St.Margaret's Cottage ~ Coldingham ~ Scotland

Coldingham village is a charming conservation village located in the Scottish Borders three miles north-east of Eyemouth. At the centre of the village are the remains of a Benedictine priory which grew out of a church founded in 1098 by King Edgar. Coldingham Abbey is regarded as one of the most interesting smaller Benedictine houses - it has been sacked many times. There are also a number of Iron Age sites in the vicinity. Coldingham is situated in a shallow basin two miles inland from the coast. St. Abb's , formerly known as Coldingham Shore, is home to a National Trust Nature Reserve, St. Abb's Head, with its famous sea bird cliffs. There are lovely cliff top walks and a beautiful beach. In Coldingham there is a restaurant, the Sooty Duck, pubs serving bar food and a village store. The village has, however, never grown much and seems to have very little modern development. There are a few buildings of architectural interest. The quickest way into the village from St.Margaret's is to walk down the lane in front of the Cottage, cross the stream and turn right at the ford into the village.

A good range of shops, including a small supermarket, is available in Eyemouth where fresh seafood can be bought, including lobsters in season. There is a large supermarket ten miles away in Berwick-on-Tweed.

More information on the history of Coldingham and the priory is available from the links below :