Chirnside
Encyclopedia
Chirnside is a hillside village in Berwickshire
in Scotland
, 9 miles (14.5 km) west of Berwick-upon-Tweed
and 7 miles (11.3 km) east of Duns
.
, the Scottish Enlightenment
philosopher, lived in Ninewells House, just south of the village (see below). His nephew, David, later Baron Hume
, the noted Scottish jurist was baptised 1757 at Chirnside.
Chirnside is also the last resting place of Jim Clark
, former world champion Formula One
racing-car driver. A small museum, which is known as The Jim Clark Room, can be found in Duns
.
Near the kirk
once stood a tower house
(demolished 18th century), built by the Earl of Dunbar
, once the superior here.
manor house containing Palladian windows, which is a Listed Building. It contains a magnificent first floor music room richly decorated in Italian plasterwork. Once owned by the Hall of Dunglass
family, William Hall of Whitehall (died circa 1749) was one of the Principal Clerks of the Court of Session
. It passed early in the 19th century to Mitchell-Innes of Ayton Castle
family who held it until the 1980s.
Since then the house and its park have passed through the hands of developers, unhindered by the Scottish Borders Council, and the manor is now (2007) derelict and seriously at risk. The partial demolition of the back quarters of the house have left Whitehall completely open and dangerous to the public.
.
It was home to several generations of Homes
(later Humes) and was the childhood home, and later the summer home, of David Hume
(1711-1776) philosopher, economist and writer.
The original Ninewells house was entirely rebuilt by William Burn
in 1839-1841 for Elizabeth Hume in a Tudor style, but was demolished in 1954.
In the 19th Century it was described as 'a handsome Tudor edifice of 1840-41, successor to an older mansion, which was the boyish home, though not the birthplace, of the historian and philosopher, David Hume (1711-76), and his occasional residence after his fame was won. It was the seat, too, of his nephew and namesake, Baron Hume (1756-1838), the eminent writer on criminal jurisprudence. The present proprietor, James Alexander Ross-Hume, Esq. (b. 1851; suc. 1864), holds 1024 acres (4.1 km²) in the shire, valued at £2l62 per annum'
During World War Two it was designated as a hostel for Polish and Eastern European displaced persons. Some Polish army personnel were billeted there and some also lodged with Chirnside families. Around 1942-1943 it was designated as prisoner of war camp (236).
The Ninewells Walled Garden stands on the A6437 south of the village (early 19th century).
It was destroyed, along with Bonkle and Blanerne Castle
during Hereford's
Raid of 1544, part of the The Rough Wooing
of Scotland. It was restored prior to being abandoned in the 18th Century. It was a ruin by 1834.
It appears to have consisted of an oblong tower house, with walls and a moat. There are also the remains of lime kilns.
), with additions in 1897, and reductions in 1971–1973. The Italianate administrative block was built as a house for the owner of the mill. There was an earlier mill and house on the site, and the porter's lodge, now a store, is a Gothic
octagonal single–storey–and–basement building which probably dates from this period.
to Earlston
, joining the East Coast Main Line
to the Waverley Line
.
A five span rounded arch railway bridge was built over the Whiteadder Water
in 1863 to carry the railway.
Chirnside Railway Station was closed to passenger traffic 10 September 1951. Freight continued until 19 July 1965. The station building still stands, currently used for storing agricultural supplies.
dialect of Chirnside and Berwickshire was the subject of a study by Swiss dialectologist Paul Wettstein, published in 1942. In the dialect Chirnside is pronounced "Chir-sit".
plays in the Border Amateur league and appeared nine times in the Scottish Cup
between 1935 and 1966.
Berwickshire
Berwickshire or the County of Berwick is a registration county, a committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a lieutenancy area of Scotland, on the border with England. The town after which it is named—Berwick-upon-Tweed—was lost by Scotland to England in 1482...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, 9 miles (14.5 km) west of Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
and 7 miles (11.3 km) east of Duns
Duns
Duns is the county town of the historic county of Berwickshire, within the Scottish Borders.-Early history:Duns law, the original site of the town of Duns, has the remains of an Iron Age hillfort at its summit...
.
