View source for Berwickshire

{{distinguish|Berwick-upon-Tweed (borough)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
 | name                     = Berwickshire
 | native_name              = Siorrachd Bhearaig
 | native_name_lang         = <!-- ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fr" for French. If more than one, use {{lang}} instead -->
 | settlement_type          = [[Shires of Scotland|Historic county]]
 | image_skyline            = 
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 | image_caption            = 
 | image_flag               = Flag of Berwickshire.svg
 | flag_size                = 150px
 | flag_link                = Flag of Berwickshire
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 | image_map                = File:Berwickshire County.svg
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 | coordinates              = {{coord|55|45|N|2|30|W|display=inline, title|region:GB_type:adm2nd_source:GNS-enwiki}}
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 | subdivision_type         = Country
 | subdivision_name         = [[Scotland]]
 | subdivision_type1        = 
 | subdivision_name1        = 
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 | established_title        = 
 | established_date         = 
 | founder                  = 
 | seat_type                = [[County town]]
 | seat                     = [[Berwick-upon-Tweed|Berwick]] (pre–1482)<br>[[Greenlaw]] (1596–1661, 1696-1903)<br>[[Duns, Scottish Borders|Duns]] (1661-1696,1903–1975)
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 | area_total_sq_mi         = 457
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 | area_note                = Ranked 20th of 34
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 | postal_code              = BEW
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'''Berwickshire''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|ɛ|r|ɪ|k|ʃ|ər|,_|-|ʃ|ɪər|}}; {{langx|gd|Siorrachd Bhearaig}}) is a [[Shires of Scotland|historic county]], [[registration county]] and [[lieutenancy areas of Scotland|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 [[English invasion of Scotland (1482)|became part of England]] in 1482 after several centuries of swapping back and forth between the two kingdoms. After the loss of Berwick, [[Duns, Scottish Borders|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 [[Scottish Borders|Borders]] region, with most of the historic county becoming part of the lower-tier Berwickshire [[Districts of Scotland|district]]. Berwickshire district was abolished in 1996, when all the districts in the Borders region merged to become the [[Scottish Borders]] [[council areas|council area]].

The low-lying part of Berwickshire between the [[River Tweed|Tweed]] and the [[Lammermuirs]] is known as "'''the Merse'''", from an old [[Scots language|Scots]] word for a floodplain, and this name is sometimes extended to the county as a whole.<ref name=DSL>{{cite web|url=https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/merse|title=Merse|publisher=Dictionaries of the Scots Language|access-date=20 March 2021}}</ref> Inhabitants are called "Merse-men".<ref name=DSL/> Berwickshire borders [[Midlothian]] to the west, [[East Lothian]] to the north, the [[North Sea]] to the east, and [[Roxburghshire]] and the English county of [[Northumberland]] to the south.

==Geography==
[[File:St Abbs Head from St Abbs.jpg|thumb|left|St Abb's Head on the Berwickshire coast]]
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 {{convert|535|m|ft|abbr=on}}, can be found. The [[River Tweed]] forms the [[Anglo-Scottish border|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]].

==History==
Between the late tenth and early eleventh centuries, the land between the rivers [[River Forth|Forth]] and [[River Tweed|Tweed]] came under Scottish control.<ref>{{cite book |last=Barrow |first=G. S. W. |year=2003 |title=The Kingdom of the Scots: Government, Church and Society from the Eleventh to the Fourteenth Century |location=Edinburgh |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |isbn=978-0-7486-1803-3 |page=121}}</ref> The town of Berwick-upon-Tweed was made a [[royal burgh]] by [[David I of Scotland|David I]] (reigned 1124–1153), and it would appear that the [[shires of Scotland|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 [[Provinces of Scotland|province]] of Merse.<ref>{{cite book |last=Davies |first=Norman |author-link=Norman Davies |year=2000 |title=The Isles: A History |location=London |publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers|Papermac]] |isbn=978-0-333-69283-7}}{{page needed|date=August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Chalmers |first1=George |title=Caledonia |date=1810 |publisher=Cadell and Davies |location=London |page=213 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j8Q_AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA213}}</ref>

After the town of Berwick had finally been ceded to English control in 1482, the functions of 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 and I|James VI]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lewis |first1=Samuel |title=A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland |date=1846 |location=London |pages=124–151 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-dict/scotland/pp124-151#h3-0002}}</ref> In 1661 the county town was moved to Duns, but in 1696 it was moved back to Greenlaw.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Keith |title=Act declaring Duns the head burgh of the shire, 3 April 1661 |url=http://www.rps.ac.uk/trans/1661/1/169 |website=The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707 |publisher=University of St Andrews |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Keith |title=Act declaring the burgh of Greenlaw head burgh of the shire of Berwick, 9 October 1696 |url=http://www.rps.ac.uk/trans/1696/9/134 |website=The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707 |publisher=University of St Andrews |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref>

{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Berwickshire Courts Act 1853
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = 
| year                  = 1853
| citation              = [[16 & 17 Vict.]] c. 27
| introduced_commons    = 
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| collapsed             = yes
}}
[[File:The 'resurrected' Town Hall at Greenlaw - geograph.org.uk - 2365202.jpg|thumb|[[Greenlaw Town Hall|Town Hall, Greenlaw]]: Built 1829 as County Hall.]]

[[Commissioners of Supply]] were established for each Scottish shire in 1667. [[Greenlaw Town Hall|County Hall]] was built at Greenlaw in 1829 to serve as the courthouse and meeting place for the commissioners, replacing an earlier building on an adjoining site. The building was paid for by [[Home-Purves-Hume-Campbell baronets|William Purves-Hume-Campbell]] of Purves Hall, near Greenlaw, who was keen for Greenlaw to retain its position as county town.<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB10492|desc=Court House Greenlaw|cat=A|access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref> However, Greenlaw remained a very small town, and Duns was clearly the larger town by the nineteenth century. In 1853 an [[act of Parliament]], the '''{{visible anchor|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.<ref>The Berwickshire Courts Act 1853 (16 & 17 Vict. c. 27): An Act for empowering the Sheriff and Commissary of Berwickshire to hold courts at Dunse, and for other purposes</ref> Another courthouse, known as [[County Buildings, Duns|County Buildings]], was subsequently built at 8 Newtown Street in Duns in 1856.<ref>{{cite news |title=Multum in parvo |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |work=Jedforest and Teviotdale Record |date=29 July 1856 |location=Jedburgh |page=3 |quote=On Tuesday last, the foundation stone of the New County Buildings at Dunse was laid by William Hay, Esq., the superior of the town, with masonic honours.}}</ref><ref name=Duns>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB26556|desc=Former Duns Sheriff Court excluding flat-roofed extension adjoining to east, 8 Newtown Street, Duns|cat=C|accessdate=20 December 2022}}</ref>

==County council==
[[File:Former Sheriff Court, Duns.jpg|thumb|right|[[County Buildings, Duns|County Buildings]], 8 Newtown Street, Duns]]

Elected county councils were established in 1890 under the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889]], taking over most of 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.<ref>{{cite news |title=Berwickshire County Council |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |work=Berwick Advertiser |date=23 May 1890 |page=2}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|desc=County Offices, 14 Newtown Street, Duns|num=LB26558|access-date=18 July 2021}}</ref> A modern extension was added to County Buildings in 1967.<ref name=Duns/>

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.<ref>Berwickshire County Town Act 1903 (3 Edw. 7, c. 5)</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The County Town |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |work=Berwickshire News |date=14 July 1903 |location=Duns |page=3}}</ref>

At the time of the county council's abolition in 1975, Berwickshire contained four [[burgh]]s and three [[List of local government areas in Scotland (1930–1975)|districts]]:<ref name=1973act>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973|year=1973|chapter=65|accessdate=22 November 2022}}</ref>
{{div col}}
*[[Coldstream]] [[Burgh]]
*[[Duns, Scottish Borders|Duns]] Burgh
*East District
*[[Eyemouth]] Burgh
*[[Lauder]] [[Royal Burgh]]
*Middle District
*West District
{{div col end}}

==District Council==
{{Infobox historic subdivision|
|Name=              Berwickshire
|HQ=                [[Duns, Scottish Borders|Duns]]
|subdivision_type=  [[Districts of Scotland|District]] (1975–1996)<br>[[Lieutenancy areas of Scotland|Lieutenancy area]] (1975–)
|Start=             16 May 1975
|End=               31 March 1996
|Replace=           [[Scottish Borders]]
|image=             
|Map=               
|membership_title1= Region
|membership1=       [[Scottish Borders|Borders]]
}}
Berwickshire County Council 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 Regional Council|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)|Roxburgh]] district, and the parishes of [[Channelkirk]], [[Earlston]], [[Lauder]], [[Legerwood]], and [[Mertoun]], which went to [[Ettrick and Lauderdale]] district.<ref name=1973act/> The Berwickshire [[lieutenancy areas of Scotland|lieutenancy area]] was adjusted from being the historic county to being the new district at the same time.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Lord-Lieutenants Order 1975|year=1975|number=428|accessdate=27 November 2022}}</ref>

