Gardiner's Monument and Bankton House. Prestonpans

Image: © James Denham Taken: 5 Feb 2007

Colonel Gardiner fell at the Battle of Prestonpans on September, 21st 1745. He lived at Bankton House. James Gardiner was born at Carriden in West Lothian in 1688 and joined the army at age 14 after his education at Linlithgow. He survived more than one near fatal injury during his career. He bought Bankton, then known as Oliestob (Holy Stop) in 1742 from the local Hamilton of Preston family. It is ironic that he was killed within sight of his home. Highland clansmen took him to nearby Tranent Church for medical treatment but he died and was buried in Tranent Kirkyard a few days later. He is well remembered in Prestonpans with streets named in his honour and another named in the name of his beloved house. James was married to Frances Erskine, a daughter of the Earl of Buchan. They had 13 children but only five survived into adulthood.

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