Kelso High School (Scotland)
Encyclopedia
Kelso High School is a secondary school
in Kelso, Scotland
, under the control of the Scottish Borders Council
. It is one of nine secondary schools in the Scottish Borders and the only one in Kelso. Pupils come to Kelso High School from the town of Kelso, the villages of Ednam
, Eckford
, Heiton, Makerstoun, Stichill
, Smailholm
, Sprouston, Morebattle
, Roxburgh
and Yetholm
. During the 2010-2011 school year, the enrollment was 685. The current building was built in 1939.
in Roxburgh
is in 1152. When Roxburgh was abandoned, the school became part of the Kelso Abbey
and after the Reformation
, it became known as Kelso Grammar School. It was a boys only, fee-paying school run by monks from the Kelso Abbey and was overseen by the Duke of Roxburghe
, the Kirk Session and the Heritor
. Fees were based on the number and type of courses taken. In 1156, it was mentioned as one of the four principle schools in Scotland. A new school was built in 1670 and was added to in 1780. The Kelso Grammar School was considered in very poor condition and closed its doors in February 1873.
On a site near the Abbey a new Kelso Public School was built and opened in 1879 with 523 pupils. In 1919, following the First World War
the school came under control of the Education Authorities and the numbers attending the school exceeded 200. The school remained open until 1939 when the Army took possession. The current school was opened in 1939 on Bowmont Street with 693 pupils. It was designed by notable Edinburgh
architects George Reid and John Smith Forbes and today is listed by Historic Scotland
as a building of outstanding architectural interest.
of Douglas of Springwood, an estate just across the River Tweed
from Kelso. Its design commemorates an event that took place during the Scottish Wars of Independence
. Following Scottish King Robert the Bruce's successful fight for Scottish independence from England
, he felt the need to join the Holy Land
crusades
. His desire was not fulfulled do to poor health that led to his death in 1329. Sir James Douglas
, a close friend, promised to take his heart to the Holy Land after he would die.
Following Bruce's death, his heart was wrapped in lead and put into a silver casket. Douglas kept his promise and with some followers, headed off to fight in the crusades. They joined the fighting in Seville, Spain where Douglas was killed 25 March 1330 in the battle of Zebas de Arcales. His body, along with Bruce's heart were brought back to Scotland and Bruce's heart was buried at Melrose Abbey
.
Douglas was awarded the coat of arms with the heart and crown symbolizing Bruce's heart following his actions and carrying out his promise. The motto 'Doe or Die' symbolizes 'let us do or die,' Bruce's rallying cry to his troops before the Battle of Bannockburn
in 1314.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Kelso, 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...
, under the control of the Scottish Borders Council
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...
. It is one of nine secondary schools in the Scottish Borders and the only one in Kelso. Pupils come to Kelso High School from the town of Kelso, the villages of Ednam
Ednam
Disambiguation: "Ednam" can also refer to the aristocratic title Viscount EdnamEdnam is a small village near Kelso in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland....
, Eckford
Eckford, Scottish Borders
Eckford is a village on the A698 and the B6401, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, close to the place where the Kale Water joins the River Teviot...
, Heiton, Makerstoun, Stichill
Stichill
Stichill is a village and civil parish in the historic county of Roxburghshire, a division of the Scottish Borders. Situated north of the Burgh of Kelso, Stichill lies north of the Eden Water and from the English Border at Coldstream....
, Smailholm
Smailholm, Scottish Borders
Smailholm is a small village in the old county of Roxburghshire in south-east Scotland. It is situated at and straddles the B6397 Gordon to Kelso road. The village is almost equidistant from both, standing 6 miles NW of the abbey town of Kelso...
, Sprouston, Morebattle
Morebattle
Morebattle is a village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, on the B6401, seven miles south of Kelso, Scottish Borders, beside the Kale Water, a tributary of the River Teviot.The nearby Linton Loch was drained in the 19th century to improve agriculture....
, Roxburgh
Roxburgh
Roxburgh , also known as Rosbroch, is a village, civil parish and now-destroyed royal burgh. It was an important trading burgh in High Medieval to early modern Scotland...
and Yetholm
Town Yetholm
Town Yetholm is a small village in the Scottish Borders in the valley of the Bowmont Water opposite Kirk Yetholm. The centre of the small village is made up of the village green surrounded by the village shop, the Plough Hotel Public House a few houses to the south and a row of terraced dwellings...
. During the 2010-2011 school year, the enrollment was 685. The current building was built in 1939.
History
The first documentation of a grammar schoolGrammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
in Roxburgh
Roxburgh
Roxburgh , also known as Rosbroch, is a village, civil parish and now-destroyed royal burgh. It was an important trading burgh in High Medieval to early modern Scotland...
is in 1152. When Roxburgh was abandoned, the school became part of the Kelso Abbey
Kelso Abbey
Kelso Abbey is what remains of a Scottish abbey founded in the 12th century by a community of Tironensian monks first brought to Scotland in the reign of Alexander I. It occupies ground overlooking the confluence of the Tweed and Teviot waters, the site of what was once the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
and after the Reformation
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was Scotland's formal break with the Papacy in 1560, and the events surrounding this. It was part of the wider European Protestant Reformation; and in Scotland's case culminated ecclesiastically in the re-establishment of the church along Reformed lines, and politically in...
