Eyemouth
Encyclopedia
Eyemouth historically spelt Aymouth, is a small town and civil parish
in Berwickshire
, in the Scottish Borders
area of Scotland
. It is 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the main north-south A1 road and just 8 miles (12.9 km) north of Berwick-upon-Tweed
. It has a population of circa 3,420 people (2004).
The town's name comes from its location at the mouth of the Eye Water. The Berwickshire coastline consists of high cliffs over deep clear water with sandy coves and picturesque harbours. A fishing port, Eyemouth celebrates an annual Herring Queen Festival
. Notable buildings in the town include Gunsgreen House and a cemetery watch house built to stand guard against the Resurrectionists
(body snatchers). Many of the features of a traditional fishing village
are preserved in the narrow streets and vennels - giving shelter from the sea and well suited to the smuggling tradition of old.
Eyemouth is not far from the attractive small villages of Ayton, Reston
, St. Abbs
, Coldingham
, and Burnmouth
. The coast offers opportunities for birdwatching, walking, fishing and diving. Accommodation includes several hotels, B&Bs, and a holiday park. The geology of the area exposes the evidence of folding
that led James Hutton
to announce that the surface of the earth had changed dramatically over the ages.
it held some 500 French troops. It was demolished again under the Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis in 1559. Traces of the ramparts are still to be seen.
Eyemouth fell within the feudal barony of Coldingham, possessed until the early 17th century by Coldingham Priory
, after which it passed to the Home family, who had held lands in that barony since at least the 15th century. All landowners (portioners) within the barony held their properties either by hereditary feu or by term renewable, occasionally hereditary, tack
(Scottish word for a lease) from the barony.
The lands between the southern banks of the Eye Water consisted of three estates: Gunsgreen, immediately opposite Eyemouth, and Netherbyres, once part of the larger lands of Flemington which stretched all the way to Lamberton
. At the beginning of the 17th century Gunsgreen estate was possessed by Alexander Lauder of Gunsgreen, a great-great-grandson of Sir Robert Lauder of The Bass (d.1508). On January 17, 1629, Alexander Lauder of Gunsgreen, acting as bailie for Sir David Home of Wedderburn
, gave a sasine to Andrew Gray in Eyemouth, of some land on the boundaries of Houndlaw and also in Eyemouth.
Netherbyres was for at least 250 years held by the Craw (originally Auchincraw) family. "George Craw of Netherbyre" was "deceased" by July 1614 when his son William came into possession of that property and Reidhall, "with the walk mill" extending to 12 husbandlands (312 acres (1.3 km²)). A later William Craw, who had a passion for mathematics, built the first 'modern' harbour at Eyemouth and, in 1715, the elliptical walled garden, the latter almost certainly unique in the world. The Netherbyres House we see today was commenced about 1835 for Captain Sir Samuel Brown, R.N., who had the patent and monopoly for the supply of anchor chain to the Royal Navy. He later went on to design and patent chain suspension piers and bridges, including the Union Bridge
over the River Tweed
, still in use today. Netherbyres House was bought by Sir Christopher Furness in 1928, and was donated to the Royal Gardeners' Benevolent Society for charitable use by Colonel Simon Furness, the Vice Lord Lieutenant for Berwickshire
, who now occupies a house overlooking the famous walled garden.
The life of the historical hero of the town, William Spears (1812–1885), is celebrated by the dramatic bronze statue in Eyemouth Market Place, where he stands pointing the way to Ayton, the scene of his peaceful demonstration. At great personal risk, Spears led a revolt against the tithes on fish levied by the Church of Scotland
, even after the great Disruption of 1843
when most fishermen left the established Church to join other congregations.
Very soon after the cost of getting the tithes removed had been met, the town was struck by the Eyemouth Disaster
when on the 14th October 1881 most of the fishing fleet, some 20 boats and 129 men from the town were lost in a terrible storm. Including victims from other coastal towns, a total of 189 men lost their lives. This is commemorated in the Tapestry housed in the Museum.
A contemporary article offers an interesting insight into Eyemouth in the 1860s:
In the late eighteenth century with the arrival of a group of Dutch engineers in the town a survey was undertook for a canal linking Eyemouth to Duns. The plan would have involved damming the Whiteadder river at Chirnside
thus diverting the course of the Whiteadder river through the low lying area known as Billiemire to join the Eye river near Ayton. The plan was never carried out.
