Archerfield Estate and Links

The first recorded occupants of the estate were the bowmen of King Edward I, after whom the area would later come to be named. They were encamped at Archerfield during the English advance in 1298. The signs of a village believed to date from the 11th century have also been discovered within the estate. The centrepiece of the estate is Archerfield House, built in the late 17th century (from when the entrance bay and house centre date), once the seat of the Nisbet family, feudal barons and lairds of Dirleton. It has Palladian windows, and was substantially rebuilt by architect John Douglas c.1745, and added to and altered throughout the 18th century, notably by Scottish architect Robert Adam,…

While "coarse golf" is thought to have been played in this area since as far back as the 16th century, the first recognisable course at Archerfield was laid out for the enjoyment of the estate staff in the mid-19th century. The course was extended from the original 13 to a full 18 holes by North Berwick golfing great Ben Sayers in 1910, and became renowned as a charming, if compact course. Nestled between the world-famous courses of Muirfield and the North Berwick West Links, Archerfield seemed set to become another of the famous courses dotted around East Lothian. However, the outbreak of World War II signalled the end of tranquil golf at Archerfield as the estate was taken over by the…