Prestongrange Church

The church itself is modest - a plain stone structure that doesn't immediately announce itself as anything special. But Prestongrange has genuine history locked into its walls, and if you care about that sort of thing, it's well worth the short drive from Musselburgh.

You're looking at a medieval church that's been standing since at least the 12th century, though it's been knocked about, rebuilt, and tinkered with enough times that working out what's original takes a bit of detective work. The graveyard around it tells its own story - lots of carved stones, some weathered beyond legibility, others still readable if you take time.

Walkers heading between Musselburgh and the coast will pass near here anyway, so it slots naturally into a longer afternoon ramble. It's not going to hold kids' attention for more than ten minutes, but if you're staying at Seton Sands Holiday Village just down the road, it's an easy morning detour before heading to the beach.

The real appeal here is for anyone interested in Scottish ecclesiastical architecture and local heritage rather than those after dramatic scenery or a major tourist draw. No crowds, no gift shop, no fuss - just a proper old church doing what it's done for centuries. Allow twenty minutes, perhaps longer if you're photographing the stonework or reading the older gravestones.