The famous John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
was created Baron Eyemouth, in the Peerage of Scotland
, in 1682. This was the first of his peerage titles.
New, quality, housing development is taking place, including a proportion of affordable housing. The town is served by Post Office
, supermarket
, Library
, hotels, and bed and breakfasts.
All the crafts and trades associated with the fishing industry
are present in the town, from net making
to ship building and repair. There are smoke houses
that prepare fish in the traditional fashion.
The Medical Practice provides family doctor based primary care and a Day Hospital.
route, have put the town within commuting distance of Edinburgh. The East Coast Main Line
railway station at Berwick-upon-Tweed
, only 6 miles (9.7 km) distant, has been upgraded and there are regular high speed services north to Edinburgh
and south to Newcastle
and stations to London. Eyemouth has broadband
access to the internet
that so enables home working, it was one of the first to be converted to receive digital TV services in November 2008. Edinburgh International Airport can be reached by car in just over an hour providing opportunities for international trade. The Port of Leith
, opens the way to the Europe
by passenger and cargo vessels.
There is a further education training centre in the town and several firms offer modern apprenticeships
. Northumberland College
in Berwick-upon-Tweed
is eight miles (13 km) away and full-time further and higher education courses are offered at The Borders College and Heriot-Watt University
in Galashiels
.
has been installed in the harbour to provide ease of boarding for seafarers. This has attracted an increasing number of pleasure craft. Walks round the harbour never fail to interest. This is a real working fishing port
and the scene is constantly changing. The Coastguard volunteers and the seagoing RNLI lifeboat
are called out by the firing of maroons
, one for the Coastguard and two for the Lifeboat.
There is also a substantial shipyard
. The new Harbour and Fish Market
has toilets and showers which are available to visiting seamen - contact the Eyemouth Harbour Harbourmaster. The Visitor Centre explains the methods of fishing, the types of nets and the vessels used and examples of the equipment of a typical fishing boat are displayed. Visitors can see the market in action in the early mornings from a viewing platform. Boats are available for hire for sea fishing, sightseeing and diving in one of the few Marine Reserves
in the UK.
led by the Hon. Provost
. The town sends two Councillor
s to the Scottish Borders Council. In addition the Eyemouth Town Council (a Scottish Community Council
), which also has elected councillors, meets regularly, the proceedings being reported in the Berwickshire News.
The wide bay is flanked by high cliffs. Despite being sheltered by the Hurkur Rocks, storms can generate high waves and throw high plumes of spume into the air over the sea wall. Named "The Bantry
" said to be in affectionate memory of the Irish labourers, from the fishing town of that name in County Cork
, who constructed it.
Eyemouth houses the World of Boats, a remarkable collection of almost 400 boats and 300 models from across the world and from many periods. Most prominent is the 1844 Steam powered puddled iron
Drag Dredger, 'Bertha', by Isambard Kingdom Brunel
, which is undergoing restoration at the head of the Old Harbour. It is intended that the harbour side should be the home of many of boats in the collection.
The new 18 hole golf course
and Club House have sea views.
also designed by Sir Richard Lee, and its military museum, Paxton House, the Union Bridge (Tweed)
and the Chain Bridge, Honey Farm and scores of quiet country roads skirting the Cheviot Hills
, frequently snow-capped in winter. Many visitors pause on their journey on the A1 to photograph their arrival in Scotland or their departure to England at the border crossing. Though the Border has significance to many visitors, most local people think of themselves as 'Borderers' rather than as Scots or English. Nearby the border is a nature trail through the mysteriously named 'Conundrum' Farm. Typical Border towns and villages, such as Kelso, Grantshouse
, Abbey St Bathans, Cove
, Cockburnspath
, Cornhill
, Wooler, Morpeth
, Alnmouth
and Alnwick
are all within easy reach for day trips from Eyemouth. Near Chirnside
is Ninewells where David Hume
, whom many regard as foremost among the philosophers of the Scottish Enlightenment
, if not the greatest of all time, spent much of his life.
Civil parishes in Scotland
In Scotland, parishes, as units of local government, were abolished by the Local Government Act 1929. The geographical area is sometimes still referred to, however, for statistical purposes....
in Berwickshire
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 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...
area 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...
. It is 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the main north-south A1 road and just 8 miles (12.9 km) north 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....
. It has a population of circa 3,420 people (2004).
