The present appearance of this area owes a great deal to the wife of the sixth Earl of Haddington. In 1707 she persuaded him to 'enclose' much of the sandy, salt-blasted Muir of Tyninghame, a rabbit warren north of Belhaven Bay, and plant it with trees. No-one thought they would grow, but they did, and Lord Haddington resolved no longer to 'fight with bad land' but planted with trees everything he could not cultivate. He could make oak trees thrive anywhere - - "on rich, poor, middling, heathy, gravelly, clayey, mossy, spouty and rocky ground, nay, even upon dry sand." Nearly three thousand yards of holly hedges gave protection in all seasons from haar and storm.
You can still see some of them by the roadside at Tyninghame, full of berries in winter. Most of the oaks and other trees, alas, were cut down during the second World War, and the ground was replanted after 1945. In recent years the Tyninghame Estate has allowed people to walk in the wood west of the road, provided they keep clear of necessary woodland management operations.
May 2003 :
The local newspapers announce that the Estate has just put the Binning Wood up for sale.
July 2003 :
The Wood has been sold to a consortium of neighbouring farmers.
2004: see www.binningwood.com
In August, 2000, Binning Wood was the focus for P7 pupils from Longniddry Primary School who spent a week working on their 'John Muir Discovery Award'. They prepared leaflets about the wood and its wildlife, and here are some of their comments on the project:
I would tell others that getting the award ...
... feels fantastic, and makes you feel so proud. All the hard work and effort pays off and it is an absolutely great experience to have.–Stephanie
... is really fun and it can teach you a lot about John Muir and conservation. It is quite a challenge but worth it in the end.-Eilidh
... is very interesting and loads of fun. You have a pleased feeling when you have done something for the community. –Ross
I would say definitely go for it! It is a chance of a lifetime and one you would remember: We really enjoyed ourselves at Binning Wood.–Andy
By the way, 'Lord Binning' is the title given to each Earl of Haddington's eldest son.
