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36-621: Whitslaid Tower was an ancient Berwickshire seat of the Lauder family for over 300 years. It is today a ruin high above the eastern bank of the Leader Water , 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the burgh of Lauder , in the Scottish Borders . In feudal times it fell within a detached segment of the King's personal Barony of Renfrew . It stands on an abrupt eminence, shaded with old ash trees, and behind it

72-458: A Warrant under the Signet charged the sheriff of Berwick and his deputes to apprehend Gilbert Lauder of Whitslaid (d. before 1590), Richard Lauder younger of that Ilk (k. June 1567), and William Lauder, brother of said Gilbert, who had been put to the horn for the slaughter of deceased George Wedderat, burgess of Lauder, but had fortified and were holding the house of Quhitslaid. Alexander, Lord Home ,

108-532: A bear chained to a wych tree, forming a pun on the name of the original county town of Berwick. Upon the abolition of Berwickshire County Council, the arms were regranted to Berwickshire District Council. When the district council was abolished the arms reverted to the Crown. The East Coast Main Line railway line passes through the county, running roughly parallel with the coast. From the railway's opening in 1846 there were

144-494: A number of small stations within Berwickshire, but they were all closed by 1964. A rebuilt Reston railway station opened on this stretch of line in 2022, being the only railway station within the historic county (apart from Berwick-upon-Tweed railway station which lies within the area ceded from Berwickshire to England in 1482). The Berwickshire Railway formerly serviced the county, however this closed following damage caused by

180-463: A person an outlaw was by giving three blasts on a horn and publicly proclaiming the fact; hence the expression "put to the horn". The subsequent process, a warrant directing a messenger-at-arms to charge the debtor to pay or perform in terms of the letters, was called letters of horning. This system of execution was simplified by the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1838 ( 1 & 2 Vict. c. 114), and execution

216-409: A rugby team under the name of Berwickshire schools. The Berwickshire Coastal Path runs from Cockburnspath to Berwick-upon-Tweed (28 miles; 45 km). Put to the horn Historically, the documents would be announced by three blasts of a horn, and the documents themselves came to be known as "letters of horning". A person who was denounced in these documents was described as having been "put to

252-495: A violent storm in 1948. The nearest open stations are in Dunbar and Berwick-upon-Tweed . The A1 road runs roughly parallel to the railway and provides access to Edinburgh in the north and to the south Berwick-upon-Tweed, continuing on to Newcastle . The A68 and A697 serve the towns of western Berwickshire. The Berwickshire News is published weekly, and numerous organisations and groups have Berwickshire in their titles (i.e.:

288-458: Is a historic county , registration county and lieutenancy area in south-eastern Scotland, on the English border. The county takes its name from Berwick-upon-Tweed , its original county town , which was part of Scotland at the time of the county's formation in the twelfth century, but became part of England in 1482 after several centuries of swapping back and forth between the two kingdoms. After

324-462: Is a flat open space sufficient for a garden and the offices attached to the residence of a landowner in the ancient warlike times with which it is associated. An old dirt road winds round it in a gully leading north from the Leader Water, the whole immediate area being commanded by the fortress. The walls of this square pele are now in ruins. The huge vault on the ground floor remains largely intact and

360-528: Is now badly decayed, not helped by trees rowing through it. Most of the stones incorporated in the building are of greywacke ; several of the corner blocks have been picked out; and the dressed stones of the fireplaces and windows have been stolen. There are Letters of Bailiary by Robert, Steward of Scotland (later Robert II King of Scots ), Earl of Stratherne and baron of Renfrewe, with consent of John Steward, Earl of Carrick , his eldest son, constituting Alan de Lawedre, Crown tenant of Whytslade, their bailie of

396-569: The Berwickshire Courts Act 1853 ( 16 & 17 Vict. c. 27) was passed allowing the courts and commissioners' meetings to be held at Duns as well as at Greenlaw. Another courthouse, known as County Buildings , was subsequently built at 8 Newtown Street in Duns in 1856. Elected county councils were established in 1890 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 , taking over most of

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432-615: The Scottish Borders council area . The low-lying part of Berwickshire between the Tweed and the Lammermuirs is known as " the Merse ", from an old Scots word for a floodplain, and this name is sometimes extended to the county as a whole. Inhabitants are called "Merse-men". Berwickshire borders Midlothian to the west, East Lothian to the north, the North Sea to the east, and Roxburghshire and

