Roxburghshire is a jewel of the Middle Shires. It stretches across the northern side of the Cheviot Hills, equally distant from the North Sea and the Solway Firth.
Upper Liddlesdale in the south of the shire runs south-westward. In the north, Teviotdale runs north-east, joining the Tweed at Kelso.
Roxburghshire is an agricultural county of small villages. It has three fine towns; Hawick, Jedburgh and Kelso. In Jedburgh are the remains of an abbey founded by King David I, still impressive in their shell. Kelso, which was also the site of one of King David’s abbeys, grew after the town of Roxburgh was destroyed by warfare in 1470. Today’s Roxburgh is a village on the Teviot a few miles away.
At the northern peak of the shire is the lovely area of Eildon and Lauderfoot, beneath the Eildon Hills where the Lauder meets the Tweed. In this area are Melrose and Newtown St Boswells.
County Facts
County Town: Jedburgh
Main Towns: Hawick, Jedburgh, Kelso, Liddesdale, Melrose, Newton St Boswells, Roxburgh, Town Yetholm.
Main Rivers: Tweed, Teviot, Liddel, Jed, Ettrick, Gala, Leader, Eden.
Highlights: Eilden Hills; Floors Castle; Melrose Abbey; Smailholm Tower, Kelso.
Highest Point: Auchop Cairn, 2,422 feet.
Area: 666 sq miles
County Flower: Maiden Pink