Berwickshire District Council was based at the former County Buildings at 8 Newtown Street in Duns, which became known as the Council Offices.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=23879|page=2758|date=31 October 1995|city=e}}</ref>

The Borders region and its four district councils, including Berwickshire, were abolished in 1996, merging to form the present [[Scottish Borders]] council area.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994|year=1994|chapter=39|accessdate=16 December 2022}}</ref> The Berwickshire lieutenancy area continues to be defined as the area of the pre-1996 district rather than the pre-1975 county.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Lord-Lieutenants (Scotland) Order 1996|year=1996|number=731|accessdate=16 December 2022}}</ref> The former council offices in Duns continue to be used for some departments of Scottish Borders Council.<ref>{{cite web |title=Social work offices - Berwickshire adult services |url=https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/directory_record/31876/berwickshire_adult_services |website=Scottish Borders Council |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref>

=== Political control ===
The first election to Berwickshire District Council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside 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 [[Scottish Conservatives|Conservatives]]:<ref name=compositions>{{cite web |title=Compositions Calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/composition_calc.html |access-date=21 May 2025 |website=The Elections Centre |publisher=University of Exeter}} (Put "Berwickshire" in search box to see specific results.)</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Party in control!!Years
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Conservatives}} || 1975–1996
|}

==Coat of arms==
[[File:Coat of Arms of Berwickshire County Council 1890-1975.svg|thumb|Coat of arms of Berwickshire]]
The county council of Berwickshire was formed in 1890 by the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889]], and applied for a grant of arms from the [[Lord Lyon]] the same year. The grant was made on 10 October.

The coat of arms, which closely resembles the arms of Berwick-upon-Tweed, shows a bear chained to a [[wych elm|wych]] tree, forming a pun on the name.<ref>{{cite book |author=R.M. Urquhart |title=Scottish Burgh and County Heraldry |location=London |date=1973 }}</ref> Upon the abolition of Berwickshire County Council, the arms were regranted to Berwickshire District Council.<ref>{{cite book |author=R.M. Urquhart |title=Scottish Civic Heraldry |location=London |date=1979 }}</ref>

==Transport==
[[File:British Railways sign at the Anglo-Scottish Border.jpg|thumb|right|The East Coast Mainline as it crosses the border]]
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 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 a violent storm in 1948.<ref name = paterson>John Thomas revised J S Paterson, ''A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Volume 6, Scotland, the Lowlands and the Borders'', David and Charles, Newton Abbot, 1984, {{ISBN|0 946537 12 7}}</ref> The nearest open stations are in [[Dunbar railway station|Dunbar]] and [[Berwick-upon-Tweed railway station|Berwick-upon-Tweed]].

The [[A1 road (Great Britain)|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 upon Tyne|Newcastle]]. The [[A68 road|A68]] and [[A697]] serve the towns of western Berwickshire.

==Civil parishes==
[[File:Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland - Berwickshire (1854).png|thumb|Berwickshire in 1854, with an index to the parishes]]
[[File:Berwickshire (1794).png|thumb|Agricultural map of Berwickshire (1794)]]
{{See also|List of civil parishes in Scotland}}