468-588: The border with England to the south, with the exception of a small section in the vicinity of Berwick-upon-Tweed (formerly the river formed the entirety of the border out to the North Sea); other major rivers include the Eye Water , Whiteadder Water , Dye Water , Watch Water , Eden Water and Blackadder Water . Between the late tenth and early eleventh centuries, the land between the rivers Forth and Tweed came under Scottish control. The town of Berwick-upon-Tweed

504-711: The Baptist. This indicates that the Tower at Whitslade was already old. Robert Lauder of Whitslaid appears as a witness in a Notarial Instrument of Sir Alexander Home of that Ilk, signed at Dryburgh on 21 June 1468. There is a charter by Alexander Lauder of Haltoun made with the consent of George Lauder of Whitslaid his son and apparent heir, dated 21 October 1506. Alexander's sons Sir George Lauder of Whitslaid (later 'of Haltoun') and his brother Alexander Lauder, burgess (and later Provost) of Edinburgh, were also 'senescallos', or stewards, of Kirkcudbright . Both fell at Flodden . In 1565

540-543: The Berwickshire Housing Association, Berwickshire Sports Council). The Berwickshire Civic Society is campaigned for road signs at the entrances to the county to have notices added saying "You are now entering the ancient county of Berwickshire", and they hold an annual Keep Berwickshire Tidy Campaign , judged each April. The high school west of Duns is named Berwickshire High School , and has been open since 1896. Together with Eyemouth High School they run

576-407: The English county of Northumberland to the south. The terrain of Berwickshire is characterised by a series of low hills and agricultural land, with a number of small towns scattered throughout the county. The Lammermuir Hills traverse the border with East Lothian; it is here that Meikle Says Law , the highest point in the county at 535 m (1,755 ft), can be found. The River Tweed forms

612-400: The county town (principally holding the sheriff court ) were initially shared between Duns and Lauder , until 1596 when Greenlaw was declared the county town by James VI . In 1661 the county town was moved to Duns, but in 1696 it was moved back to Greenlaw. Commissioners of Supply were established for each Scottish shire in 1667. County Hall was built at Greenlaw in 1829 to serve as

648-406: The courthouse and meeting place for the commissioners, replacing an earlier building on an adjoining site. The building was paid for by William Purves-Hume-Campbell of Purves Hall, near Greenlaw, who was keen for Greenlaw to retain its position as county town. However, Greenlaw remained a very small town, and Duns was clearly the larger town by the nineteenth century. In 1853 an act of Parliament ,

684-600: The functions of the commissioners. Berwickshire County Council held its first meeting on 22 May 1890 at County Hall in Greenlaw, when it decided by 18 votes to 12 that all subsequent meetings should be held at Duns. The county council therefore based itself at the County Buildings in Duns, sharing the premises with its continuing use as a sheriff court. The county council subsequently established additional offices in various converted houses along Newtown Street. A modern extension

720-514: The horn". Originally in Scotland, imprisonment for debt was enforceable only in certain cases, but a custom gradually grew up of taking the debtor's oath to pay. If the debtor broke his oath, he became liable to the discipline of the Church. The civil power could step in to aid the ecclesiastical, denouncing the debtor as an outlaw , imprisoning his person and confiscating his goods. The method of declaring

756-405: The lands and tenancies of Byrkynsyde, Ligeardwod [Legerwood], Morystoun [Morristoun], Whytslade and Auldynstoun, within the sheriffdom of Berwick-upon-Tweed , with the power to hold courts at any place in the lordship he pleases, to punish excesses, repledge men dwelling on their lands to their liberties etc., and to do any other thing pertaining to the office of bailie, dated 16 October 1369. One of

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792-499: The lands of Mertoun , Roxburghshire , (Mertoun had been forfeited by Alan le Suche), plus half the lands of the Regality of Lauderdale and half of the fulling mill at Lauder , forfeited by John de Balliol , plus the lands of Newbyggyng in the constabulary of Lauder, with all the liberties and teinds thereof. The first charter was "signed in the ancient manor of Whitslade" at the Feast of John

828-498: The loss of Berwick, Duns and Greenlaw both served as county town at different periods. Berwickshire County Council existed from 1890 until 1975, when the area became part of the Borders region, with most of the historic county becoming part of the lower-tier Berwickshire district . Berwickshire district was abolished in 1996, when all the districts in the Borders region merged to become

864-413: The outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 16 May 1975. Throughout the council's existence a majority of the seats on the council were held by Conservatives : The county council of Berwickshire was formed in 1890 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 , and applied for a grant of arms the same year. The grant, by Lord Lyon King of Arms was made on 10 October. The coat of arms shows

900-576: The parishes of Channelkirk , Earlston , Lauder , Legerwood , and Mertoun , which went to Ettrick and Lauderdale district. The Berwickshire lieutenancy area was adjusted from being the historic county to being the new district at the same time. Berwickshire District Council was based at the former County Buildings at 8 Newtown Street in Duns, which became known as the Council Offices. The Borders region and its four district councils, including Berwickshire, were abolished in 1996, merging to form

936-404: The present Scottish Borders council area. The Berwickshire lieutenancy area continues to be defined as the area of the pre-1996 district rather than the pre-1975 county. The former council offices in Duns continue to be used for some departments of Scottish Borders Council. The first election to Berwickshire District Council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside

972-420: The third floor, still intact in the 19th century, as was the roof. Both have now collapsed. Several of the foundation stones are immense rolled unsquared boulders, that must have been dragged there by oxen. The northern end is built of unquarried stones, that may have been collected from the fields or the river sides, their angles being worn off like stones rolled by water, or polished by the glacial drift. This end

1008-422: The turnpike stairs situated within the thick walls still takes one to the first floor level. The ceiling of the vault is of a quarried greywacke that splits into thin slabs, which are fitted edgeways with little art. In the 1880s when more of the building was intact at the top could be seen a square aperture for pouring boiling liquids such as melted pitch on the heads of assailants. The main living apartments were on

1044-508: The witnesses was Sir John de Lyle [or d'Lisle], whose family held Stoneypath Tower , near Garvald but in the parish of Whittingehame . Two years later, on 30 June 1371, several charters were confirmed to Alan de Lawedre: in two "Alano de Lawedre, Lord of Whitslaid", had re-confirmed to him by the Crown, the lands of Whytslaid (it is stated that he is already the feudal tenant there), Birkensyde, Legerwood, and Morriston, in Berwickshire , and

1080-465: Was Gilbert Lauder of Whitslaid. In a Deed dated 24 June 1662, a later Gilbert Lauder of Whitslaid agreed to settle a debt of 400 merks due to James Wright, writer (solicitor) in Edinburgh. His cautioner in the original obligation, dated 3 July 1650, was "William Lauder of Gladswood, his brother". In 1662 a Commission of numerous individuals was authorised to try two witches at Lauder. One of those on it

1116-528: Was Gilbert Lauder of Whitslaid. This Gilbert Lauder of Whitslaid appears to have had financial problems and was forced to part with Whitslaid to an advocate named Mr. John Peter. The Tower was still a residence in 1700. There was another Whitslaid near Selkirk , a Scott property. 55°41′33″N 2°42′19″W  /  55.69250°N 2.70528°W  / 55.69250; -2.70528 Berwickshire Berwickshire ( / ˈ b ɛ r ɪ k ʃ ər , - ʃ ɪər / ; Scottish Gaelic : Siorrachd Bhearaig )

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1152-508: Was abolished in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 , which reorganised local government across Scotland into upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. Berwickshire was incorporated into the Borders Region . Borders was divided into four districts, one of which was named Berwickshire, with borders which broadly resembled those of the historic county, but excluded the parish of Nenthorn , which went to Roxburgh district, and

1188-476: Was added to County Buildings in 1967. Greenlaw was still considered the official county town after 1890, despite the county council meeting in Duns and courts being held at both towns. An Act of Parliament in 1903 finally revoked Greenlaw's status as county town and declared Duns to be the county town for all purposes. At the time of the county council's abolition in 1975, Berwickshire contained four burghs and three districts : Berwickshire County Council

1224-404: Was made a royal burgh by David I (reigned 1124–1153), and it would appear that the shire of Berwick, or Berwickshire, was also created during David's reign. The shire covered the town of Berwick plus a largely rural area to the north-west of it, and corresponded to the medieval province of Merse. After the town of Berwick had finally been ceded to English control in 1482, the functions of

1260-503: Was ordered to assist the sheriff. Signed at Edinburgh by Queen Mary and King Henry, 20 October 1565. In February 1572, the Kers of Ferniehirst massed together a force of rebels along with "thieves and broken men " of the Borders. A muster was called, at Jedburgh, of 'fencible persons' in certain southern counties for defence and preservation of the burgh and a general band was subsequently subscribed to by numerous lairds and others amongst whom

1296-419: Was thereafter usually by diligence (see writ of execution ). The granting of letters of horning, letters of horning and poinding , letters of poinding , and letters of caption all ceased to be competent following the passage of the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987 . The Register of Hornings is kept by Registers of Scotland . [REDACTED]   This article incorporates text from a publication now in

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