A public-subscription monument commemorates Colonel James Gardiner near the landscape of the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1853
- Architect / designer
- Archibald and Handyside Ritchie
- Type
- Commemorative obelisk and relief monument
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB17547)
- OS grid reference
- NT 39485 73821
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
A tall stone obelisk rises above a substantial pedestal with inscription and sculpted relief. Its vertical silhouette and martial imagery create a landmark within the former Bankton estate.
Its story
Colonel James Gardiner died from wounds received at Prestonpans in 1745. Public subscription funded the 1853 monument, designed by Archibald and Handyside Ritchie to perpetuate his military and religious reputation.
Why it is included
The Category B monument makes eighteenth-century conflict and nineteenth-century memory visible within Tranent’s wider historic landscape.
What to notice
- Tall obelisk profile.
- Sculpted relief on the pedestal.
- Inscriptions shaping Gardiner’s public memory.
Reading the surroundings
Approach only by lawful public routes and respect surrounding land and any livestock or fencing. Do not climb the pedestal or touch carved surfaces.
Timeline
- 1745 James Gardiner was mortally wounded during the Battle of Prestonpans.
- 1853 Public subscription funded the Ritchie monument at Bankton.
- 1971 The obelisk and sculpted base received Category B listing.
- 2026 The monument remains a prominent focus of battlefield remembrance.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The monument interprets a celebrated individual; it does not by itself explain the full or contested history of the battle.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Colonel Gardiner's Monument, LB17547 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove: Colonel Gardiner's Monument — National record of the monument, sculptors, 1853 date, form and photographic documentation.
Location
OS grid reference NT 39485 73821 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; the independent source confirms the Place relationship, history or current identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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