Cockenzie House Grotto, Cockenzie

Vaulted Gothic grotto ("Hecla") in volcanic lava fragments, garden feature within Cockenzie House grounds. The decorative lava in the walls and garden features is reputed to have been imported from Iceland. One alternative local view is that it came from Italy, being used as ballast in the salt-fish trade, another that it is in fact clinker waste from local metal works! (Historic Scotland)

May 2011: External inspection finds a quirky little folly that has been boarded up due to the effects of vandalism. There is some slight damage to the central chimney of the structure and some minor repairs are required to the walls. Cockenzie House was used as a care home until closure in 2008. Planning permission for the erection of a nursing home within the garden grounds (to the west of the site) has been lodged with East Lothian Council ref: 11/00363/P. Earlier applications for alterations and extensions to and change of use of building from hostel use to permanent residential use in the form of 19 flats and 2 houses, alterations to access and associated works was lodged, in 2010, but later withdrawn ref: 10/00380/P & 10/00380/LBC.

June 2011: Jura Consultants have been commissioned by The Cockenzie House Heritage Group to identify a suitable sustainable future for the House and the gardens. Cockenzie House Heritage Group hopes to turn the site into a community hub and have secured in June 2011 a £10,000 grant award from the Big Lottery Fund to fund a feasibility study.

July 2011: The building‘s owner submits planning permission and listed building consent for alterations and extension to and conversion of building from hostel, cafe and 2 houses to permanent residential use in the form of 19 flats and 1 house and alterations to access and associated works ref: 11/00692/LBC & 11/00692/P.

7 January 2015: External inspection finds the undergrowth has been cleared away from the building, otherwise it remains in much the same condition as seen previously.

6 December 2017: The Trustees of Cockenzie House & Gardens have been awarded £628,800 by the Scottish Land Fund towards their purchase of Cockenzie House, and its associated four acres of garden grounds. The award will provide the trust with 95% of the funds the Trust hopes it needs to purchase the House and its listed Gardens, as well as development funding over the next two years.

9 February 2022: East Lothian Courier reports (04/02/2022) that a community group is looking for signatures in a bid for a Community Right to Buy of the house and gardens should they come up for sale.