They are close to the town of North Berwick and the village of Whitekirk, and are approximately 25 miles (40 km) east of Edinburgh.

In 1581 Margaret Hay, Lady Tyninghame, acquired two iron cannon from an English ship that had perished on the sands.

The houses at Auldhame and Scoughall are given little thought by those driving to North Berwick or visiting nearby Seacliff or Tantallon Castle.

It was here in front of the farmhouse fire that the young Stevenson first heard the story of how folks in these parts on dark stormy nights, when winds used to lash the coast, lured sailing ships onto the rocks by displaying misleading lantern lights.

Robert Louis Stevenson also wrote in his novel Catriona (sequel to Kidnapped) of the 'lights of Scoughall' and purposely put 'Tam Dale' in charge of the prisoners on the Bass Rock.