, it became known as Kelso Grammar School. It was a boys only, fee-paying school run by monks from the Kelso Abbey and was overseen by the Duke of Roxburghe
Duke of Roxburghe
The Duke of Roxburghe is a title in the peerage of Scotland created in 1707 along with the titles Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford, Earl of Kelso and Viscount Broxmouth. John Ker, 5th Earl of Roxburghe became the first holder of these titles...
, the Kirk Session and the Heritor
Heritor
Heritor, was a privileged person in a Parish in Scots Law. In its original acceptation, it signified the proprietor of an heritable subject, but, in the law relating to Parish government, the term was confined to such proprietors of lands or houses as were liable, as written in their title deeds,...
. Fees were based on the number and type of courses taken. In 1156, it was mentioned as one of the four principle schools in Scotland. A new school was built in 1670 and was added to in 1780. The Kelso Grammar School was considered in very poor condition and closed its doors in February 1873.
On a site near the Abbey a new Kelso Public School was built and opened in 1879 with 523 pupils. In 1919, following the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the school came under control of the Education Authorities and the numbers attending the school exceeded 200. The school remained open until 1939 when the Army took possession. The current school was opened in 1939 on Bowmont Street with 693 pupils. It was designed by notable 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...
architects George Reid and John Smith Forbes and today is listed by Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
as a building of outstanding architectural interest.
School badge
The Kelso High School badge was adopted when the school was opened and is based on the Coat of ArmsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of Douglas of Springwood, an estate just across 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...
from Kelso. Its design commemorates an event that took place during the Scottish Wars of Independence
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the independent Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries....
. Following Scottish King Robert the Bruce's successful fight for Scottish independence from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, he felt the need to join the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
. His desire was not fulfulled do to poor health that led to his death in 1329. Sir James Douglas
James Douglas, Lord of Douglas
Sir James Douglas , , was a Scottish soldier and knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence.-Early life:...
, a close friend, promised to take his heart to the Holy Land after he would die.
Following Bruce's death, his heart was wrapped in lead and put into a silver casket. Douglas kept his promise and with some followers, headed off to fight in the crusades. They joined the fighting in Seville, Spain where Douglas was killed 25 March 1330 in the battle of Zebas de Arcales. His body, along with Bruce's heart were brought back to Scotland and Bruce's heart was buried at Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey is a Gothic-style abbey in Melrose, Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks, on the request of King David I of Scotland. It was headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Melrose. Today the abbey is maintained by Historic Scotland...
.
Douglas was awarded the coat of arms with the heart and crown symbolizing Bruce's heart following his actions and carrying out his promise. The motto 'Doe or Die' symbolizes 'let us do or die,' Bruce's rallying cry to his troops before the Battle of Bannockburn
Battle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence...
in 1314.
Notable alumni of Kelso High School and the former Kelso Grammar School
- John BairdJohn Baird (Scottish divine)John Baird , was a Scottish divine.Baird was the eldest son of the Rev. James Baird, who was successively minister of Legertwood, Eccles, and Swinton, all in Berwickshire, was born at Eccles 17 Feb. 1799, and educated at the Whitsome and Kelso grammar schools...
- Scottish divine - Sir William FairbairnWilliam FairbairnSir William Fairbairn, 1st Baronet was a Scottish civil engineer, structural engineer and shipbuilder.-Early career:...
- Engineer - Ross FordRoss FordRoss William Ford is a professional rugby union player who plays as hooker for both Edinburgh and Scotland. He signed for Edinburgh after starting his professional career with the Border Reivers, but after the Reivers disbandment in the summer of 2007, Ford was left without a club...
- Professional rugby union player - Christopher Harvie - Politician
- Alexander HewatAlexander HewatDr. Alexander Hewat was the first historian of South Carolina and Georgia, best known for his two volume work “An Historical Account of the Rise and Progress of the Colonies of South Carolina and Georgia”...
- Historian - Frederick InnesFrederick InnesFrederick Maitland Innes was Premier of Tasmania from 4 November 1872 to 4 August 1873.The son of Francis Innes, army officer, and his wife Prudence, née Edgerleyan, Innes was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Innes was educated at Heriot's, Edinburgh, and Kelso Grammar School in Kelso...
- Former Premier of TasmaniaTasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart... - Thomas William HogarthThomas William HogarthThomas William Hogarth was an author, dog judge, dog breeder, genetics enthusiast and veterinary surgeon. He was an author of several books published in the 1930s about the Bull Terrier and breeding of Bull Terriers....
- Author and dog judge - John Moffat - Royal Navy officer
- Shona MooneyShona Mooney- copyvia :The following text was copied from her record label or her own website...
- Scottish musician - Thomas PringleThomas PringleThomas Pringle was a Scottish writer, poet and abolitionist, known as the father of South African Poetry, the first successful English language poet and author to describe South Africa's scenery, native peoples, and living conditions.Born at Blaiklaw , four miles south of Kelso in Roxburghshire he...
- Author - Sir William Purves - International Banker
- Bryan RedpathBryan RedpathBryan William Redpath is a former rugby union player, and a member of the Scottish line of scrum-halves that include Gary Armstrong, Roy Laidlaw, Alan Lawson, Chris Cusiter and Mike Blair. Bryan attended Kelso High School in Kelso, Scottish Borders.Redpath won 60 caps playing for Scotland,...
- Former rugby union player - Sir Walter ScottWalter ScottSir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
- Author - Mrs Margaret Riddell - Provost of Kelso