The town's name comes from its location at the mouth of the Eye Water. The Berwickshire coastline consists of high cliffs over deep clear water with sandy coves and picturesque harbours. A fishing port, Eyemouth celebrates an annual Herring Queen Festival
Herring Queen Festival
The Eyemouth Herring Queen Festival celebrated in Eyemouth in the Borders, owes its origins to what was called the Peace Picnic or Fisherman's Picnic. The first Peace Picnic was organised by the late Mr J. C. Chrystie to celebrate the end of the 1914-1918 war...
. Notable buildings in the town include Gunsgreen House and a cemetery watch house built to stand guard against the Resurrectionists
Body-snatching
Body snatching is the secret disinterment of corpses from graveyards. A common purpose of body snatching is to sell the corpses for dissection or anatomy lectures in medical schools...
(body snatchers). Many of the features of a traditional fishing village
Traditional fishing village
A fishing village is a village, usually located near a fishing ground, with an economy based on catching fish and harvesting seafood. The continents and islands around the world have coastlines totalling around 356,000 kilometres...
are preserved in the narrow streets and vennels - giving shelter from the sea and well suited to the smuggling tradition of old.
Eyemouth is not far from the attractive small villages of Ayton, Reston
Reston, 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 :...
, St. Abbs
St. Abbs
St. Abbs , historically known as Coldingham Shore, is a small fishing village located on the south east coast of Scotland, in the Berwickshire area of Scottish Borders....
, Coldingham
Coldingham
Coldingham is a historic village in Berwickshire, Scottish Borders, on Scotland's southeast coastline, north of Eyemouth.As early as AD 660, Coldingham was the site of a religious establishment of high order, when it is recorded that Etheldreda, the queen of Egfrid, became a nun at the Abbey of...
, and Burnmouth
Burnmouth
Burnmouth is a small fishing village located adjacent to the A1 road on the east coast of Scotland. It is the first village in Scotland on the A1, after crossing the border with England...
. The coast offers opportunities for birdwatching, walking, fishing and diving. Accommodation includes several hotels, B&Bs, and a holiday park. The geology of the area exposes the evidence of folding
Fold (geology)
The term fold is used in geology when one or a stack of originally flat and planar surfaces, such as sedimentary strata, are bent or curved as a result of permanent deformation. Synsedimentary folds are those due to slumping of sedimentary material before it is lithified. Folds in rocks vary in...
that led James Hutton
James Hutton
James Hutton was a Scottish physician, geologist, naturalist, chemical manufacturer and experimental agriculturalist. He is considered the father of modern geology...
to announce that the surface of the earth had changed dramatically over the ages.
History
Fort Point, Eyemouth, was the site of the first Trace Italienne style fortification in Britain. Building commenced in 1547 by Sir Richard Lee (1513–1575) and it cost £1,906. It was demolished under the Treaty of Boulogne in 1550. Rebuilt again six years later by d'OiselHenri Cleutin
Henri Cleutin, seigneur d'Oisel et de Villeparis , was the representative of France in Scotland from 1546 to 1560, and a Gentleman of the Chamber of the King of France.-Rough Wooing to Reformation:...
it held some 500 French troops. It was demolished again under the Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis in 1559. Traces of the ramparts are still to be seen.
Eyemouth fell within the feudal barony of Coldingham, possessed until the early 17th century by Coldingham Priory
Coldingham Priory
Coldingham Priory was a house of Benedictine monks. It lies on the south-east coast of Scotland, in the village of Coldingham, Berwickshire. Coldingham Priory was founded in the reign of David I of Scotland, although his older brother and predecessor King Edgar of Scotland had granted the land of...
, after which it passed to the Home family, who had held lands in that barony since at least the 15th century. All landowners (portioners) within the barony held their properties either by hereditary feu or by term renewable, occasionally hereditary, tack
Tacksman
A tacksman was a land-holder of intermediate legal and social status in Scottish Highland society.-Tenant and landlord:...
(Scottish word for a lease) from the barony.
The lands between the southern banks of the Eye Water consisted of three estates: Gunsgreen, immediately opposite Eyemouth, and Netherbyres, once part of the larger lands of Flemington which stretched all the way to Lamberton
Lamberton, Borders, Scotland
Lamberton is a hilly, former landed estate in Berwickshire, Scotland, its eastern boundary being the North Sea. It is north of Berwick-upon-Tweed, on the Great North Road .-Original family:...