Notables
David HumeDavid Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
, the Scottish Enlightenment
Scottish Enlightenment
The Scottish Enlightenment was the period in 18th century Scotland characterised by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. By 1750, Scots were among the most literate citizens of Europe, with an estimated 75% level of literacy...
philosopher, lived in Ninewells House, just south of the village (see below). His nephew, David, later Baron Hume
David Hume (jurist)
David Hume was a Scottish jurist, whose work on Scots criminal law and Scots private law has had a deep and continuing influence. He is referred to as Baron David Hume to distinguish him from his uncle, David Hume the philosopher....
, the noted Scottish jurist was baptised 1757 at Chirnside.
Chirnside is also the last resting place of Jim Clark
Jim Clark
James "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965....
, former world champion Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
racing-car driver. A small museum, which is known as The Jim Clark Room, can be found in Duns
Duns
Duns is the county town of the historic county of Berwickshire, within the Scottish Borders.-Early history:Duns law, the original site of the town of Duns, has the remains of an Iron Age hillfort at its summit...
.
Near the kirk
Kirk
Kirk can mean "church" in general or the Church of Scotland in particular. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it.-Basic meaning and etymology:...
once stood a tower house
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
(demolished 18th century), built by the Earl of Dunbar
Earl of Dunbar
The title Earl of Dunbar, also called Earl of Lothian or Earl of March, was the head of a comital lordship in south-eastern Scotland between the early 12th century and the early 15th century. The first man to use the title of Earl in this earldom was Gospatric II, Earl of Lothian, son of Gospatric,...
, once the superior here.
Church
The parish church at Chirnside dates from the 12th century. It was substantially rebuilt in 1878 and extensively restored and altered in 1907. The rebuildings now incorporate all of the original church(es), however the original chevron-patterned Norman doorway at the west end remains. It has a fine gateway approach.Dovecot aviaries
The Ninewells Doocot, in a garden adjacent to the church, is a 16th century circular beehive type doocot (dovecot). Not far from the manor, stands the impressive Whitehall Doocot, rectangular-planned, and two-chamber, with stone skews defining its monopitched roof.Whitehall
Below Chirnside stands the estate of Whitehall, with a GeorgianGeorgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
manor house containing Palladian windows, which is a Listed Building. It contains a magnificent first floor music room richly decorated in Italian plasterwork. Once owned by the Hall of Dunglass
Dunglass
Dunglass is a location in East Lothian, Scotland, lying east of the Lammermuir Hills on the North Sea coast. It has a 15th century Dunglass Collegiate Church, now in the care of Historic Scotland...
family, William Hall of Whitehall (died circa 1749) was one of the Principal Clerks of the Court of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
. It passed early in the 19th century to Mitchell-Innes of Ayton Castle
Ayton Castle
Ayton Castle is located to the east of Ayton in the Scottish Borders. It is north-west of Berwick upon Tweed, in the former county of Berwickshire. Built around a medieval tower house, the present castle dates largely from the 19th century. Ayton Castle is the caput of the feudal barony of Ayton...
family who held it until the 1980s.
Since then the house and its park have passed through the hands of developers, unhindered by the Scottish Borders Council, and the manor is now (2007) derelict and seriously at risk. The partial demolition of the back quarters of the house have left Whitehall completely open and dangerous to the public.
Ninewells House
Ninewells, named for the springs that flow from the hillside into the Whiteadder WaterWhiteadder Water
Whiteadder Water is a river in East Lothian and Berwickshire, Scotland. It also flows for a very short distance through Northumberland before joining the River Tweed...
.
It was home to several generations of Homes
Clan Home
The Homes are a Scottish family. They were a powerful force in medieval Lothian and the Borders. The chief of the name is David Douglas-Home, 15th Earl of Home.-Origins of the clan:...
(later Humes) and was the childhood home, and later the summer home, of David Hume
David Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
(1711-1776) philosopher, economist and writer.
The original Ninewells house was entirely rebuilt by William Burn
William Burn
William Burn was a Scottish architect, pioneer of the Scottish Baronial style.He was born in Edinburgh, the son of architect Robert Burn, and educated at the Royal High School. After training with the architect of the British Museum, Sir Robert Smirke, he returned to Edinburgh in 1812...
in 1839-1841 for Elizabeth Hume in a Tudor style, but was demolished in 1954.
