Hunting Above 400 Years of Industry
- Rating: Fair Beach
- Terrain: Easy
- Level: Intermediate
- Dog friendly: Yes
- Location: Prestonpans, East Lothian, Scotland
- Sat Nav: EH32 9RY (Morrison’s Haven car park)
- Common colours: White, green, brown
- Rare colours: Cobalt Blue, Black, Lavender, Red, Yellow
Best For:
- Historic sea glass
- Industrial relics
- Sea pottery
- Harbour finds
- Low-tide hunting
- History enthusiasts
- Coastal walks
- Well-weathered glass
Why Prestonpans punches above its rating
Let’s be straight: Prestonpans is a Fair beach. The shoreline is mixed shingle and sand, the tidal range is modest, and you are not going to fill a jar here on a typical visit. If you come expecting Seaham, you’ll be disappointed.
But Prestonpans has something no other beach on this site can claim. You are hunting directly in front of the site of one of the oldest and most significant industrial complexes in Scotland. At the end of the seventeenth century, William Morison set up a commercial glassworks here, producing high-quality glassware, including spectacle lenses and window glass, as well as bottles for local breweries, and brought in German craftsmen specifically to produce more delicate items.
That glassworks eventually became a pottery. The pottery was followed by a colliery and brickworks. For over four hundred years, Prestongrange was a hive of industry, a harbour, glassworks, pottery, colliery and brickworks. All of it on the shoreline. All of it contributes to what’s in the water.
The beach also sits at the centre of one of the most historically layered stretches of coast in Scotland. The name Prestonpans comes from the monks who arrived here in 1184 and called the town Preiston, which became Salt Prieston and then Prestonpans after the pans used by the monks extracting salt from the sea.
At one time, Prestonpans had ten salt works and sixteen breweries. Every fragment of glass or pottery you find here has a story that stretches back centuries. For that alone, it earns a post.
Come on a low tide after a decent blow, walk slowly, and look carefully. The glass is here, it’s just not obvious.
What you’ll find here
Colours commonly found: White, green, brown
Occasional finds: Blue, Aqua, Amber, Turquoise
Rare finds: Cobalt Blue, Black, Lavender, Red, Yellow
Bonus: Sea pottery is arguably the star of the show at Prestonpans. Two old brick pottery kilns still stand on the shoreline, possibly the best examples to be found in Scotland, and pottery sherds with intact patterns and glazes wash up regularly.
Fragments from the Prestonpans and Prestongrange potteries are genuinely collectable and historically significant finds. Keep your eyes open for pieces with blue-and-white transfer printing; they’re out there.
When to go
The Firth of Forth’s tidal range here is around 4.5 metres on a spring tide, exposing a useful stretch of foreshore. Low tide is your window; the shingle and rocky sections near Morrison’s Haven open up, and the beach becomes significantly more productive.
Autumn and winter are best. The Forth faces east, and a good easterly pushes material up onto the shore that hasn’t been visible for months. The beach is also quieter in the off-season, a weekday morning in November, with the tide going out is ideal. Spring tides around new and full moon give you the most foreshore to cover.
The beach is a lovely place to walk, with many shells, sea glass, quartz, and other stones, driftwood, and lovely views across the Firth. It’s an honest description; this is a beachcomber’s beach, not a high-volume haul.
Take your time, take in the views towards Fife, and treat every find as the small piece of industrial history it is.
Today’s tide times & Sea Glass Score
Prestonpans sits on the Firth of Forth, with a tidal range of around 4.5 metres on a spring tide, one of the more generous ranges on the Scottish east coast, which exposes a reasonable stretch of mixed shingle and foreshore when the tide pulls back.
The widget below uses Leith tide data, the nearest UKHO station, to show today’s Sea Glass Score, tide curve and best hunting window. Aim for the two hours either side of low water and concentrate on the shingle sections either side of Morrison’s Haven, the area with the most productive ground. Check Cockenzie, it is a bit closer, but there isn’t a tidal curve from this station, tide times are available
Where to look on the beach
The key area is around Morrison’s Haven – the site of the old tidal harbour that served the Prestongrange industrial complex for centuries. Cross the main road from the museum and make your way across the grassy area to the shore. Here, you can find the still clearly visible outline of Morrison’s Haven, the harbour built in about 1530 and only filled in during the 1950s as a hazard.
The ground around the old harbour outline is historically the most productive area for finds, precisely because this is where the industrial waste entered the water for four hundred years.
Work east and west of Morrison’s Haven along the strandline at low tide. The beach is a mix of sand and shingle. Concentrate your search on any shingle patches rather than the sandy stretches, where glass sinks and becomes invisible. Get down low. Frosted glass edges catch the light differently from wet pebbles once you train your eye.
The stretch between Morrison’s Haven and the town of Prestonpans to the east is worth a slow walk. The beach is stony, and the tide retreats past the harbour walls. Be aware that it comes in again quickly. Check the tide times before you walk out onto the lower foreshore.
The Prestongrange Museum site itself is free to visit, and the path around it brings you close to the shore, well worth combining with your hunt for the full historical context of what you’re finding on the beach.
Key Tip:
Head straight for the remains of Morrison’s Haven and work the surrounding shingle patches thoroughly. This area received material from harbour and industrial activity for centuries, making it the most historically significant and potentially productive section of the shoreline.
Difficulty Level – Intermediate
- The most productive areas are linked to specific historic features rather than the entire beach
- Low tide reveals additional hunting ground around the old harbour remains
- Productive material is concentrated in shingle patches rather than the sandy foreshore
- Tide awareness is important when exploring the lower beach
- Success improves with an understanding of the site’s industrial history
Hunting Style – The History Hunter
Prestongrange rewards hunters who follow the story of the coastline. Focus on the remains of Morrison’s Haven, the old harbour approaches and nearby shingle accumulations where centuries of industrial and maritime activity have left their mark. The best finds often come from understanding where material originally entered the sea.
Beach Personality
Prestongrange feels less like a traditional beach and more like an archaeological shoreline. The ghostly outline of Morrison’s Haven, the nearby industrial heritage and centuries of harbour activity create a landscape where every tide has the potential to reveal a fragment of the past. This isn’t a beach that gives up its secrets easily, but for hunters who appreciate history as much as sea glass, it offers a fascinating glimpse into Scotland’s industrial coastline.
Dog friendly?
Yes – Prestonpans beach is dog-friendly all year round, with no seasonal restrictions in place. The beach is ideal for walking dogs and is a popular local dog-walking spot. The terrain is flat and easy going, very manageable for dogs of all ages and sizes. Your dog will find plenty to investigate around the old harbour area and the rocky sections at low tide.
Local shops are nearby, and the town centre is a short walk from the beach. The Gothenburg pub on the high street, a historic community pub dating to 1908, is worth a post-hunt visit and welcomes dogs. Check the Yappy Places listing for Prestonpans and nearby Musselburgh for the most current dog-friendly options in the area.
Practical information
Parking: Morrison’s Haven car park (EH32 9RY) is the main access point, directly behind the beach between Prestonpans and Musselburgh. Free parking available. The Prestongrange Museum car park is also available when the museum is open (April to September). Additional street parking available in the town.
Toilets: Available at the Prestongrange Museum visitor centre when open (April–September). Limited facilities outside the season- the town centre is a short walk for alternatives.
Food and drink: The Gothenburg on the High Street is a historic pub and community building dating back to 1908, offering a welcoming bar, local ales and a well-regarded restaurant serving hearty Scottish fare. A genuine local institution and the obvious post-hunt stop. The Prestongrange Museum has a café open during the season (April–September).
Getting there without a car: Prestonpans train station is a two-minute walk from the beach with regular ScotRail services from Edinburgh Waverley, with a journey time of around 15 minutes. One of the easiest sea glass beaches in Scotland to reach by public transport. Buses also connect regularly with Edinburgh, Musselburgh and North Berwick.
Accessibility: The beach access from Morrison’s Haven car park is flat and straightforward. The shingle foreshore is uneven but manageable. The Prestongrange Museum site has good accessible paths. Overall, one of the more accessible beaches on the East Lothian coast.
What to bring
- Sturdy shoes or wellies- the shingle is uneven and can be slippery near the old harbour area
- A small container or zip-lock bag for your finds – pottery sherds deserve their own separate bag
- A hand rake or trowel for working shingle pockets
- Layers – the Forth faces east and catches the wind
- A camera or phone -the Prestongrange Museum and the views across the Firth to Fife are worth photographing
- Time – this is a slow, contemplative beach, not a high-volume hunt. Bring patience.