. At the beginning of the 17th century Gunsgreen estate was possessed by Alexander Lauder of Gunsgreen, a great-great-grandson of Sir Robert Lauder of The Bass (d.1508). On January 17, 1629, Alexander Lauder of Gunsgreen, acting as bailie for Sir David Home of Wedderburn
Wedderburn Castle
Wedderburn Castle, near Duns, Berwickshire, in the Scottish Borders, is an 18th century country house. It is the historic family seat of the Home of Wedderburn family, cadets of the Home family .-History:...
, gave a sasine to Andrew Gray in Eyemouth, of some land on the boundaries of Houndlaw and also in Eyemouth.
Union Bridge (Tweed)
The Union Bridge is a suspended-deck suspension bridge that spans the River Tweed between Horncliffe, Northumberland, England and Fishwick, Borders, Scotland...
over the River Tweed
River Tweed
The River Tweed, or Tweed Water, is long and flows primarily through the Borders region of Great Britain. It rises on Tweedsmuir at Tweed's Well near where the Clyde, draining northwest, and the Annan draining south also rise. "Annan, Tweed and Clyde rise oot the ae hillside" as the Border saying...
, still in use today. Netherbyres House was bought by Sir Christopher Furness in 1928, and was donated to the Royal Gardeners' Benevolent Society for charitable use by Colonel Simon Furness, the Vice Lord Lieutenant for Berwickshire
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...
, who now occupies a house overlooking the famous walled garden.
The life of the historical hero of the town, William Spears (1812–1885), is celebrated by the dramatic bronze statue in Eyemouth Market Place, where he stands pointing the way to Ayton, the scene of his peaceful demonstration. At great personal risk, Spears led a revolt against the tithes on fish levied by the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
, even after the great Disruption of 1843
Disruption of 1843
The Disruption of 1843 was a schism within the established Church of Scotland, in which 450 ministers of the Church broke away, over the issue of the Church's relationship with the State, to form the Free Church of Scotland...
when most fishermen left the established Church to join other congregations.
Very soon after the cost of getting the tithes removed had been met, the town was struck by the Eyemouth Disaster
Eyemouth Disaster
The Eyemouth disaster was a severe European windstorm that struck the southern coast of Scotland, United Kingdom, specifically Berwickshire, on 14 October 1881. 189 fishermen died, most of whom were from the village of Eyemouth...
when on the 14th October 1881 most of the fishing fleet, some 20 boats and 129 men from the town were lost in a terrible storm. Including victims from other coastal towns, a total of 189 men lost their lives. This is commemorated in the Tapestry housed in the Museum.
A contemporary article offers an interesting insight into Eyemouth in the 1860s:
"Between Abbs Head and Berwick, however is situated Eyemouth, a fishing-village pure and simple, with all that wonderful
filth scattered about which is a sanitary peculiarity of such towns.
The population of Eyemouth is in keeping with the outward appearance of the place. As a whole, they are rough, uncultivated,
and more druken in their habits than the fishermen of the neighbouring villages. Coldingham Shore, for instance, is only
three miles distant, and has a population of about one hundred fishermen, of a very respectable class, sober and well dressed,
and "well to do." - The Fisher Folk of the Scottish East Coast, "Macmillian's Magazine" No.36 October 1862.
In the late eighteenth century with the arrival of a group of Dutch engineers in the town a survey was undertook for a canal linking Eyemouth to Duns. The plan would have involved damming the Whiteadder river at Chirnside
Chirnside
Chirnside is a hillside village in Berwickshire in Scotland, west of Berwick-upon-Tweed and east of Duns.-Notables:David Hume, the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher, lived in Ninewells House, just south of the village...
thus diverting the course of the Whiteadder river through the low lying area known as Billiemire to join the Eye river near Ayton. The plan was never carried out.
The famous John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
was created Baron Eyemouth, in the Peerage of Scotland
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
, in 1682. This was the first of his peerage titles.
Modern town life
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
, Library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, hotels, and bed and breakfasts.
All the crafts and trades associated with the fishing industry
Fishing industry
The fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products....
are present in the town, from net making
Fishing net
A fishing net or fishnet is a net that is used for fishing. Fishing nets are meshes usually formed by knotting a relatively thin thread. Modern nets are usually made of artificial polyamides like nylon, although nets of organic polyamides such as wool or silk thread were common until recently and...
to ship building and repair. There are smoke houses
Curing (food preservation)
Curing refers to various food preservation and flavoring processes, especially of meat or fish, by the addition of a combination of salt, nitrates, nitrite or sugar. Many curing processes also involve smoking, the process of flavoring, or cooking...
that prepare fish in the traditional fashion.
