The Creel Loaders

After taking my photo for today I noticed this new sculpture in Dunbar so thought it would be more appropriate after yesterday’s blip.  It is by the same sculptor and symbolises the fishwives who would walk miles in all weathers to sell fish.   Up to 50 kgs of salted herring would be carried on wicker creels on their heads and two men were needed to lift them up. Just as in several places on the east coast, Dunbar used to be a very important fishing port with hundreds of boats landing herring which the women would then gut and some would walk to towns to sell.   This sculpture commemorates the women who walked many miles to sell their fish along the exposed ‘Herring Road’ track across the Lammermuir hills to the market at Lauder 29 miles away and in return barter for vegetables or other provisions.  They must have been very hardy and had a hard life a hundred years or so ago.