The history behind the glass
The story of the glass at Prestonpans begins with coal, and coal began with monks.
The name Prestonpans comes from the monks who arrived here in 1184. The discovery and mining of coal by these monks in the 13th century is arguably the first record of coal mining in Britain. Coal powered the salt pans that gave the town its name. Coal powered the glassworks. Coal powered the pottery kilns. Everything here ran on coal, and everything fed into the Firth.
In the 1500s, a harbour was constructed at Morrison’s Haven, and an important glassworks was established in the 1600s. In the 1700s and 1800s, the site was home to pottery kilns, and in the 1800s and 1900s, a brickworks and a colliery were established. Four distinct industrial eras, each leaving its own deposit in the water.
The glassworks is the most remarkable chapter. William Morison set up a commercial glassworks here at the end of the 17th century, producing high-quality glassware, including spectacle lenses and window glass, as well as bottles for local breweries, bringing in German craftsmen to produce more delicate items. It’s fine domestic glassware was intended to grace the dining rooms of Edinburgh salons.
William Morison successfully lobbied the Scots Parliament to grant him a monopoly over the industry. Despite that protection, the glassworks struggled financially and had given way to pottery by the mid-18th century.
Then came four Prestonpans potteries, Bankfoot, Gordon’s, West Pans and Belfield, all operating within a short stretch of this coastline through the late 18th and early 19th centuries, producing glazed domestic wares, tableware and decorative ceramics. Broken pieces of 18th and 19th-century pottery still lie scattered on the ground around the old glassworks site. The sea has been smoothing and depositing that material onto the beach for two hundred years.
You are not just beachcombing at Prestonpans. You are walking through a museum that has no roof.
From beach to jewellery
A piece of sea pottery with its original pattern still visible. A fragment of 18th-century glassware, frosted by three centuries of Firth tides. At Mermaid Tears, every piece of seaglass jewellery begins with a story exactly like this, hand-hunted from UK beaches and handmade into something worth keeping. Browse the Mermaid Tears collection →
Disclaimer: Tide times, dog restrictions, parking charges and beach conditions change regularly. Always verify before visiting. The foreshore around Morrison’s Haven can be slippery at low tide; appropriate footwear is essential. Beach byelaws are updated annually- check with East Lothian Council for the most current rules.
Last updated: May 2026
Frequently asked questions
Is Prestonpans beach good for sea glass hunting? It’s an honest Fair beach not high volume, but genuinely rewarding for hunters who appreciate history alongside their finds. The glass and pottery here comes directly from one of Scotland’s most significant industrial sites, operating for over four hundred years. Combine it with a visit to the free Prestongrange Museum and a stop at the Gothenburg pub for a full day out.
Where exactly should I look for sea glass at Prestonpans? Concentrate on the Morrison’s Haven area, between the museum and the town. Work the shingle patches at low tide and check the ground around the outline of the old harbour carefully, this is where industrial waste entered the water for centuries. The strandline east and west of Morrison’s Haven is worth a slow walk at low water.
What is special about the sea pottery at Prestonpans? Prestonpans had four working potteries on this stretch of coast in the 18th and 19th centuries. Sherds from these potteries, including pieces with intact blue-and-white transfer-printed patterns, wash up on the beach. They are historically significant finds collectable in their own right alongside the sea glass.
Is Prestonpans beach dog-friendly? Yes, dogs are welcome year-round with no seasonal restrictions. The flat terrain makes it a comfortable walk for dogs of all ages. The Gothenburg pub nearby welcomes dogs.
How does Prestonpans compare to nearby Musselburgh for sea glass? They are different beaches with different characters. Musselburgh is slightly more productive for glass volume. Prestonpans has a deeper industrial history and the bonus of the Prestongrange Museum right on the doorstep. Both are Fair beaches worth combining into a single East Lothian day out.
How do I get to Prestonpans beach? By train from Edinburgh Waverley, ScotRail services run regularly, with a journey time of around 15 minutes, and the station is a two-minute walk from the beach. By car, use postcode EH32 9RY for the Morrison’s Haven car park. From Edinburgh, it takes around 30 minutes by road.