The Medical Practice provides family doctor based primary care and a Day Hospital.
Communications
Improvements to the Great North Road, the 'A1 road', the main Edinburgh - LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
route, have put the town within commuting distance of Edinburgh. 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...
railway station at 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....
, only 6 miles (9.7 km) distant, has been upgraded and there are regular high speed services north to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and south to Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and stations to London. Eyemouth has broadband
Broadband
The term broadband refers to a telecommunications signal or device of greater bandwidth, in some sense, than another standard or usual signal or device . Different criteria for "broad" have been applied in different contexts and at different times...
access to the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
that so enables home working, it was one of the first to be converted to receive digital TV services in November 2008. Edinburgh International Airport can be reached by car in just over an hour providing opportunities for international trade. The Port of Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
, opens the way to the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
by passenger and cargo vessels.
Education
New Secondary School Eyemouth High School was opened in March 2009, and there is a regular School Drop in Clinic.There is a further education training centre in the town and several firms offer modern apprenticeships
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
. Northumberland College
Northumberland College
Northumberland College is a further education college based in Ashington, Northumberland, England. The present site opened in 1957, became the County Technical College in 1961, transformed again in 1987, becoming the Northumberland College of Arts and Technology, and finally settled upon its...
in 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....
is eight miles (13 km) away and full-time further and higher education courses are offered at The Borders College and Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University is a university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The name commemorates George Heriot, the 16th century financier to King James, and James Watt, the great 18th century inventor and engineer....
in Galashiels
Galashiels
Galashiels is a burgh in the Scottish Borders, on the Gala Water river. The name is often shortened to "Gala" .Galashiels is a major commercial centre for the Scottish Borders...
.
Harbour and industry
In 1997, Eyemouth was given EU funding from a scheme to regenerate declining fishing villages and raised matching funds itself to construct a deep water extension to the Harbour. Eyemouth Harbour caters for most types of fishery activity and as a result Eyemouth's primary industry has seen a certain amount of rejuvenation. A pontoonPontoon (boat)
A pontoon is a flotation device with buoyancy sufficient to float itself as well as a heavy load. A pontoon boat is a flattish boat that relies on pontoons to float. Pontoons may be used on boats, rafts, barges, docks, floatplanes or seaplanes. Pontoons may support a platform, creating a raft. A...
has been installed in the harbour to provide ease of boarding for seafarers. This has attracted an increasing number of pleasure craft. Walks round the harbour never fail to interest. This is a real working fishing port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
and the scene is constantly changing. The Coastguard volunteers and the seagoing RNLI lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
are called out by the firing of maroons
Maroon (rocket)
A maroon is a type of rocket which makes a loud banging report and a bright flash. It is used as an alarm or warning, for example the British Royal National Lifeboat Institution uses these rockets to call the crew when the lifeboat needs to be launched.The RNLI's use of this warning device was...
, one for the Coastguard and two for the Lifeboat.
There is also a substantial shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
. The new Harbour and Fish Market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
has toilets and showers which are available to visiting seamen - contact the Eyemouth Harbour Harbourmaster. The Visitor Centre explains the methods of fishing, the types of nets and the vessels used and examples of the equipment of a typical fishing boat are displayed. Visitors can see the market in action in the early mornings from a viewing platform. Boats are available for hire for sea fishing, sightseeing and diving in one of the few Marine Reserves
Marine reserve
For the United States Marine Corps Reserve see: Marine Forces ReserveA marine reserve is an area of the sea which has legal protection against fishing or development. This is to be distinguished from a marine park, but there is some overlap in usage...
in the UK.
Politics
The elected Town CouncilTown council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
led by the Hon. Provost
Provost (civil)
A provost is the ceremonial head of many Scottish local authorities, and under the name prévôt was a governmental position of varying importance in Ancien Regime France.-History:...
. The town sends two Councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
s to the Scottish Borders Council. In addition the Eyemouth Town Council (a Scottish Community Council
Community council
A community council is a public representative body in Great Britain.In England they may be statutory parish councils by another name, under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, or they may be non-statutory bodies...
), which also has elected councillors, meets regularly, the proceedings being reported in the Berwickshire News.
