North Berwick (/ˈbɛrɪk/; BEH-rik; Scottish Gaelic: Bearaig a Tuath) is a seaside town and former royal burgh in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately 20 miles (32 km) east-northeast of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable holiday resort in the nineteenth century because of its two sandy bays, the East (or Milsey) Bay and the West Bay, and continues to attract holidaymakers. Golf courses at the ends of each bay are open to visitors.

The name Berwick means "barley farmstead" (bere in Old English means "barley" and wic means "farmstead"). Alternatively, like other place names in Scotland ending in 'wick', this word means 'bay' (Old Norse: vík). The word North was applied to distinguish this Berwick from Berwick-upon-Tweed, which throughout the Middle Ages the Scots called South Berwick. It was recorded as Northberwyk in 1250. ^{[citation needed]}

On the south side of North Berwick Law, there is evidence of at least 18 hut circles, rich middens and a field system dating from 2,000 years ago. There have been numerous archaeological excavations in the town that have uncovered evidence of North Berwick's medieval and modern remains. One such excavation found evidence of pre-medieval occupation of the area in the form of several Iron Age Cist burials.

One of the largest excavations occurred when many of the water mains in the town were replaced in the 2000s and archaeologists monitored the work. These excavations found the first evidence of the city walls: all towns of Scotland on the east coast were required by an Act of Parliament (1503) to build walls, but until then there was no evidence that they were ever built. It also found that the High Street was the main street in the medieval burgh, rather than in Quality Street, which had been hypothesised.

Excavations have shown that from as early as the eighth century, a ferry crossing to Earlsferry, near Elie in Fife was in existence, serving pilgrims on their way to the shrine of Saint Andrew. North Berwick Harbour was built in the twelfth century to meet the demands made of the existing ferry trade. This ferry was recently reinstated; during the summer, a boat travels between North Berwick and Anstruther in Fife, in homage to the original ferry.

Around 1150, Duncan, Earl of Fife of the Clan MacDuff founded an influential Cistercian nunnery (whose power continued until the Scottish Reformation, and its dissolution in 1588). Duncan's family shortly afterwards, at the start of the thirteenth century built North Berwick Castle erecting a wooden motte and bailey on the site of what is now Castle Hill in the east end of the town, at the start of Tantallon Terrace. This castle was attacked and held by the Earl of Pembroke around 1306; the English abandoned it by 1314, during the aftermath of the Battle of Bannockburn. Late in the fourteenth century the Lauder family (owners of the Bass Rock castle) erected a stone tower with a barmkin on the site; however they had abandoned it by 1420 in favour of the Bass, possibly as a result of conflict with the owners of nearby Tantallon Castle.

In the fourteenth century, the town became a baronial burgh under William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, who then built nearby Tantallon Castle to consolidate his power.

Later, during the fifteenth century, the town became a royal burgh in the reign of James I of Scotland.