Castles, bridges and other aspects of the Scottish Borders

Raymond

Raymond

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Scottish Borders
Hope this is the right place?

When I joined this forum, given a very friendly welcome, Bob (Mailman) was previously unaware of the Scottish Borders. I promised once I was out and about on the XS I would put up some photos of this little corner of the planet.

So I propose to come here every now and again and post castles, bridges, maybe other landmarks and general views. That might give some kind of impression of this region. And how it contrasts with Bob's home in Arizona.

We can't really get out and about just now for Covid reasons. But serviced the wee Honda today and used that as my excuse, and I'm sticking to it, for a quick trip.

You asked for castles?


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Greenknowe Tower is the commonest type of castle in the Borders. And it's just a few miles along the road.

It's a fortified house, also called a peel tower. Life in these parts was dangerous in the Middle Ages. Anybody who could afford to would build their house in the form of a little castle so there are many of them. Most are ruined, like Greenknowe. Like many others, the roof fell in long ago, but the walls are mostly intact. They were really built! Sometimes people buy one and renovate - takes a lotta time and probably a lotta money. You end up with your own castle, a house which looks imposing from the outside but inside is probably smaller than it looks, due to those thick walls, with inconvenient internal layout, and unless very well done cold and draughty. For prospective buyers, Greenknowe also is also said to have its own ghost.


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The rough stone finish, corner turrets and crow-stepped gables are all very typical features.

Land marks?


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The three volcanic summits of the Eildon Hills are visible from most parts of the central Scottish Borders. The central peak is 1435 feet high but they manage to be imposing due to the stand-alone location. And the Eildon Hills are local enough I can go out the door and walk up them.

In fact, first climbed the middle Eildon at age two so they have been part of my life for a long time. So here's another view:

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Looking along the wooded Tweed Valley towards Galashiels. The river Tweed is hidden among the trees in the middle of the picture.
 
Raymond! You remembered! :geek: Thanks buddy, I am absolutely intrigued by the history and beauty of your country. Here in Arizona, our history of civilization only extends back to the 1800’s. Prior to that it was all native Indian tribes who led a very simplistic hunter, gatherer, farmer existence. There are some primitive stone structures and cliff dwellings left by Indian cultures from around 1400-1500, but they are scattered around the state and some of them are pretty remote.

Thank you for the post and photos, they’re great! I am looking forward to any of your future postings here! :)
 
I just have to add, that after reading this post, I looked that tower up online and there is a ton of information and photographs available, including a terrific walkthrough video on YouTube. I’m amazed that people have unrestricted access to this structure and it has been beautifully set up as a self guided tour museum.

 
My wife, younger daughter and I visited Scotland in Summer 2013 - many beautiful photos and happy memories. Stayed in the Pilrig House in Leith for first week - it's mentioned in one of Robert Louis Stevenson's novels, not Kidnapped but can't remember which one. Loved driving the single track roads in the west, including over the Pass of the Cattle.
 
Will post more if there is any interest. Our history goes back a little further than Arizona. The rightmost of those Eildons was the site of a village in neolithic times - how they fetched water puzzles me. Then centuries later, the same hill was used by the Roman legions as a signalling station. They built a Roman military camp nearby, descriptively but somewhat unimaginatively named Trimontium, which has been a fruitful archaeology dig. Must have been a very unpopular posting for a young man from the Mediterranean to have to walk all the way to what is now Scotland with the prospect of those cold and rainy winters?

As well as history, we have lots of legends. The poet Thomas the Rhymer, 1220 – 1298, is commemorated by a monument on the side of the Eildons. The legend part is that he disappeared for seven years, said to have been lured away to an alternative world by a fairy Queen. Personally, I think magic mushrooms might have more to do with his . . . trip?
 
I lived in the North East for over 35 years although I'm not from there. My partner though is from the borders and has an accent which I consider neither Scottish nor Geordie (North East) nor Northumbrian. Where I say the thing on the back of a parka is a "hud", she says, "Hoood". It slays me.

Her surname is Rankin which is well known as one of the notorious Border Reiver family names. Border Reivers " [...] were raiders along the Anglo=Scottish border from the late 13th century to the beginning of the 17th century. Their ranks consisted of both Scottish and English people, and they raided the entire Borders country without regard to their victims' nationality" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_reivers (13th century).

So their houses were by necessity large and highly fortified. Not as large as Welsh or English Castles but then again, not a house. So there are reputedly over 2000 castles in Scotland.

Dave
 
Thank you, Dave.You are quite right - in the bad old days, it wasn't cross-border raiding, it was anybody. Powerful families formed alliances with each other. Neither the English nor the Scottish authorities writ ran in this region.

