A vision of Britain through time
A vision of Britain from 1801 to now.
Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
A vision of Britain through time
A vision of Britain from 1801 to now.
Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
Linton, a Border parish of NE Roxburghshire, whose church, within 3 furlongs of the southern boundary, stands 11/4 mile N of Morebattle, 4 miles WSW of Yetholm, and 61/4 miles SSE of the post-town, Kelso. It is bounded NW by Sprouston, NE by Northumberland, E by Yetholm and Morebattle, S by Morebattle, and W by Eckford. Its utmost length, from NNE to SSW, is 63/8 miles; its breadth varies between 91/4 furlongs and 4 miles; and its area is 6428 acres, of which 34¾ are water. Kale Water flows 13/8 mile westward along the southern boundary; and one burn, running southward to it, traces all the boundary with Eckford; whilst another, issuing from pretty Hoselaw Loch (3 x 1½ furl.; 640 feet) in the north-eastern extremity of the parish, is a feeder of Bowmont Water. A second lake, Linton Loch, which lay to the SE of the parish church, and covered some 50 acres, has been drained. Along the southern and the western boundary the surface declines to less than 300 feet above sea-level, and thence it rises to 926 feet at Linton Hill on the eastern border, 750 at the Kip and near Old Graden, and 715 at Hoselaw. The SW corner, a fertile level of about 300 acres, rises only a few inches above the level of Kale Water, and hence is subject to inundations. The rest of the parish is a mixture of hollows and rising-grounds, valleys and hills, and presents an appearance alike diversified and charming. The low grounds, excepting some largish patches of moss and about 75 acres under wood, are in a state of rich cultivation, and all the eminences, excepting the top of Linton Hill, are wholly arable. The rocks are partly eruptive, partly carboniferons. Rock crystal occurs in seams among the erupted rocks, sandstone has been quarried at Frogden, and coal is known to exist in thin seams. The soil of the plain at the SW corner is partly a strong retentive clay, and partly a deep loam incumbent on sand or gravel; elsewhere it is variously or mixedly clay, loan, sand, and gravel. Linton Tower, the baronial fortalice of the noble family of Somerville, stood on an eminence near the parish church, and seems to have been a place of considerable strength. It figured prominently in the Wars of the Succession, and was first severely damaged, next utterly demolished, by the English in the time of Henry VIII. Another ancient fortalice, at Graden, had a similar history to that of Linton Tower. The parish, both from its lying immediately on the Border, and from its forming part of the so-called ` dry marches, ' which offered no natural hindrance o the movements of a hostile force, was peculiarly exposed to the turmoils and conflicts of Border warfare. A spot called `the Tryst, ' on Frogden Farm, once marked by several standing stones, was a place of rendezvous for parties about to make a foray into England; and a narrow pass between two heights, in the vicinity of the parish church, has been thought to bear marks of having been fortified, and may have been regarded as a suitable fastness for checking invasion or repelling pursuit. Remains of circular camps are on several eminemces, and sepulchral tumuli are in various places. The poet, Thomas Pringle (1789-1834), wabb-orn at Blakelaw Farm; and Mr Dawson, a leading agricultural improver, tenanted Frogden Farm. Clifton Park, noticed separately, is the only mansion; and its owner, R. H. Elliot, Esq., holds nearly half the parish, 3 other proprietors holding each an annual value of more, and 1 of less, than £500. Linton is in the presbytery of Kelso and the synod of Merse and Teviotdale; the living is worth £374. The pretty little antique church crowns the top of a small round hill, and contains 160 sittings. The public school, with accommodation for 106 children, had (1882) an average attendance of 62, and a grant of £53, 19s. Valuation (1864) £7717, 12s. 3d., (1884) £8262, 15s. Pop. (1801) 403, (1831) 462, (1861) 608, (1871) 570, (1881) 543.—Ord. Sur., sh. 26, 1864.
(F.H. Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4); © 2004 Gazetteer for Scotland)
| Linked entities: | |
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| Feature Description: | "a Border parish" (ADL Feature Type: "countries, 4th order divisions") |
| Administrative units: | Linton ScoP Roxburghshire ScoCnty |
| Place: | Linton |
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