Tour
The Scottish Borders, Teviotdale and Lauderdale
The
region's gentle, wooded landscape rising to rounded hills
is at odds with its violent history -- this border country
saw numerous clashes between Scots and English, as its ruined
castles and abbeys attest. And each year towns like
Hawick remember the stormy past with the Common Ridings.
Sir Walter Scott made the area famous, drawing his inspiration
from the countryside and its people.
Abbotsford
Sir
Walter Scott's home set above the Tweed. Originally a farm-house,
Scott largely rebuilt it in 1822. Inside are 9000-book library,
armour collection, historical relics and paintings.
Addinston
and Longcroft Hill-Forts
Two
Iron Age hill-forts built less than a mile apart. They were
constructed about 27 centuries ago to protect their makers'
settlements.
Ancrum
Village
of stone and stucco houses with 16th-century cross on its
green. Border wars victims were said to have sheltered in
Ale Water caves nearby. Battle of 1545 on Ancrum Moor between
Scots and English still remembered.
Bonchester
Bridge
Little
bridge over Rule Water has single inn set beside it. Bonchester
Hill, with traces of ancient hill-fort, overlooks bridge.
Bowhill
Georgian
mansion frequented by Queen Victoria. Inside are paintings
by Canaletto, Gainshorough and Reynolds. Trails explore
estate's wooded hills and lochs.
Carter
Bar
Upright
boulder marks border between Scotland and England.
1370ft Carter Bar has views of Rubers Law and the Cheviots.
Chew
Green
Three
Roman earthwork camps and small permanent fortlet; earliest
camp dates from AD 80 when Agricola, Governor of Britain,
was subjugating fierce local tribes.
Coldstream
Scots
killed in 1513 Battle of Findden Field buried nearby. Cold-stream
Guards, though not raised here, took their name in memory
of marching through here to defeat Richard Cromwell and
place Charles II on the throne.
Denholm
Village
with large green set above salmon-rich River Teviot. Victorian
monument honours local scholar John Leyden, plaque honours
Sir James Murray, Oxford Dictionary editor.
Dryburgh
Abbey
Twelfth-century
abbey ruin, sacked by English invaders in 14th and 16th
centuries. Remains include delicate rose window in west
wall. Sir Walter Scott, Field-Marshal Earl Haig are buried
here.
Earlston
Birthplace
of Thomas the Rhymer, 13th-century seer and poet. Wall fragment
of his tower remains, hidden behind a cafe.
Eildon
Hills
Hills,
rich in legend, rise 1385ft over Tweed valley, suitable
for climbing. Northernmost summit of three hills held largest
Iron Age fort in Scotland, site of a Roman signal station
later.
Ferniehirst
Castle
Ancient
seat of Kerr family. Story of 16th-century frontier fortress
and history of border region,
Floors
Castle
Georgian
structure with 19th-century turrets and domes. Collections
of paintings, porcelain, tapestries and furniture. Walled
garden with herbaceous borders and rosebeds.
Galashiels
Tweed
and woollen industry centre has produced wool since medieval
times. Peter Anderson Museum, Borders Wool Centre tell story
of tweeds and tartans. Braw Lads' Gathering re-creates town's
past every June.
Greenknowe
Tower
Sixteenth-century
roofless tower built 1581 by James Seton. Clock-wise staircase
gave retreating defenders advantage of an unhindered sword
arm while attacker's would be hindered.
Hawick
Border
town famous for knitwear and rugby, largely destroyed by
English in 1570. Museum tells knitwear history. Festival
of Common Riding every summer recalls past, when townsfolk
rude around town ensuring other towns had not encroached
on their common land.
Hermitage
Castle
Fourteenth-century
castle on Hermitage Water. Violent history recalls stories
of death by boiling, drowning and starvation. Mary, Queen
of Scots rode here in 1566 to visit her lover Bothwell,
who lay wounded.
The
Hirsel
Country
residence of Lord Home, former Prime Minister. Grounds are
open to public, stable yard now houses folk museum and craft
centre. Picnic site and paths through grounds.
Jedburgh
Mary,
Queen of Scots stayed here -- her house now an information
centre. Jedburgh Abbey, founded 1138, with tower and roofless
nave. Castle jail converted to museum of Victorian prison
life.
Kelso
Town
at confluence of Tweed and Teviot rivers with wide square,
elegant houses and five-arched bridge. Kelso Abbey, now
in ruins, was founded in 1128 by monks from Chartres, in
France.
Kirk
Yetholm and Town Yetholm
Twin
villages in foothills of Cheviots. Town Yetholm is larger,
Kirk Yetholm, where gypsy queens were crowned until 19th
century, is older. Gypsy Palace, a tiny cottage, still stands.
Lauder
Tolbooth
and several large inns indicate town's importance in coaching
days. Thirlestane Castle, a turreted sandstone mansion,
has family portraits by Gains-borough and others. Border
Country Life Museum nearby.
Legerwood
Church
retains much original 12th-century interior. Its Norman
arch of red stone is one of Scotland's finest.
Mellerstain
Georgian
house built by William Adam and his son, Robert. Interior
features exquisite ceilings. Italian-style terraced gardens
give wide views of the Cheviots.
Melrose
Town
clustered around 12th-century abbey, founded in 1136 by
David I .for Cistercian monks. Badly damaged in border wars.
Melrose Motor Museum illustrates vintage motoring.
Mertoun
Gardens
Walled
garden and ancient circular dovecote are featured. Twenty
acres of trees, flowering shrubs, herbs and views of nearby
river.
Priorwood
Garden
Garden
specialises in flowers suit-able for drying. Unusual strains
of apples are grown, some known since Roman times. Picnic
areas and orchard walks.
Roxburgh
Remains
of Roxburgh Castle stand above confluence of Teviot and
Tweed rivers. Present village, 3 miles south of original
site, has views of Kelso.
Rubers
Law
Hill,
nearly 1400ft high, is topped by remains of Iron Age fort.
Excellent fort site -- no attacking party could approach
without being detected by defenders.
Scott's
View
Sir
Walter Scott's favourite prospect allows views of River
Tweed curving through woods below peaks of Fildon Hills.
Selkirk
Sir
Walter Scott sat as sheriff in town courthouse from 1800-32.
Halliwell House is now a museum illustrating Selkirk history.
The Clapperton Daylight Photographic Studio has photographs
which date from the 1860s.
Smailholm
Tower
Five-storey
watchtower with 7ft thick walls sits on isolated crag. Surprisingly,
it now houses museum of dolls and tapestries rather than
more warlike items.
Waterloo
Monument
Monument
honouring Duke of Wellington is prominent land-mark on top
of Peniel Heugh Hill. Built in 1815 by Marquis of Lothian
and his tenants.
Wilton
Lodge Park
Langland
family's ancestral home, now containing museum of border
history. Wilton Park covers 107 acres and has riverside
walks, garden, greenhouses, and scented garden.
Woden
Law
Hilltop
of 1388ft once had Roman legions stationed on it; Iron Age
people lived there before that. Good walking in the surrounding
Cheviot hills.
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