Hawick from Galalaw in the 1940s
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 being owned by a branch of the Scott family from 1494 until 1762. During the 19th century, the current farmhouse was built and the area was used for fox hunts. In 1856, to celebrate the end of the Crimean War, Galalaw was set ablaze – the vegetation taking decades to recover.
The Ordnance Survey built a trig point on Galalaw Summit in July 1953. This allowed for accurate measurements of distance and mapping in the days before GPS technology (the summit sits at just over 271 metres above sea level). It was also this year that saw ‘Galalaw Road’ named.
The farm was vacated in the early 1990s and was bought by Roxburgh District Council, along with 144 acres of farmland in 1992. A caretaker was appointed to occupy the farm house. Work began on a new Business Park at Galalaw in September 1994, in a joint venture by Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Borders Council.
April 1995 saw the higher lands leased to sheep farmers, rejected plans for a crematorium and country park and £580,000 worth of investment to build class 4 (Business), 5 (Industrial/Service) and 6 (Storage/Distribution) units. The second phase also saw new laybys, bus stops and a roundabout built to better access the site. There are still 3 undeveloped areas of the Galalaw zone plan, as of 2015.
Homebase was opened in 2005, after Focus DIY scrapped plans to open a branch in Hawick, following financial difficulties. The 20,000 square foot unit and 10,000 square foot Garden Centre, created over 25 jobs when it opened. A branch of Argos, also owned by the Home Retail Group, will open inside Homebase in the coming weeks.
Scottish Water also maintains a covered reservoir at the summit of Galalaw, fed from Alemoor Loch, almost 7 miles to the west. The plantations around this point are protected by a tree preservation order enacted in 2007.
SHARE THIS STORY:
