Medieval Excavations have shown that from as early as the eighth century, a ferry crossing to
Earlsferry, near
Elie in
Fife was in existence, serving pilgrims on their way to the shrine of
Saint Andrew.
North Berwick Harbour was built in the twelfth century to meet the demands made of the existing ferry trade. This ferry was recently reinstated; during the summer, a boat travels between North Berwick and Anstruther in Fife, in homage to the original ferry. Around 1150,
Duncan, Earl of Fife of the
Clan MacDuff founded an influential
Cistercian nunnery (whose power continued until the
Scottish Reformation, and its dissolution in 1588). Duncan's family shortly afterwards, at the start of the thirteenth century built
North Berwick Castle erecting a wooden
motte and bailey on the site of what is now Castle Hill in the east end of the town, at the start of Tantallon Terrace. This castle was attacked and held by the
Earl of Pembroke around 1306; the English abandoned it by 1314, during the aftermath of the
Battle of Bannockburn. Late in the fourteenth century the Lauder family (owners of the
Bass Rock castle) erected a stone tower with a
barmkin on the site; however they had abandoned it by 1420 in favour of the Bass, possibly as a result of conflict with the owners of nearby Tantallon Castle. In the fourteenth century, the town became a baronial
burgh under
William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, who then built nearby
Tantallon Castle to consolidate his power.
Post-medieval Later, during the fifteenth century, the town became a
royal burgh in the reign of
James I of Scotland. The "Auld Kirk Green" at the harbour was allegedly used for gatherings by the accused in the
North Berwick Witch Trials (1590–92). Legend has it that Satan himself attended a ritual there in 1590. During the sixteenth century, at least 70 people were implicated in the Witch Trials, and the events inspired works such as Burns'
"Tam o' Shanter" and "The Thirteenth Member" by
Mollie Hunter. One of the most famous witch trials at North Berwick was that of
Agnes Sampson. She was accused of making a potion to create
rough storms in the North Sea as
King James VI was sailing home from Denmark with his new wife,
Anne of Denmark. The trial took place in 1591, attended by King James. Agnes Sampson was tortured to confess, and then burnt at the stake, like many other innocent people.
Whaling in the eighteenth century Local lore, place names, and the jawbone arch first erected atop the
Law in 1709, suggest that the port was involved in the whaling industry, though there is little written evidence to prove it. If so, it would have been a minor participant in the industry, overshadowed by nearby
Leith. Certainly, whales have washed ashore at North Berwick over the years, even in recent times. The
North Berwick Town House was erected in the High Street in 1724.
Industrial and modern Despite the railway arriving in 1850, the Industrial Revolution bypassed the town. The late-nineteenth century saw North Berwick develop golfing and holiday facilities. The town soon became popular as a home for Edinburgh commuters and retirees. The size and population of the town remained fairly steady until the 1970s, at which point housebuilding began in earnest around the periphery of the town, first to the south (1950s–70s), then in a series of major expansions to the west (1980s-present) along the line of the railway. There is talk of further developments focussing on "affordable housing", on the south side of the town. While the population has grown significantly but not truly "exploded", house prices have rocketed since the 1950s. North Berwick consistently appears at the top of national house price surveys, and
like-for-like prices are comparable to Edinburgh. North Berwick was listed as the most expensive seaside town in Scotland in 2006, and was second to St. Andrews in 2009. In 2021, it was voted best place to live in Scotland. ==Islands==