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*[[Abbey St Bathans]]
*[[Ayton, Scottish Borders|Ayton]]
*[[Bonkyl Kirk|Buncle (Bonkyl)]]
*[[Cockburnspath]]
*[[Coldingham]]
*[[Chirnside]]
*[[Coldstream]]
*[[Cranshaws]]
*[[Channelkirk]]
*[[Duns, Scottish Borders|Duns]]
*[[Eyemouth]]
*[[Edrom]]
*[[Eccles, Berwickshire|Eccles]]
*[[Earlston]]
*[[Foulden, Scottish Borders|Foulden]]
*[[Fogo, Scottish Borders|Fogo]]
*[[Greenlaw]]
*[[Gordon, Scottish Borders|Gordon]]
*[[Hutton, Scottish Borders|Hutton]]
*[[Hume, Scottish Borders|Hume]]
*[[Longformacus]]
*[[Gavinton, Berwickshire|Langton]]
*[[Ladykirk, Scottish Borders|Ladykirk]]
*[[Liberties of Berwick]]
*[[Lauder]] (former seat of the county Commissariat)
*[[Legerwood]]
*[[Mordington]]
*[[Mertoun]]
*[[Nenthorn]]
*Part of [[Oldhamstocks]], since 1891 in [[East Lothian]]<ref>Prior to 1891 Oldhamstocks was partly in Berwickshire and had a detached portion at Butterdean of {{convert|1417|acre|km2}}. The detached portion was transferred to [[Coldingham]], while the main part of the parish is now wholly within East Lothian. See ''Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland'', by Francis Groome, 2nd Edition, 1896. Article on Oldhamstocks</ref>
*[[Polwarth, Scottish Borders|Polwarth]]
*[[Swinton, Scottish Borders|Swinton]]
*[[Whitsome]]
*[[Westruther]]
{{div col end}}
{{Clear}}

==Settlements==
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*[[Abbey St Bathans]]
*[[Allanton, Scottish Borders|Allanton]]
*[[Auchencrow]]
*[[Ayton, Scottish Borders|Ayton]]
*[[Birgham]]
*[[Burnmouth]]
*[[Chirnside]]
*[[Clappers, Scottish Borders|Clappers]]
*[[Clintmains]]
*[[Cockburnspath]]
*[[Coldingham]]
*[[Coldstream]]
*[[Cove, Scottish Borders|Cove]]
*[[Cranshaws]]
*[[Dryburgh]]
*[[Duns, Scottish Borders|Duns]]
*[[Earlston]]
*[[Eccles, Scottish Borders|Eccles]]
*[[Edrom]]
*[[Eyemouth]]
*[[Fogo, Scottish Borders|Fogo]]
*[[Foulden, Scottish Borders|Foulden]]
*[[Gavinton]]
*[[Gordon, Scottish Borders|Gordon]]
*[[Grantshouse]]
*[[Greenlaw]]
*[[Horndean, Berwickshire|Horndean]]
*[[Houndwood]]
*[[Hume, Scottish Borders|Hume]]
*[[Hutton, Scottish Borders|Hutton]]
*[[Ladykirk, Scottish Borders|Ladykirk]]
*[[Lamberton, Scottish Borders|Lamberton]]
*[[Lauder]]
*[[Legerwood]]
*[[Leitholm]]
*[[Lennel]]
*[[Longformacus]]
*[[Nenthorn]]
*[[Oxton, Scottish Borders|Oxton]]
*[[Paxton, Scottish Borders|Paxton]]
*[[Polwarth, Scottish Borders|Polwarth]]
*[[Preston, Scottish Borders|Preston]]
*[[Redpath, Scottish Borders|Redpath]]
*[[Reston, Scottish Borders|Reston]]
*[[St Abbs]]
*[[Swinton, Scottish Borders|Swinton]]
*[[Westruther]]
*[[Whitsome]]
{{div col end}}
<gallery mode="packed" class="center">
File:Ayton Castle - geograph.org.uk - 813849.jpg|Ayton Castle
File:Burnmouth226.jpg|Burnmouth
File:Cranshaws Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 1588604.jpg|Cranshaws
File:Eyemouth Bantry Photo.jpg|Eyemouth
File:Humecastle01.jpg|Hume Castle
</gallery>

==Legacy==
[[File:Blackadder Water from the Lintmill Bridge.jpg|thumb|right|Typical Berwickshire scenery near Greenlaw]]
''The Berwickshire News'' is published weekly, and numerous organisations and groups have Berwickshire in their titles (i.e.: 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 a rugby team under the name of Berwickshire schools.

The Berwickshire Coastal Path runs from Cockburnspath to Berwick-upon-Tweed ({{convert|28|mile|disp=semicolon}}).

==See also==
*[[List of places in the Scottish Borders]]
*[[Subdivisions of Scotland]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{commons category-inline}}

{{Berwickshire towns and villages}}
{{Scotland counties}}
{{Scottish provinces|Merse}}
{{Former local government regions of Scotland}}
{{Scottish Borders elections}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Berwickshire| ]]
[[Category:Former counties of Scotland]]
[[Category:Lieutenancy areas of Scotland]]
[[Category:History of the Scottish Borders]]
[[Category:Counties of the United Kingdom (1801–1922)]]
[[Category:Districts of Scotland]]
[[Category:Politics of the Scottish Borders]]