Old Travel Blog Photograph Woman Standing Outside A Boarding House Galashiels Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of a woman standing outside a Boarding House in Galashiels, Scottish Borders of Scotland. A boarding house is a house, frequently a family home, in which lodgers rent one or more rooms for one or more nights, and sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months, and years. The common parts of the house are maintained, and some services, such as laundry and cleaning, may be supplied. They normally provide " room and board, " that is, at least some meals as well as accommodation. Robert Burns wrote two poems about Galashiels, " Sae Fair Her Hair " and " Braw Lads ". The latter is sung by the some of the townsfolk each year at the Braw Lads Gathering. Sir Walter Scott built his home, Abbotsford, just across the River Tweed from Galashiels. The Sir Walter Scott Way, a long distance walking path from Moffat to Cockburnspath passes through Galashiels.



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Old Travel Blog Photograph Drama Club Reston Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of the Drama Club in the village hall in Reston village in Berwickshire, Scotland. The village lies on the western bank of the Eye Water. Reston was once the location of the railway station and junction between the Berwickshire Railway and King's Cross, London, England and Edinburgh. Both the Berwickshire Railway and station are now closed. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Old Travel Blog Photograph Market Cross Wigtown Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of the Market Cross in Wigtown, Scotland. The earliest reference to the market cross and tron of Wigtown occurs in the 1457 charter. It appears that the market cross stood in front of the old court house and was removed for a short time in the 18th century. While the square was under construction, the market cross was stored in the jail, A second market cross was erected in the main street in 1816, and at some point the original was brought out of its confinement and placed to the west of it. At some time later the older market cross was repaired, re-painted, and re-sited to the east of the second. Wigtown gives its name to the county of Wigtownshire. Wigtown was made a royal burgh in 1469 although a settlement here existed long before this. The burgh is mentioned in an indenture of 1292, and the fact that the sheriffdom was in existence at the time of the Largs campaign of 1263 suggests that the burgh may also have been recognized as such during the reign of King Alexander III.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Old Travel Blog Photograph West High Street Coldstream Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of West High Street in Coldstream, Scottish Borders, Scotland. The town lies on the north bank of the River Tweed in Berwickshire, while Northumberland in England lies to the south bank, with Cornhill-on-Tweed the nearest village. A former burgh, Coldstream is the home of the Coldstream Guards, a regiment in the British Army, and is the location where Edward I of England invaded Scotland in 1296. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Coldstream was a popular centre for runaway marriages, much like Gretna Green.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Old Travel Blog Photograph Woodmarket Street Kelso Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of Woodmarket Street in Kelso, Scotland. Kelso is a market town in the Scottish Borders and former county town of Roxburghshire. Being a town of trades and selling throughout its history, it is little wonder that the street names allude to that. Woodmarket, Coalmarket, Peat Wynd, Horsemarket, Oven Wynd, Mill Wynd, Distillery Lane all give obvious clues to the past. The town of Kelso came into being as a direct result of the creation of Kelso Abbey in 1128. The town's name stems from the fact that the earliest settlement stood on a chalky outcrop, and the town was known as Calkou. Kelso's main tourist attractions are the ruined Kelso Abbey and Floors Castle, a William Adam designed house completed in 1726. The Kelso Bridge was designed by John Rennie who later built London Bridge. A small hamlet existed before the completion of the abbey in 1128 but the settlement started to flourish with the arrival of the monks. Many were skilled craftsmen, and they helped the local population as the village expanded. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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