Loupin - on - Stane, Aberlady

Outside Aberlady church here in East Lothian is a set of steps in the middle of what is now the pedestrian pavement...


It is one of the best examples in Scotland of a of a Victorian `Loupin on` Stane,


It was used by ladies to mount and dismount there horses arriving and departing at Church in a dignified manner, they wore long skirts and sat side saddle...


Constructed around 1880 when the major re-works were carried out to the church boundary walls, here is a picture from around 1900, notice the iron railings a feature often used to reduce the cost and amount of stone required...


Another pre WW2 postcard of the church...


All railings and unnecessary gates were removed due to the need of steel and iron for the war effort in 1940, like the `pots and pans for Spitfires` campaign...

It was actually a bit of a farce as most of the wrought iron was useless for arms production and thousands of tons were dumped out in the Firth of Forth!

There is a smaller set of steps for the same purpose outside Luffness House,