In the 19th Century it was described as 'a handsome Tudor edifice of 1840-41, successor to an older mansion, which was the boyish home, though not the birthplace, of the historian and philosopher, David Hume (1711-76), and his occasional residence after his fame was won. It was the seat, too, of his nephew and namesake, Baron Hume (1756-1838), the eminent writer on criminal jurisprudence. The present proprietor, James Alexander Ross-Hume, Esq. (b. 1851; suc. 1864), holds 1024 acres (4.1 km²) in the shire, valued at £2l62 per annum'
During World War Two it was designated as a hostel for Polish and Eastern European displaced persons. Some Polish army personnel were billeted there and some also lodged with Chirnside families. Around 1942-1943 it was designated as prisoner of war camp (236).
The Ninewells Walled Garden stands on the A6437 south of the village (early 19th century).
Billie Castle
Sited 3 kilometres north of Chirnside on the Billie Burn, is the remains of Billie Castle. A castle of the Rentons, it was attacked several times in the 16th century.It was destroyed, along with Bonkle and Blanerne Castle
Blanerne Castle
Blanerne Castle is the remains of a 16th-century fortified house, located in the grounds of Blanerne House, an 18th-century country house between Chirnside and Preston in the Scottish Borders. The house and castle sit on the north bank of the Whiteadder Water, around north-east of Duns. The house...
during Hereford's
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp of Hache, KG, Earl Marshal was Lord Protector of England in the period between the death of Henry VIII in 1547 and his own indictment in 1549....
Raid of 1544, part of the The Rough Wooing
The Rough Wooing
The War of the Rough Wooing was fought between Scotland and England. War was declared by Henry VIII of England, in an attempt to force the Scots to agree to a marriage between his son Edward and Mary, Queen of Scots. Scotland benefited from French military aid. Edward VI continued the war until...
of Scotland. It was restored prior to being abandoned in the 18th Century. It was a ruin by 1834.
It appears to have consisted of an oblong tower house, with walls and a moat. There are also the remains of lime kilns.
School
Chirnside Primary School, 1937, by architects Messrs Reid & Forbes, is a rather spectacular piece of architecture epitomising that decade; set into a hillside, and being white, it can be seen for miles around.Paper Mill
The Chirnside Bridge Paper Mill, now a large manufacturer, is a survivor from an earlier era. Originally constructed in 1842 and 1857 by David Cousin (also responsible for Dean CemeteryDean Cemetery
The Dean Cemetery is a prominent cemetery in the Dean Village, in Edinburgh, Scotland.-Dean House:It stands on the site of Dean House , part of Dean Estate which had been purchased in 1609 by Sir William Nisbet, who became in 1616 Lord Provost of Edinburgh. The Nisbets of Dean held the office of...
), with additions in 1897, and reductions in 1971–1973. The Italianate administrative block was built as a house for the owner of the mill. There was an earlier mill and house on the site, and the porter's lodge, now a store, is a Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
octagonal single–storey–and–basement building which probably dates from this period.
Berwickshire Railway
Chirnside had a railway station on the North British Railway's Berwickshire Railway (opened 1863), in the hamlet of Chirnsidebridge. The railway line ran from RestonReston, Scottish Borders
Reston is a village located in the southeast of Scotland, in Berwickshire, Scottish Borders region. The village lies on the western bank of the Eye Water.- Location :...
to Earlston
Earlston
Earlston , formerly Ercildoune, is a civil parish and market town in the county of Berwickshire, within the Scottish Borders. It is situated on the River Leader in Lauderdale, Scotland.-Early history:...
, joining the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
to the Waverley Line
Waverley Line
The Waverley Line is an abandoned double track railway line that ran south from Edinburgh in Scotland through Midlothian and the Scottish Borders to Carlisle in England. It was built by the North British Railway Company; the first section, from Edinburgh to Hawick opened in 1849. The final section,...
.
A five span rounded arch railway bridge was built over the Whiteadder Water
Whiteadder Water
Whiteadder Water is a river in East Lothian and Berwickshire, Scotland. It also flows for a very short distance through Northumberland before joining the River Tweed...
in 1863 to carry the railway.
Chirnside Railway Station was closed to passenger traffic 10 September 1951. Freight continued until 19 July 1965. The station building still stands, currently used for storing agricultural supplies.
Dialect of Chirnside
The distinctive traditional ScotsScots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
dialect of Chirnside and Berwickshire was the subject of a study by Swiss dialectologist Paul Wettstein, published in 1942. In the dialect Chirnside is pronounced "Chir-sit".
