The village of Chirnside is located midday between Berwick-upon-Tweed to the east and Duns to the west. Its elevated position overlooking The Merse (meaning marsh), a flat area of agricultural land leading to the river Tweed, and with views across to the magnificent Cheviot Hills, offers an ideal defensive position and it is, therefore, no surprise that evidence of very ancient occupation has been found, most notably when Harelaw Hill, to the east and the site of the cairn which is believed to have given the village its name, was excavated to create a reservoir in 1906.
Chirnside's long history has left behind a number of interesting landmarks.
The Parish Church dates from the mid-12th century, with the Norman
doorway and part of the west wall still visible. A sundial, dated 1816,
can be seen on the south west corner of the building.
The Church was
rebuilt in 1878, then restored and altered in 1907, a fine monumental
gateway, pictured right, being added later.
For more information visit the Chirnside Church website.
Chirnside Primary School was designed in 1937 by Edinburgh architects
Reid and Forbes, who were responsible for several schools in south east
Scotland.
It is an elegant building of Scots revival built in Art Deco
style. Noted for its light and airy classrooms, it is a Listed Building.
The first Mill at Chirnside Bridge dates from 1827 although all that
is thought to remain is the octagonal Porter's Lodge. In 1842, the Young
Trotter Company reconstructed
and enlarged the paper mill. It grew in
size twice more in the 19th century to meet the need for fine paper
produced from rags. The Italianate house built for the owner is used as
offices by Ahlstrom, the current manufacturers at the site.
The 'Ninewells doocot', a circular structure dating back to the 16th
century, is one of several quirky dovecots elaborately built to house
and feed pigeons over the winter, when they provided an important source of protein for occupants of the large estates.
It is reputed that the land on which
it stands was won in a wager, from the owner of Whitehall, by Hume of
Ninewells, who erected the doocot so the birds would feed on his
neighbour's crops.
CHIRNSIDE NEEDS YOU
Chirnside now has a History Group. For more information click on the picture or here to visit the History Group page.
The Parish Church
Chirnside Primary School
The original mill buildings form part of Ahlstrom's modern factory
The Doocot