Former John Knox Institute, Knox Place, Haddington

Image: © kim traynor Taken: 13 Apr 2011

The Knox Memorial Institute, bearing a life-size statue of the great church reformer who attended the grammar school in Haddington. It was erected in 1878-80 at a cost of £10,000, and is now private flats. Knox's first step on the road to his historical destiny was taken in 1545, when he acted as bodyguard to the Lutheran preacher George Wishart before the latter's arrest and burning as a heretic. "There is something symbolic in the first appearance on the page of history of the leading figures of the Reformation. Calvin first appears at his writing-desk, already writing a learned tome at the age of 23. Cranmer is first seen burrowing in the Bible to find scriptural texts to justify his king in divorcing his wife and marrying his mistress. Luther's first appearance was more vigorous, nailing his theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, striking at the old Church with every blow of the hammer. But Knox is the only one who enters carrying a two-handed sword." -- J Ridley, John Knox, 1968

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