•  Makerstoun, Roxburghshire

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In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Makerstoun like this:

Makerstoun, a rural parish on the N border of Roxburghshire, whose church stands 5 miles S by W of Kelso, under which there is a post office. It is bounded N by Smailholm, E by Kelso, S by Roxburgh and Maxton, and W by Mertoun. Its utmost length, from ENE to WSW, is 3 miles; its utmost breadth is 2 miles; and its area is 2913 acres, of which 48 are water, and 80 are under wood. ...

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The Tweed flows 3¹/8 miles east-north-eastward along all the southern boundary; and, where it quits the parish, the surface declines to 185 feet above sea-level, thence rising gently to 459 feet at a point 3½ furlongs W by N of the church. The soil is, generally speaking, rich and well-cultivated, and the prevailing rock is Old Red sandstone. The chief natural feature in the parish are the Trow Crags. These are a series of projecting rocks, rising from the bed of the Tweed' like the sides of a man's hands.' At one time, they were so close together, that, when the river was low, it was possible to pass by means of them from one bank to the other. An accident, however, occurred, and in consequence, the middle rock was blown up to prevent the recurrence of a like mishap. When the river comes down in flood, its waters break over the rocks with very fine effect. It is said that the best salmon-fishing in all the Tweed is to be had in this reach of the river. The two proprietors are the Duke of Roxburghe, who possesses one large farm, and Miss Scott-Makdougall of Makerstoun, to whom the rest of the parish belongs. Her residence, Makerstoun House, is a square three-storied building, situated on the N bank of the Tweed, and standing in grounds that are extensive and well-wooded. The park contains about 100 acres. An observatory, erected by General Sir Thomas Brisbane (1773-1860) in the park at Makerstoun, was demolished after his death. He was the husband of the eldest daughter of Sir Henry Hay Makdougall, so that the estate came to him through his wife. The interesting ruin of what was first a Roman Catholic chapel and then a Protestant church is still used by the Makdougall family as a place of interment, and stands a little way from the house, entirely shut in by trees. The estate of Makerstoun will eventually pass to the Scotts of Gala. This parish is in the presbytery of Kelso and the synod of Merse and Teviotdale; the living is worth £372. The parish church is a plain building, erected in 1807, and having accommodation for 150 people. A Free church, with 250 sittings, was built by the late Miss Elizabeth Makdougall, who also left £1500 towards its endowment, and built, at her own expense, an excellent manse. The public school, with accommodation for 103 children, had (1883) an average attendance of 76, and a grant of £48, 11s. Valuation (1864) £5001, 1s., (1884) £6809, 9s. Pop. (1801) 248, (1831) 326, (1861) 380, (1871) 361, (1881) 381.—Ord. Sur., sh. 25, 1865.

Makerstoun through time

Makerstoun is now part of Scottish Borders district. Click here for graphs and data of how Scottish Borders has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Makerstoun itself, go to Units and Statistics.

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