Scotland > 1882-1915 - Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland > 1886 - Slater's (late Pigot and Co's) Royal national commercial directory and topography of Scotland

DIRECTORY
LAUDER
BERWICKSHIRE
PUBLIC BUILDINGS, &c. -continued.
Gas Work, Lander— John Turnbull, mana-
ger; Thomas Broomfield, secretary
Inspectors of the Poor : Chan nelkirk— Henry
M. Liddell, Oxton; Lauder— Thomas
Broomfield, Lauder
Justice of Peace Court, Lander
Lauderdale Agricultural Society, Lauder-
Thomas Broomfield, secretary
Police Station, Lauder— Alexander Mennie,
sergeant in charge
Police Station, Oxton
Public Reading Room and Library, Lander
—John Hogarth, secretary; W. D. Aikman,
treasurer
Registrars of Births, Deaths & Marriages:
Channelkirk— Henry M. Liddell, Oxton;
Lauder— William Moore, Lauder
Rifle Volunteers (1st Berwickshire, E Com-
pany), Lauder — Robert Romanes, captain ;
William Moore and George L, Broomfield,
lieutenants; Richard Kearney, sergeant-
major instructor
School Boards : Channelkirk — Henry M.
Liddel, clerk & treasurer, Oxton; Laudor
— Robert Romanes, chairman; Thomas
Broomfield, clerk, Lauder
Sheriff Court — John Cheyne, Edinburgh,
sheriff principal; George Dickson, Duns,
sheriff substitute ; William M'Ara, sheriff
officer
Stamp Office, Laudor— Thomas Broomfield,
sub-distributor [keeper
Town Hall, Lauder— James Weatherstone,
CONVEYANCE BY RAILWAY.
The nearest Stations to Lauder are at Stow,
6 miles distant, on the North British line,
and at Earlston, 7 miles distant
A Conveyance from the Black Bull Hotel,
leaves Lauder for Stow Station at 6 15
a.m., 7 15 a.m. and 3 5 p.m. Leaving Stow
at 7 50 a.m., 10 40 a.m. and 4 40 p.m.
CARRIERS.
To DALKEITH, A. Mossman, from the
Eagle Inn, Lander, Thursdav
To GALASHIELS, William Kerr, from his
house, Lauder, Saturday
To STOW RAILWAY STATION, John
Beattie, from his house, Lauder, daily
POLWARTH AND FOGO.
POLWARTH is a parish of about 8,000 acres, in the district of
Merse. The village, now almost decayed, is forty miles from
Edinburgh, four from Duns, and about three and a half from Green-
law, situated on the road between the two last-named towns. It was
formerly of much greater extent, and, from its connection with
Scottish song, continues to the present day the most interesting
locality in the district. On the green of Polwarth, in the centre of
the village, it was an ancient custom for every new married pair,
with their company, to dauce round an old thorn, the legend
connected with which, according to Chambers, might furnish
materials for a good romance. The estate of Polworth formerly
belonged to Sinclair of Hermandston, whose family, so far back as
the fifteenth century, terminated in co-heiresses. It appears that
the Misses Sinclair, of all their suitors— and they had many— pre-
ferred the sons of their powerful neighbour, Homo of Wedderburn,
and it so happened that the youngest sister was beloved by the
eldest Home (George), whilst the eldest placed her affections on the
youngest, whose name was Patrick. After the death of the father
of the young ladies they fell into the hands of an uncle, who,
anxious to prevent their marriages, that he himself might become
their heir, immured them in his castle, somewhere in Lothian.
In this dilemma the fair prisoners contrived to get a letter trans-
mitted to their lovers by means of an old female beggar, and they
were soon gratified with the sight of the two youths accompanied
by a determined band of Merse men before the gate of their prison.
The uncle made both remonstrance and resistance, but in vain;
his nieces were forcibly taken from him and carried off in triumph,
Part of the nuptial rejoicing — for the marriage ceremony imme-
diately ensued — consisted in a merry danoe round the thorn, which.
even at that early period, grew in the centre of the village. Tho
lands of Polworth were then divided between the two Homes, and
while George carried on the line in the Wedderbum 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 danced round the thorn, and.
a tune seems to have been composed of the name " Polwarth on the
Green, " to which songs have 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 inscription, importing
that it was erected anterior 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
from the fury of his persecutors, when a price was set upon his
head, till arrangements were made for his escape to Holland, which
was happily effected. The noble mansion of the late Earl of March-
mont, together with the estate, is now the property of Sir H. H.
Campbell, Bart., and his lady has established an infants' school
The parieh of Polarth in 1881 had a population of 227.