Sport
The local football team Chirnside F.C.Chirnside F.C.
Chirnside F.C. previously known as Chirnside United F.C. are an amateur football club which plays in the village of Chirnside in Berwickshire, Scotland. They play in the 'A league' of the Border Amateur league which is affiliated to the Scottish Amateur Football Association...
plays in the Border Amateur league and appeared nine times in the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
between 1935 and 1966.
See also
- List of places in the Scottish Borders
- List of places in East Lothian
- List of places in Edinburgh
- List of places in Midlothian
- List of places in West Lothian
- List of places in Scotland
- History of ScotlandHistory of ScotlandThe history of Scotland begins around 10,000 years ago, when humans first began to inhabit what is now Scotland after the end of the Devensian glaciation, the last ice age...
- Timeline of Scottish historyTimeline of Scottish historyThis timeline outlines the main events in Scottish history.-1st century – 7th century:* c.84: Romans defeat Caledonians at the Battle of Mons Graupius.* c.143: Romans construct the Antonine Wall.* c.163: Romans withdraw south to Trimontium and Hadrian's Wall....
- Scotland in the Early Middle AgesScotland in the Early Middle AgesScotland in the early Middle Ages, between the end of Roman authority in southern and central Britain from around 400 and the rise of the kingdom of Alba in 900, was divided into a series of petty kingdoms. Of these the four most important to emerge were the Picts, the Scots of Dál Riata, the...
- Scotland in the High Middle AgesScotland in the High Middle AgesThe High Middle Ages of Scotland encompass Scotland in the era between the death of Domnall II in 900 AD and the death of king Alexander III in 1286...
- Scotland in the Late Middle AgesScotland in the Late Middle AgesScotland in the late Middle Ages established its independence from England under figures including William Wallace in the late 13th century and Robert Bruce in the 14th century...
- Economic history of ScotlandEconomic history of ScotlandThe Economic history of Scotland charts economic development in the History of Scotland from earliest times, through seven centuries as an independent state and following Union with England, three centuries as a country of the United Kingdom. Before 1700 Scotland was a poor rural area, with few...
- Scottish MarchesScottish MarchesScottish Marches was the term used for the Anglo-Scottish border during the late medieval and early modern eras—from the late 13th century, with the creation by Edward I of England of the first Lord Warden of the Marches to the early 17th century and the creation of the Middle Shires, promulgated...
- Scottish BordersScottish BordersThe Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
- Anglo-Scottish borderAnglo-Scottish borderThe Anglo-Scottish border is the official border and mark of entry between Scotland and England. It runs for 154 km between the River Tweed on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. It is Scotland's only land border...
- Debatable LandsDebatable LandsThe Debatable Lands, also known as Debatable ground, batable ground or thriep lands, was land lying between Scotland and England, formerly in question to which it belonged, when they were distinct kingdoms...
- Border ReiversBorder ReiversBorder Reivers were raiders along the Anglo–Scottish border from the late 13th century to the beginning of the 17th century. Their ranks consisted of both Scottish and English families, and they raided the entire border country without regard to their victims' nationality...
- List of castles in Scotland
- Borders Family History SocietyBorders Family History SocietyBorders Family History Society, , founded in 1985, is a research society which concentrates on the Scottish Borders region in south-eastern Scotland....
- Clan HomeClan HomeThe Homes are a Scottish family. They were a powerful force in medieval Lothian and the Borders. The chief of the name is David Douglas-Home, 15th Earl of Home.-Origins of the clan:...
- Climate of ScotlandClimate of ScotlandThe climate of Scotland is temperate , and tends to be very changeable, but rarely extreme. It is warmed by the Gulf Stream from the Atlantic, and given its northerly latitude it is much warmer than areas on similar latitudes, for example Labrador in Canada—where the sea freezes over in winter and...
- Geography of ScotlandGeography of ScotlandThe geography of Scotland is highly varied, from rural lowlands to barren uplands, and from large cities to uninhabited islands. Located in north-west Europe, Scotland comprises the northern one third of the island of Great Britain...
- Geology of ScotlandGeology of ScotlandThe geology of Scotland is unusually varied for a country of its size, with a large number of differing geological features. There are three main geographical sub-divisions: the Highlands and Islands is a diverse area which lies to the north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault; the Central...