In 1887, John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles described Berwickshire like this:
Berwickshire, a maritime co. in the extreme SE. of Scotland, extending in extreme breadth about 20 m. between Haddingtonsh. and the English border, and in extreme length about 33 m. between Rexburg's. and the German Ocean; coast-line about 20 miles; area, 460.6 sq. m., or 296,362 ac.; pop. 35,392, or 77persons to each sq. ...
m. The coast is high and rocky, and the few but important fishing harbs. are much exposed. St Abbs Head is the main projection. The Lammermuir Hills, to the average breadth of 7 m., occupy all the N.; a bleak and mostly moorland tract of 5 m. in breadth, but somewhat diversified towards the E., succeeds; and the luxuriant and fertile district, called the Merse, slopes from this to the banks of the Tweed. The district of Lauderdale, on the W., is chiefly upland. The Tweed traces about half of the S. boundary, and receives the Leader, Eden, Leet, and the Whiteadder (with its affl. the Blackadder). The Eye enters the German Ocean at Eyemouth. The lands on Tweedside are in a very high state of cultivation; the rest of the co. is chiefly pastoral. (For agricultural statistics, see Appendix). The fisheries, both on the coast and in the Tweed, are among the most important in Scotland. The co. comprises 31 pars. and parts of 2 others, and the police burghs of Coldstream, Duns, Eyemouth, and Lauder. It returns 1 member to Parliament.
Vision of Britain presents long-run change by redistricting historical statistics to modern units. However, none of our modern units covers an area close to that of Berwickshire. If you want trends covering a particular location within the county, find it on our historical maps and then select "Tell me more".
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Berwickshire | Map and description for the county, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/17438
Date accessed: 16th April 2024
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