In 2008-09, the Society completed an archaeology project over three sites: the medieval harbour quay, the “smuggler’s cave”, and the Butcher’s Field adjoining the Glebe. The harbour quay was not previously known of or recorded; the smuggler’s cave was confirmed as an extensive stone-walled tunnel beneath Kilspindie golf course and a putative souterrain associated with the Iron Age fort that stood immediately above; while the Butcher’s field revealed no tangible evidence of early habitation.
In April 2008, a community-led gradiometer and resistivity project was undertaken in Aberlady’s Butchers and Glebe fields as part of the Aberlady Heritage Project. The two-week survey was undertaken by local volunteers under the supervision of Alice Blackwell (University of Glasgow). Scheduled Monument Consent was granted for the project in the Glebe.
The University of Stirling was invited to research available archives to improve understanding of the village’s history.
Reports of the archaeological research at the harbour quay and the ‘smugglers cave’ will be uploaded shortly.