Attractions
Bantry
Bantry is a town on the coast of County Cork, Ireland. It lies on the N71 national secondary road at the head of Bantry Bay, a deep-water gulf extending for 30 km to the west...
" said to be in affectionate memory of the Irish labourers, from the fishing town of that name in County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, who constructed it.
Eyemouth houses the World of Boats, a remarkable collection of almost 400 boats and 300 models from across the world and from many periods. Most prominent is the 1844 Steam powered puddled iron
Puddling (metallurgy)
Puddling was an Industrial Revolution means of making iron and steel. In the original puddling technique, molten iron in a reverberatory furnace was stirred with rods, which were consumed in the process...
Drag Dredger, 'Bertha', by Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
, which is undergoing restoration at the head of the Old Harbour. It is intended that the harbour side should be the home of many of boats in the collection.
The new 18 hole golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
and Club House have sea views.
Nearby places of interest
Other places of interest nearby include the fortifications of Berwick-upon-TweedBerwick-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....
also designed by Sir Richard Lee, and its military museum, Paxton House, the Union Bridge (Tweed)
Union Bridge (Tweed)
The Union Bridge is a suspended-deck suspension bridge that spans the River Tweed between Horncliffe, Northumberland, England and Fishwick, Borders, Scotland...
and the Chain Bridge, Honey Farm and scores of quiet country roads skirting the Cheviot Hills
Cheviot Hills
The Cheviot Hills is a range of rolling hills straddling the England–Scotland border between Northumberland and the Scottish Borders.There is a broad split between the northern and the southern Cheviots...
, frequently snow-capped in winter. Many visitors pause on their journey on the A1 to photograph their arrival in Scotland or their departure to England at the border crossing. Though the Border has significance to many visitors, most local people think of themselves as 'Borderers' rather than as Scots or English. Nearby the border is a nature trail through the mysteriously named 'Conundrum' Farm. Typical Border towns and villages, such as Kelso, Grantshouse
Grantshouse
Grantshouse is a small village in Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders of Scotland. It lies on the A1, and its nearest railway stations are Dunbar to the north and Berwick-upon-Tweed to the south.- External links :**]**...
, Abbey St Bathans, Cove
Cove, Scottish Borders
Cove is a village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, close to Cockburnspath, Dunglass, Innerwick, Oldhamstocks, Bilsdean, and, further afield, Dunbar and Eyemouth. It is approximately 36 miles east of Edinburgh and is about 8 miles from Dunbar...
, Cockburnspath
Cockburnspath
Cockburnspath is a village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It lies near the North Sea coast between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Edinburgh. It is at the eastern extremity of the Southern Upland Way, a long-distance footpath from the west to east coast of Scotland, and it is also the terminus...
, Cornhill
Cornhill-on-Tweed
Cornhill-on-Tweed is a village and civil parish in Northumberland, in England about to the east of Coldstream.To the south and west of the village are the hamlets of West Learmouth and East Learmouth.- History :...
, Wooler, Morpeth
Morpeth, Northumberland
Morpeth is the county town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town. The town is from the A1, which bypasses it. Since 1981, it has been the administrative centre of the County of Northumberland. In the 2001 census the town had a population...
, Alnmouth
Alnmouth
Alnmouth is a village in Northumberland, England. It is situated just off the main A1068 road , about south-east of Alnwick.Located at the mouth of the River Aln, the village has been an important trading port in Northumberland's past, mainly involved in the export of grain, and smuggling. Due to...
and Alnwick
Alnwick
Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England. The town's population was just over 8000 at the time of the 2001 census and Alnwick's district population was 31,029....
are all within easy reach for day trips from Eyemouth. Near Chirnside
Chirnside
Chirnside is a hillside village in Berwickshire in Scotland, west of Berwick-upon-Tweed and east of Duns.-Notables:David Hume, the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher, lived in Ninewells House, just south of the village...
is Ninewells where 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...
, whom many regard as foremost among the philosophers of 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...
, if not the greatest of all time, spent much of his life.
External links
- Googling at Eyemouth
- Eyemouth Chamber of Trade
- Eyemouth Harbour
- St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve
- Eyemouth High School
- Eyemouth High School's photographs of Eyemouth
- The Great Disaster and the Eyemouth Tapestry
- The World of Boats
- Historic photographs of Eyemouth showing life and work in past ages.