Lockhart Place was built in 1879 by the Hawick Working Mens’ Building & Investment Company, who also erected most of the terraced housing at the Wellogate. It is named after William Elliot-Lockhart II (1833-1907) of Borthwickbrae, who was Chamberlain to the Duke of Buccleuch at Branxholme between 1876 and 1892. Number 9 is a […]
‘Mayfield’ refers to the hawthorn (or May) trees that once grew on the sloping hillside. This area of Hawick was in use as allotments as far back as the mid-1700s. During the 18th century, a large wall was built alongside the Selkirk road, replacing a long beech hedge known as Lockieshedge (named after early resident, John Lockie, who […]
Tannage Close is named after the tanning pools once located at the foot of the vennel. Situated between 61 and 63 High Street, it was first developed around 1800 by John and Walter Wilson, who operated the tannage business. A sketch of the close, commissioned in 1812 for Walter Scott’s ‘Border Antiquities’, is among the […]
Carnarvon Street was built in 1879 as two rows of cottages and a two-storey house. For three years until 1882, it was known as Maxwell Street. It is named after Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, the Earl of Carnarvon, who served as Colonial Secretary of Canada, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and wrote a number of prominent […]
Northcote Street is named after Sir Stafford Northcote (1818-1887), a prominent Conservative Statesman. During his lengthy political career, he served as Secretary to the Treasury, President of the Board of Trade, Secretary of State for India, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Secretary, and Leader of the House of Commons. The street was built in 1884, […]
Hardie’s Hill is named after a local family, who farmed here for generations. The hollow south-west of the summit is said to be where townspeople would hide when the English attacked Hawick during the 16th century. In March 1860, the Hawick Advertiser reported that navvies were injured by rock blasted from the side of […]
Contrary to popular belief, Waverley Terrace is not named after the nearby railway line, but instead directly after Sir Walter Scott’s novel. This street was built as the first phase of housing funded by the Hawick Working Men’s Building & Investment Co. Ltd. in 1866, and was originally called Queensberry Place. This name came from one of […]
Twirlees Road (1908) and Twirlees Terrace (1915) are named after a turnstile that stood near the Braid Road, at the boundary where the steps are now. It was made from two cross sections of wood, fixed across a large post, which could be twirled or ‘twirleed’ to gain access to the Wellogate. This was erected to […]
It is speculated that Galalaw was named after gallows that once stood on the hill. Another suggestion is that the name derives from the Old Norse ‘Gol’ meaning to chant away and the Scots ‘Law’ meaning a conical shaped hill. The area around here has been farmed since at least the 15th century, the lands […]