On the accent, Borders is a Scottish accent (in my opinion) but quite different from other parts like Edinburgh, Glasgow or the Highlands. I knew a woman who taught in Cornhill Primary school, just over the Border from Coldstream. Both English and Scottish families sent the children to the school. And amazingly, the children had completely different accents - some were Northumberland and others Borders although they mixed and played together everyday.

I had an English mother - from Devon in fact - and was bi-lingual by necessity. I spoke English, probably with a Devon accent LOL, at home and Borders in the playground. But ahm no confused aboot it at a'.
 
@Raymondo Accents - Tell me about it. My father was from Dublin. I have three sons, all three are Geordies. When they were growing up he used to say, "Whit are they on about?" I used to laugh and say "Aah divvent knaa." (I don't know)

I'm from the West Midlands. For Americans, if you think its just mudguards and tappets you don't understand, that's just scratching the surface of it.

 
Okay, Gentlemen, more will be forthcoming.

Been otherwise engaged today but just to keep you going here's another typical Borders view:


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It's typical because it's very green, because there's hardly any houses, because it's hilly and because there are sheep.

This area is very rural and green. The population is low, and mostly concentrated in small towns and villages. Galashiels is the largest town in the Scottish Borders, population 15,000. The countryside is nearly empty. Mostly moors, hills and bogs. So used for sheep farming. There are far more sheep than people in this part of the world.

In some parts of the west of the region, it's possible to be three miles from the nearest house in any direction. Walking in that area many years ago with a girlfriend from London, we were up on the moors. Nothing for miles except endless bog and heather, a beautiful blue sky and a few sheep. She had never been so isolated and alone in her life. She was totally freaked out! Honestly think she would have had a panic attack if I wasn't there.
 
Raymondo said:
it's possible to be three miles from the nearest house in any direction.
Click to expand...

LOL - three miles....

All kidding aside, what a beautiful place you live in Raymond! More please....

I do have a mundane question...who owns a property like Greenknowe at present? In other words, if one did wish to buy it and renovate it - from whom would it be purchased?
I doubt that the original builders family / descendents are still around.

Also, would there not be all sorts of restrictions on modifying such a historical structure?
 
Pete, I understand there are places in Canada where you can be more than three miles from the nearest house?

But seriously, in a crowded island like Great Britain there are not many places with population density as low as the Borders. It's great that you can actually get away from the crowds even on a Bank Holiday.

In answer to your question, Greenknowe Tower was gifted to the nation (in the 1950s?) and is now owned by Historic Scotland, a Quango which maintains and runs a wide variety of sites. So, not likely to be for sale. But there are plenty of others. I know of several which have been renovated and are lived in. So clearly it is possible to deal with the Planners.

Often difficult or nigh on impossible to obtain planning permission if you want to build a new house in the countryside, but much easier if there is an existing structure you intend to reinstate, even if its only one partial wall. But you probably have to meet a bunch of requirements regarding use of materials and style to conserve anything really old. So it tends to be a lengthy and often expensive project.

As can get out and about, will seek out a few more castles in various states of ruin or renovation.

Should give a mention to Traquair House, just about 18 miles from here. Built in 1107 and still lived in by the same family.
 
Raymondo said:
Pete, I understand there are places in Canada where you can be more than three miles from the nearest house?

But seriously, in a crowded island like Great Britain there are not many places with population density as low as the Borders. It's great that you can actually get away from the crowds even on a Bank Holiday.
Click to expand...

Indeed, there are a number - even in fairly densely populated southern Ontario, but I can certainly understand what a novelty the relative isolation in the Scottish Borders region must be like for a typical Brit.

I can only imagine what an administrative headache it would be to take on a reno of that nature. One would need very deep pockets and a good solicitor I’d wager.
 
Today, a few bridges.

The footbridge over the River Tweed at Dryburgh, an early suspension bridge:

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The road bridge over the River Tweed at Kelso, designed by engineer John Rennie who later built Waterloo Bridge in London to a very similar design:


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I must apologise for the photo - it's sometimes not easy to photograph a bridge and a motorbike depending on how the roads approach the bridge.

But then moved on to Kalemouth to snap the wood-decked road bridge over the River Teviot:

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Again, not a very favourable angle. I believe the cottage on the far side was originally a Toll House for the family who would have collected a fee from those crossing the bridge. It's free now . . .

. . . though limited to vehicles weighing less than three tons due to the wooden deck. Fun to watch it move up & down as vehicles pass over.
 
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