The parish of Fogo, which lies to the south of that of Polwarth,
is intersected and watered by the Biackadder, 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, reposing on the site
of a Roman encampment. The parish is six miles in length, by
between three and four in breadth, and contains about 4.652 acres;
the land is chiefly arable and fertile. A neat church and Board,
school are in the village. Population in 1881,4(38.
GENTRY AND CLERGY.
Campbell Sir Hugh Hume, Bart, of March-
mont
Proudfoot Rev. Robert F. Fogo Manse
Trotter Richard, Esq. of Charter Hall
Watt Rev. Charles James, Polwarth Manse
SCHOOLS.
Board Schools: —
Polworth — Robert Johnstone, master, in-
spector of poor, and registrar of births,
deaths, and marriages
Fogo— John Macfarlane, master, & regis-
trar of births, deaths, and marriages, &
inspector of poor
Infants' School (Lady Campbell's), Pol-
warth — Isabella Hunter, mistress
FARMERS.
Dodds John, Cothill and Mountrobert, Pol-
warth
Elder David, Broomypark
Geggie Thomas, Polwarth Mill
Haig Peter, Woodheads, Polwarth
Hood Thomas, Bogg end, Fogo
Lyall William, Fogo rig [warth
Paxton John & Peter, South Crofts, Pol-
Robertson William, iiiast end, &Caldra, Fogo
Robertson John, Clerkenvill, Fogo
Runciman Robt. Polwarth Rhodes, Polwarth
Thomson Robert, Whinkerstanes, Fogo
Torrance George, SiBterpath, Fogo
White Mrs. — , Ryselaw, Fogo
SHOPKEEPERS AND TRADERS.
Comb Robert, blacksmith, Fogo Muir
Elder David, carter, Polwarth
Geggie Thomas, miller & grain factor, Pol-
wurth Mill
Grant Mary, grocer, Polwarth
Hamilton Alex, miller, Sisterpath Mill, Fogo
Hamilton John, cartwright, Fogo
Hunter Robert, tailor, Fogo
Loney Peter, land steward, Marchmont
Millar Allan, cattle dealer, Polwarth
M'Dougall Andrew, smith, Polwarth
Nisbet Andrew, joiner and cartwright, Pol-
warth
Nisbet Robert, joiner, Marchmont [Fogo
Sanderson A. & Sons, millers. Cairns Mill,
Watson William, blacksmith, Polwarth
PLACES OF WORSHIP
AND THEIR MINISTERS.
Established Church, Polwarth — Rev.
Charles James Watt
Established Chdsch, Fogo — Rev. Robert
F. Proudfoot
CONVEYANCE BY RAILWAY.
Station at Marchmont, on the Duns branch,
North British Railway, about one mile and
a half from each village— Thomas Wilson,
station master
RESTON,
AUCHENCROW, GRANT'S HOUSE, RENTON, AND NEIGHBOURHOODS.
Grant's House is a village or hamlet in the same parish as the above,
situated on the road to Edinburgh, seven miles from Coldingham, eight
from Ayton, and five from Cockburnspath. Theplace derives its name
from a person named Grant, the contractor for making the high road to
Edinburgh, who erected a cottage for himself, now called Grant's House
Inn. From the oircumstance of the North British Railway passing tho
village, it bids fair to be a compact little place. Renton is a small
hamlet, a mile distant.
RESTON and Auchencrow are two villages pleasantly situated on
the banks of the Eye, in the parish of Coldingham, the former
being three miles from Coldingham, the same distance from Ayton, and
about nine from Duns ; the latter lying between Reston and Chirnside,
about two and a half miles from each place. A station on the North
British Railway is in the village of Reston. The places of worship are a
Free church at Reston, and an Established church and one for members
of the Free church at Houndwood, a mile distant from Reston. There
are good Board schools in each village. Live stock sales are held every
alternate Monday. The population of Reston in 1881 was 321.
POST OFFICE, Reston, James Greenfield. Post Master.— Letters arrive from all parts at twenty minutes past nine morning, and from the
North at four afternoon, and are despatched to Edinburgh and the West of Scotland at five minutes past eight morning, and to all parts
at thirty-five minutes past three afternoon. IS" The nearest Money Order Office is at Ayton.
Post Office, Auchencrow, Margaret Fortune, Post Mistress. — Letters from all parts arrive (by messenger, from Reston) at fifty minutes
past ten morning, and are despatched at half -past two afternoon. IS" The nearest Money Order Office is at Chirnside.
Post Office, Grant's House, George Renton, Post Master.— Letters arrive from Edinburgh at nine morning, and from the South at ten
minutes before four afternoon ; and are despatched at twenty minutes before nine morning and twenty minutes past three afternoon.
On Simdays letters arrive at 10 a.m. and are despatched at 5 80 p.m. IS" Money Order Office and Savings Bank.
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