir (Francis) Reginald, first baronet|last=Daly|first=M. W.}}
*{{cite book |last=Groome |first=Francis, Hindes |title=Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland : a survey of Scottish topography, statistical, biographical, and historical|volume=2 |date=1882 |publisher=T.C. Jack |pages=[https://archive.org/details/ordnancegazettee02groo/page/402 402]-408|location=Edinburgh |article=Dunbar|url=https://archive.org/details/ordnancegazettee02groo |author-link=Francis Hindes Groome}}
*{{cite book |last1=Hannah |first1=Ian Campbell |title=The Berwick and Lothian coasts |date=1913 |publisher=T.F. Unwin |location=London |pages=85–96 |url=https://archive.org/details/berwicklothianco00hanniala/page/84/mode/2up |access-date=1 July 2020}}
*{{Historic Environment Scotland|cat=PLA |num=68375 |num2=NT67NE 141 |desc=Dunbar, Castle Park|access-date=2025-06-18|ref={{harvid|Historic Environment Scotland|NT67NE 141}} }}
*{{cite DNB|volume=13|last=Hunt|first=William|wstitle=Cuthbert (d.687)|noicon=1}}
*{{cite book |last1=Jaffray |first1=John |title=The New Statistical Account of Scotland |volume=5|date=1845 |publisher=William Blackwood and Sons |location=Edinburgh and London |pages=[https://archive.org/details/b21365805_0002/page/70/mode/2up 70]–94 |url=https://archive.org/details/b21365805_0002/page/70/mode/2up}}
*{{cite ODNB|id=35867|title=Runciman, Walter, first Baron Runciman|last1=Johnstone|first1=A. E.|last2=Cregier|first2=D. M.}}
*{{cite book |last1=Lewis |first1=Samuel |title=A topographical dictionary of Scotland, comprising the several counties, islands, cities, burgh and market towns, parishes, and principal villages, with historical and statistical descriptions: embellished with engravings of the seals and arms of the different burghs and universities |date=1851 |publisher=S. Lewis and co. |location=London |pages=[https://archive.org/details/topographicaldic01lewi/page/322 322]-325 |volume=1 |url=https://archive.org/details/topographicaldic01lewi |author-link=Samuel Lewis (publisher)}}
*{{cite DNB|volume=54|year=1898a|last=Mackay|first=Aeneas James George|wstitle=Stewart, Alexander (1454?-1485)|p=264-267|noicon=1}}
*{{cite DNB|volume=54|year=1898b|last=Mackay|first=Aeneas James George|wstitle=Stewart, John (1481-1536)|p=317-322|noicon=1}}
*{{cite book |last1=Miller |first1=James |title=The history of Dunbar, from the earliest records to the present time |date=1859 |publisher=J. Downie |location=Dunbar |url=https://archive.org/details/historydunbar00millgoog/page/n13/mode/2up |access-date=6 June 2020}}
*{{cite journal |last1=Moloney|first1= C.|year=2002 |title=New evidence for the origins and evolution of Dunbar: excavations at the Captain's Cabin, Castle Park, Dunbar, East Lothian.excavations at the Captain's Cabin, Castle Park, Dunbar, East Lothian|journal= Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland |volume=131 |pages=283–317 |doi= 10.9750/PSAS.131.283.317|s2cid= 59462179|url=http://soas.is.ed.ac.uk/index.php/psas/article/download/9559/9526 |access-date=6 June 2020|doi-access=free}}
*{{cite book |last1=Muir |first1=John |title=The writings of John Muir |date=1916 |volume=1|publisher=Houghton Mifflin |location=Boston |url=https://archive.org/details/writingsjohnmuir01muirrich/page/n11/mode/2up |access-date=6 June 2020}}
*{{cite book |last1=Muir |first1=Thomas Scott |title=East Lothian |date=1915 |publisher=University Press |location=Cambridge |url=https://archive.org/details/eastlothian00muir/page/110/mode/2up |access-date=6 June 2020}}
*{{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=Hew |title=Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation |volume=1|pages=[https://archive.org/details/fastiecclesiaesc01scot/page/406 406]–409|date=1915 |publisher=Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd |url=https://archive.org/details/fastiecclesiaesc01scot |access-date=27 February 2019}}
*{{cite DNB|volume=16|last=Vian|first=Alsager Richard|wstitle=Dunbar, Agnes|p=150-151|noicon=1}}
*{{cite book |last=Wolfe |first=L. M. |title=Son of the Wilderness: The Life of John Muir |publisher=University of Wisconsin Press |year=2003 |location=Madison, Wisconsin |isbn=978-0-299-18634-0}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage|Dunbar}}
*[https://www.ourdunbar.com Dunbar's main website]
* [https://60thingsdunbar.scot Activities in Dunbar.]
*[https://dunbarhistory.org.uk/ Dunbar & District Historical Society]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBILzg5kLBE Aspects of tourism in Dunbar since the 1950s]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWkFYZnbPSY Danny MacAskill x adidas Outdoor : Welcome to the Family]
{{East Lothian Towns & Villages}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Dunbar| ]]
[[Category:Towns in East Lothian]]
[[Category:Ports and harbours of Scotland]]
[[Category:Royal burghs]]
[[Category:Seaside resorts in Scotland]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns of the North Sea]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Scotland]]