In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Kirktown like this:
Kirkton, a parish in Teviotdale, Roxburghshire, towards the middle containing Stobs station on the Waverley route of the North British, 4 miles S of Hawick, under which it has a post office. Bounded SW by Teviothead, W by Hawick, and on all other sides by Cavers, it has an utmost length from NNE to SSW of 8 5/8 miles, a varying breadth of 5 furlongs and l 7/8 mile, and an area of 6222¾ acres, of which 21 ¼ are water. ...
Dod Burn, which now feeds Hawick waterworks, runs 15/8 mile north-by-westward along all the Teviothead border to its confluence with Allan Water; Slitrig Water, followed closely by the railway, winds 2¾ miles northward along the Cavers boundaries and across the middle of the parish; and Dean Burn flows 2 3/8 miles north-by-eastward along the eastern border on its way to the Teviot at Denholm. Kirkton Loch (2 x ¼ furl.) lies ½ mile NNE of the church. Along the Slitrig the surface declines to 480 feet above sea-level, thence rising south-south-westward to 847 feet at Winningtonrig, and 1439 just beyond the Cavers border, north-eastward to 939 feet near Adderstonelee, and 897 at Kirkton Hill. The predominant rocks are eruptive and Silurian; and the soil of the arable grounds is naturally poor and shallow, but has been much improved by art. The poet, John Leyden, M.D. (17751811), spent his childhood and youth at Henlawshiel cottage, long since demolished, on Nether Tofts farm, and received the rudiments of his education at the parish school-a little thatched cottage, which now is a workman's house. Three proprietors hold each an annual value of more, and one of less, than £500. Kirkton is in the presbytery of Jedburgh and synod of Merse and Teviotdale; the living is worth £340. The church, towards the NE corner of the parish, 3½ miles E of Hawick, was built in 1841, and contains 180 sittings. The public school is under the Cavers and Kirkton school-board. Valuation (1864) £3065, 13s., (1882) £4307, 10s. 1d. Pop. (1801) 320, (1831) 294, (1861) 421, (1871) 320, (1881) 334.—Ord. Sur., sh. 17, 1864.
Kirktown through time
Kirktown 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 Kirktown itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Kirktown, in Scottish Borders and Roxburghshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/21232
Date accessed: 26th April 2024
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