Gavinton, Berwickshire
Encyclopedia
Gavinton is a small settlement in the Scottish Borders
area of Scotland
, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south-west of Duns
, the former county town of Berwickshire
. The hamlet sits on a minor road off the A6105 Duns-to-Greenlaw road at .
The first records of the area came in the reign of David I of Scotland
when Richard de Ow, the king's retainer, was in possession of lands and church of Langton. Richard was succeeded at Langton by William de Veteriponte (Vipont) and that family were the lairds until 1314 when Sir William, Lord of Langton, died at the Battle of Bannockburn
in 1314. The lordship at Langton Tower passed to Sir Alexander Cockburn when he married Mary, the Vipont heiress.
In 1496, King James IV of Scotland
sent his artillery to Langton to prepare for an English incursion then Mary, Queen of Scots was believed to have spent a night at Langton Tower during a survey of the border lands. The old village of Langton, so called because of its straggling layout (Longtown) was attacked and raised to the ground in 1558 by Sir Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland
.
Sir Alexander Cockburn, 7th. Baronet of Langton, died at the Battle of Fontenoy
in 1745 and another chapter of the Langton story came to an end.
In 1758 David Gavin bought Langton and wasted no time in demolishing the historic old tower and building a new house.
David married the daughter of the Earl of Lauderdale
and their daughter married the Earl of Breadalbane.
In 1886 another Earl of Breadalbane bought Langton House and immediately set about building a magnificent new home. The Breadalbanes lived there until 1920 when they decided to abandon it. The roof was removed and the house was partially demolished in 1930. The house was finally demolished in 1950 though the farm buildings remain and are still used Like the ancient tower, church and village, Langton House has disappeared below the fields. The name, Langton, though lives on in the parish and the church.
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...
, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south-west 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...
, the former county town of 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...
. The hamlet sits on a minor road off the A6105 Duns-to-Greenlaw road at .
History
Gavinton is a relatively new settlement, having been established as a planned estate village in 1759 when David Gavin, the local landowner, decided to demolish the village and the church of Langton, which were situated on his estate, and rebuild them outwith the walls on Crimson Hill.The first records of the area came in the reign of David I of Scotland
David I of Scotland
David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
when Richard de Ow, the king's retainer, was in possession of lands and church of Langton. Richard was succeeded at Langton by William de Veteriponte (Vipont) and that family were the lairds until 1314 when Sir William, Lord of Langton, died at the Battle of Bannockburn
Battle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence...
in 1314. The lordship at Langton Tower passed to Sir Alexander Cockburn when he married Mary, the Vipont heiress.
In 1496, King James IV of Scotland
James IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
sent his artillery to Langton to prepare for an English incursion then Mary, Queen of Scots was believed to have spent a night at Langton Tower during a survey of the border lands. The old village of Langton, so called because of its straggling layout (Longtown) was attacked and raised to the ground in 1558 by Sir Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland
Earl of Northumberland
The title of Earl of Northumberland was created several times in the Peerages of England and Great Britain, succeeding the title Earl of Northumbria. Its most famous holders were the House of Percy , who were the most powerful noble family in Northern England for much of the Middle Ages...
.
Sir Alexander Cockburn, 7th. Baronet of Langton, died at the Battle of Fontenoy
Battle of Fontenoy
The Battle of Fontenoy, 11 May 1745, was a major engagement of the War of the Austrian Succession, fought between the forces of the Pragmatic Allies – comprising mainly Dutch, British, and Hanoverian troops under the nominal command of the Duke of Cumberland – and a French army under Maurice de...
in 1745 and another chapter of the Langton story came to an end.
In 1758 David Gavin bought Langton and wasted no time in demolishing the historic old tower and building a new house.
David married the daughter of the Earl of Lauderdale
Earl of Lauderdale
Earl of Lauderdale is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1624 for John Maitland, 2nd Lord Maitland of Thirlestane, Berwickshire. The second Earl was created Duke of Lauderdale but died without male issue when the dukedom became extinct. The earldom passed to his brother Charles,...
and their daughter married the Earl of Breadalbane.
In 1886 another Earl of Breadalbane bought Langton House and immediately set about building a magnificent new home. The Breadalbanes lived there until 1920 when they decided to abandon it. The roof was removed and the house was partially demolished in 1930. The house was finally demolished in 1950 though the farm buildings remain and are still used Like the ancient tower, church and village, Langton House has disappeared below the fields. The name, Langton, though lives on in the parish and the church.
See also
- Crosshall crossCrosshall crossThe Crosshall Cross is a cross at Crosshall Farm, Eccles in the Scottish Borders areea of Scotland, in the former Berwickshire.The cross is situated near Crosshall farmhouse and is said to date from the 12th century, after the Second Crusade. It is ca. 3 metres high and is thought to be a memorial...
- List of places in the Scottish Borders
- List of places in Scotland