These cottages were built in 1906 on the site of St Lawrence House, which was part of Haddington's leper colony.

This watercolour painting depicts a row of cottages situated on Haddington's Edinburgh Road. Although built in 1906, they were designed to reflect earlier, local building traditions. The red pantiles used to roof the cottages are particularly in-keeping with many other East Lothian buildings.

Leper colonies were usually built at least a mile away from city walls in order to cut the risk of cross-infection. A 20th century excavation of the foundations of St Lawrence House revealed the skeletons of thousands of leprosy sufferers. The disease became uncommon in most parts of Europe by the end of the sixteenth century.