Scotland > 1868, 1878 - Slater's (late Pigot & Co.'s) Royal national commercial directory and topography of Scotland > 1861

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POLWARTH AND FOGO.
OLWARTH is a parish in the district of Merse—
the village now almost deca\ed, is 40 miles from Edin-
burgh, four from Duuse, and about three and a half
from Greenlaw, situated on the road between the two
last named towns. It was formerly of much gieater
extent, and, from iis con nee ion with Scottish song,
continues to the present day the most interesting loca-
cality in the district. On the green of Polwarth, in the
centre of the village, it was an ancient custom for eveiy
new-married pair, wiih their company, to dance round
an ancient thorn, the legend counecied with which,
according to Chambers, might furnish materials for a
good romance. The estate of Polwanh formerly be-
longed to Sinclair of Hi rmandston, whose family, so
far brick as the fifteenth century, terminated in co-
heiresses. It appears that the Misses Sinclair, of all
their suitors, and they had many, preferred the sons of
their powerful neighbour, Home of VVedd- r'burn, and it
so happened, that the youngest sister was beloved by
the eldestHome (George), whilst the eldest placed her
affections on the youngest whose name was Patrick.
ensued), consisted in a merry dance? rottna the thorn,
which even at that early period, grtw in the centre of
the village. The lands of Polwarth were then divided
between the two Homes; and while George carried '
on the line of the Wedderhurn family, Patrick was the
founder of the branch afterwards ennobled by the title
of Marchmont. In commemoration of this remarkable
affair for many years, all future marriage parties dance
round the thorn, and a tune seems to have been com-
posed, of the name • Polwarth on the Green,' to which
songs ha>e been successfully adapted. On the front of
the parish church (an ancient building), which stands
about a mile south-east of the village, is a Latin in-
scription, importing that it was erected antei ior to the
year 900. In the vault of this church Sir Patrick Home,
of Polwarth, afterwards the first Earl of Marchmont
and Lord Chancellor of Scotland, found an asylum fro
the fury of his persecutors, when a price was set upon
his head, till arrangements were made for his escape
toHolland, which he happily effected. The noble man-
sion of the late Earl of Marchmont, together with the
After the death of the father of the youj?g ladies, i estate, is now the propeitv of Sir H. H. Campbell,Bart.
they fell info the hands of an uncle, who was anxious
to prevent their marriages, that he himself might be-
come their heir, immured them in hisiastle, some-
where in Lothian. In this dilemma the fair prisoners
contrived to get a letter transmitted to their lovers, by
means of an old fema'e beggar, and they were soon
gratified with the sight of the two youths, accompanied
by a deteimined hand of Merse mer, before the gate
Of their prison. The uncle made boih remonstrance
and resistance, but in vain, his neices wasfoicibly taken
from him and carried off in triumph. Part of the iiup-
"*ial rejoicing (for the marriage ceremony immediately
GENTRY & CLERGY.
Campbell Sir Hugh Hume, Bart.,
of Maichmont
Cat heart Hon. Captain, Calder
Home Rev. Walter, Polwarth Manse
and his lady has established &n infants' school.
The parish of Fog J, which lies to the south of that cf
Polwarth, is intersected and watered by the Blaekad-
der, upon the right bank of which stream (said to be
so fatal to the salmon species) stands the little village
of Fogo : and about a mile further up the river is the
ancient diminutive hamlet of Chesters, renosiug on
the site of a Roman encampment. The parish is six
miles in length by between thiee and four in breadth,
the land chiefly arable and fertile. A neat church aud
parish school are in the village.
Parochial School, Fogo — Alex- Miller Robert, grocer, Fogo
ander Fiulayson, master [8f regis- Nisbet William, grocer, Fogo
trar cf births, deaths and mar- Sanderson George, miller, Kogo
riages and inspector of poor)
SHOPKEEPEKSS TltADERS.
ProudfootRev. Roht.F. FogoMause; Aitchison Jasper, miller, Polwarth
Trotter Richard, Esq.of CharterHall Brown George, joiner, Polwarth
schools - Calder George, baker, Polwarth
lNFANTs'ScHooL(l.advCampheli's)J " arai !; on George, cartwright, Fogo
Polvvarth-CatherineMi.ler, mis- %*m ]TdTl S ' J"" 11 "''' *Z S ? .,
tn . ss HoJliday Margaret, gmcer.Polwarth
D „ o ,-, , . ' Hunter Robert, tailor, Fogo
Parochial School, Polwarth Johnson John, smith, Polwarth
Robert Smith, master Miller Alexander, smith, Fogo
VirtueRobert,stonemason, Polwarth
Watberston William, tai lor, Polwarth
Watson William, spade ae.d shovel
maker, Marchmont Forge
EstablishedChubch, Polwarth— Rev*
Walter Ho:re [Proudfoot
Established Church, F030— Rev. R.F.
RAILWAY
Dunse is the nearest Station to this vit.
lage, distance tour aud a half miles, no
conveyance
SWIOTON, WITH SIMPRIN. WHITSOME, LADYKIRK
T
AND HORNDEAX.
HE pans!) of Swinton, to which that of Simprin i ated nearly in the centre of the parish, at the distance
was united in 1761, is in the district of Merse. The] of about three miles from Swinton.
parish is intersected by the small river Leet, and near The parish of Lad\kirk lies 011 the north bank of
thereto is the neat village of Swinton, lying j.bout 45 1 the Tweed, having the parish of Hutton on the uoith-
miles s.e. of Edinburgh, 12 s.w. of Berwick, and 6 n. | east, and Whitsome and Swinton joining it on the west
side; it extends about three miles along the margin of
the river, with a breadth of from one to two. Lately
has been thrown across the Tweed here a new biidge,
constructed by subscription — a most valuable improve-
ment to this locality, as fatal accidems frequently
occurred by fording the river at this part. The church
of Lady kirk, a venerable building, completely en-
shrouded in ivy, stands near the Tweed, about four
miles from Swinton and nine from Berwick. Tradiiion
a-cribes its erection to the fourth James, in giaftude
of Coldstream
The small village of Simphin is situated at the south-
east corner of the parish. The estaie of Swinton lias
been for upwards of seven hundred and fifty vears the
property of a family of that name, who originally ac-
quired it as a reward tor dealing the country of wild
boars (or twine), whose mischievous audoften feiocious
depredations continually troubled and alarmed the
inhabitants. The grant was afterwards confirmed by
the rojal ordonance of Malcolm Canaiore, for the ex-
ertions of 1 he Swintons in reinstating him on the for Ids presentation from ihe violence of the flood
throne. The celebrated Mr. Thomas Boston, author
of the' Fourfold State,' was for some time minister of
Simprin. There are two annua) fairs— one is held on
the third Tharsday in June, the other on the fourth
Tuesday in October.
Whitsome (including the abrogated parish of Hill-
ton) is about four miles and a half long, and two and
a half broad. The land is pi inci pally composed of a
deep rich clay, but there is some extent of marsh or
oozy ground. The small village of Whitsome is situ-
w hen fording the rhei here at the head of Ins army.
He dedicatetd the edifice to ' Our Lady,' hence deno-
minated Lady kirk, which name was subsequently
exiended to the whole parish, previously designated
Upsetlington. The soil of the di-trict is naturally good
from its local situation; cultivation has made it rich
and beautiful, and it is celebrated for ihe breed of
cattle and sheep. The small village of Hor>df.an
belongs to this paiMi. An annual fail is held in
Ladykirb on the 5th of April.
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