Denholm
Encyclopedia
Denholm is a small village located between Jedburgh
and Hawick
in the Scottish Borders
region of Scotland
, UK. It lies in the valley of the River Teviot
. Denholm is a Conservation Area listed as 'a planned village as opposed to the traditional unplanned or organic form of village usually found in Roxburghshire
.'
The village of Denholm is situated in Teviotdale, about halfway between the towns of Hawick and Jedburgh. It lies in gentle rolling countryside between Ruberslaw
and the Minto
Hills, volcanic outcrops which thrust up through the underlying Old Red Sandstone
.
The original settlement of 'Denum' was sited 'at the valleys' where the broad valley of the River Teviot meets the narrow glen of the Dean Burn. The early hamlet was plundered and burnt during English raids of the 16th century. The village we see today dates from the 17th century when it was laid out around the Green.
(1775–1811), poet, antiquarian and orientalist, who was born in Denholm. The monument was designed by the architect Hector H. Orrock, and sculpted by Alexander Handyside Ritchie. The Green has always been at the heart of village life. Weekly and half-weekly fairs used to be held here. Part of the base of an old mercat cross
can still be seen inside the railings surrounding the monument. The cross itself was removed and the base hollowed out sometime in the 19th century to make a water trough for cattle.
Council pre-fabs were put up in the Ashloaning at the end of the war followed by the "Crudens semis" and the "Orlits". During the 1950s, six more semi-detached houses were built in The Loaning and ten in Murray Place. All through the 1950s the public water supply was inadequate for the post-war village, but in 1963 a proper supply was finally piped in from Alemoor Loch
above Roberton
. The way was now open for more housing development. Like most villages, Denholm is expanding, and many new houses have been built in the past few years. Denholm Mill and Denholm Hall Farm have both been developed for housing, but the centre of the village around the Green is a conservation area
.
Jedburgh
Jedburgh is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and historically in Roxburghshire.-Location:Jedburgh lies on the Jed Water, a tributary of the River Teviot, it is only ten miles from the border with England and is dominated by the substantial ruins of Jedburgh Abbey...
and Hawick
Hawick
Hawick is a town in the Scottish Borders of south east Scotland. It is south-west of Jedburgh and south-southeast of Selkirk. It is one of the farthest towns from the sea in Scotland, in the heart of Teviotdale, and the biggest town in the former county of Roxburghshire. Hawick's architecture is...
in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The 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...
region of 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...
, UK. It lies in the valley of the River Teviot
River Teviot
The River Teviot, or Teviot Water, is a river of the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, and a tributary of the River Tweed.It rises in the western foothills of Comb Hill on the border of Dumfries and Galloway...
. Denholm is a Conservation Area listed as 'a planned village as opposed to the traditional unplanned or organic form of village usually found in Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
.'
The village of Denholm is situated in Teviotdale, about halfway between the towns of Hawick and Jedburgh. It lies in gentle rolling countryside between Ruberslaw
Ruberslaw
Ruberslaw is a village, as well as a hill, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. The parish comprises Hobkirk, Southdean and Ruberslaw, combining Bedrule, Denholm and Minto churches.The poet John Leyden was a native of Denholm and described Ruberslaw thus:...
and the Minto
Minto, Scottish Borders
Minto is a village north of the River Teviot, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, , and almost midway between the towns of Hawick and Jedburgh....
Hills, volcanic outcrops which thrust up through the underlying Old Red Sandstone
Old Red Sandstone
The Old Red Sandstone is a British rock formation of considerable importance to early paleontology. For convenience the short version of the term, 'ORS' is often used in literature on the subject.-Sedimentology:...
.
The original settlement of 'Denum' was sited 'at the valleys' where the broad valley of the River Teviot meets the narrow glen of the Dean Burn. The early hamlet was plundered and burnt during English raids of the 16th century. The village we see today dates from the 17th century when it was laid out around the Green.
History
The village is built around the Green, which in days gone by was let for grazing to the butchers or smallholders. In the middle of the Green stands Leyden's Monument, which was erected in 1861 in honour of Dr John LeydenJohn Leyden
John Leyden was a British orientalist.-Biography:Leyden was born at Denholm on the River Teviot, not far from Hawick. His father, a shepherd, had contrived to send him to Edinburgh University to study for the ministry...
(1775–1811), poet, antiquarian and orientalist, who was born in Denholm. The monument was designed by the architect Hector H. Orrock, and sculpted by Alexander Handyside Ritchie. The Green has always been at the heart of village life. Weekly and half-weekly fairs used to be held here. Part of the base of an old mercat cross
Mercat cross
A mercat cross is a market cross found in Scottish cities and towns where trade and commerce was a part of economic life. It was originally a place where merchants would gather, and later became the focal point of many town events such as executions, announcements and proclamations...
can still be seen inside the railings surrounding the monument. The cross itself was removed and the base hollowed out sometime in the 19th century to make a water trough for cattle.
Council pre-fabs were put up in the Ashloaning at the end of the war followed by the "Crudens semis" and the "Orlits". During the 1950s, six more semi-detached houses were built in The Loaning and ten in Murray Place. All through the 1950s the public water supply was inadequate for the post-war village, but in 1963 a proper supply was finally piped in from Alemoor Loch
Alemoor Loch
Alemoor Loch is a small reservoir in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It is situated on the Ale Water, west of Hawick. The loch is approximately long, and is divided in two by a causeway which carries the B711 road....
above Roberton
Roberton, Scottish Borders
Roberton is a village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, on the B711 and near to the A7, five miles from Hawick, 22 miles from Galashiels, and 23 miles from Langholm...
. The way was now open for more housing development. Like most villages, Denholm is expanding, and many new houses have been built in the past few years. Denholm Mill and Denholm Hall Farm have both been developed for housing, but the centre of the village around the Green is a conservation area
Conservation Area (United Kingdom)
In the United Kingdom, the term Conservation Area nearly always applies to an area considered worthy of preservation or enhancement because of its special architectural or historic interest, "the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance," as required by the Planning ...
.
Famous sons of Denholm
- Ainslie HendersonAinslie HendersonAinslie Thomas Henderson is a Scottish singer-songwriter. He is best known for his appearance on the BBC's television programme, Fame Academy, and his subsequent Top 5 UK single, "Keep Me A Secret"...
Singer/songwriter - Steve HislopSteve HislopSteven 'Hizzy' Hislop was a Scottish motorcycle racer. Hislop won the Isle of Man TT eleven times and also the British 250cc Championship and British Superbike championship ....
Eleven times winner of the Isle of Man TT; winner of British Superbike championship in 1995 and 2002
- James Duncan (entomologist)
- John LeydenJohn LeydenJohn Leyden was a British orientalist.-Biography:Leyden was born at Denholm on the River Teviot, not far from Hawick. His father, a shepherd, had contrived to send him to Edinburgh University to study for the ministry...
Orientalist - James Murray (lexicographer)James Murray (lexicographer)Sir James Augustus Henry Murray was a Scottish lexicographer and philologist. He was the primary editor of the Oxford English Dictionary from 1879 until his death.-Life and learning:...
1837-1915, Philologist, primary editor of the Oxford English Dictionary from 1879 until his death - John Scott (horticulturist), 1836-1860
- Tristan Irving (Pricer) Noted for his exceptional pricing ability. No assets were too hard to price.
External links
- RCAHMS/Canmore record for Denholm, Westside Mill
- RCAHMS record for Denholm, Teviot Bridge
- SCRAN image of Former Corn Mill, Denholm