Traquair
Encyclopedia
Traquair is a small village and civil parish
in the old county of Peeblesshire
, but since 1975, a part of the Scottish Borders
. The village is situated on the B709 road 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Innerleithen
at .
north of Traquair. The village was once surrounded by the great Ettrick
Forest and is surrounded by many hills in excess of 1500 feet (457.2 m) The area was renowned for the rearing of Cheviot sheep
.
In early times the village bore the name Kirkbryde or Strathquair, the Kirkbryde coming from the local church which was dedicated to St. Bride
, or Bridget. As early as the 12th century, Traquair was of some importance, important enough to be raised to the status of a Sheriffdom
. One of the earliest mentions of the area came in 1107 when Traquair House
or Tower was known as a hunting lodge of the Scottish kings and as a refuge for priests. The house was known as Traquair Palace and, in 1176, at the palace, William I of Scotland
granted a charter for the erection of a burgh
with the power to hold markets every Thursday.
The burgh which was erected that year at Traquair is known now as the City of Glasgow
. Traquair House was one of a string of towers built along the line of the River Tweed as defence of the borderlands against English invasion.
The lands of Traquair were granted by King Robert the Bruce
to Sir James Douglas, Lord of Douglas
. The manor was later in the hands of the Murray family, the Douglas of Cluny
then the Boyds before becoming forfeit to the crown. Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany is said to have granted the lands to William Watson in a charter signed at Edinburgh
in 1409. In 1469, there was uproar when James III of Scotland
granted the estates to Dr William Rogers. Rogers only lived there a few years before selling it to James Stewart, 1st Earl of Buchan
. Rogers, reputed to be a friend and court musician to the king, sold the house to Buchan for 70 Scots merks (less than four pounds in today's money). The earl gifted the manor of Traquair to his son, also James, who later died at the Battle of Flodden Field
on 9 September 1513. The estate was elevated in status in 1633 when John was elevated to the title of John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquair
; he later became Lord High Treasurer of Scotland
but was later attainted and died penniless. The last of the family, Lady Louisa Stewart, died aged 99 in 1875 and the lands of Traquair passed to her kinsman, Henry Maxwell. Henry adopted the name Stuart and the Maxwell Stuarts still live at the house today. Modern day Traquair House
is an acclaimed visitor attraction, brewery
, wedding venue, corporate hospitality and conference centre.
A legend, in two versions, applies to the 'Steekit Yetts' (stuck, or closed, gates), formerly the main entrance of Traquair House. Prince Charles Edward Stewart visited the family during the Jacobite rising of 1745
. On his departure, the 5th earl declared the gates would never open again until a Stewart monarch required entry to the house. The second version belongs to the 7th earl who deemed the gates stay closed after the death of his wife, in 1796, and not to re-open until there was another Countess of Traquair.
The Duke of Montrose
visited Traquair in 1645 after the Battle of Philiphaugh
. Then Robert Burns
came to Traquair in order to see a then-famous thicket of beech trees known as the 'Bush aboon Traquair'. A considerable village in the early 18th century, Traquair boasted no less than six alehouses but the local minister stated the locals drank to excess. By the end of the century there was only one pub and the population was said to have halved during that century. At one point, at the same time, there was talk of building a road through Traquair to become the main route between Edinburgh
and Carlisle. An Edinburgh man had even offered to fund the building of a new bridge over the River Tweed but the plans never came to fruition and the local roads stayed in a very poor state. A toll
bar was built in an attempt to raise funds for roads but was not successful.
. The present church building was built in 1778 on top of those ancient and historic foundations.
with only 79 houses and less than 200 inhabitants. The parish had a population of 566 at the 2001 census. With no pubs, the centre of activity in the village is the village hall
where various local clubs and associations meet. The social gatherings of Traquair are also held in the atmospheric little hall. The hall's committee have adopted an open doors policy and don't cater only for the villagers but for the wider populace too.
The Sir Walter Scott Way
long-distance path passes through Traquair.
Civil parishes in Scotland
In Scotland, parishes, as units of local government, were abolished by the Local Government Act 1929. The geographical area is sometimes still referred to, however, for statistical purposes....
in the old county of Peeblesshire
Peeblesshire
Peeblesshire , the County of Peebles or Tweeddale was a county of Scotland. Its main town was Peebles, and it bordered Midlothian to the north, Selkirkshire to the east, Dumfriesshire to the south, and Lanarkshire to the west.After the local government reorganisation of 1975 the use of the name...
, but since 1975, a part of the Scottish Borders
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...
. The village is situated on the B709 road 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Innerleithen
Innerleithen
Innerleithen is a small town in the committee area of Tweeddale, in the Scottish Borders.-Etymology:The name "Innerleithen" comes from the Scottish Gaelic meaning "confluence of the Leithen", because it is here that the river joins the Tweed. The prefix "Inner-/Inver-" is common in many Scottish...
at .
History
Traquair, said to mean "hamlet on the Quair Water", a river which runs northwards from the hill, Slake Law (2229 feet (679.4 m)) to drain in to the River TweedRiver 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...
north of Traquair. The village was once surrounded by the great Ettrick
Ettrick
Places named Ettrick include:*Ettrick, New Zealand, in Otago*Ettrick, New South Wales*Ettrick, Scotland, in the Scottish Borders*Ettrick Forest, Royal Forest that covered broad swathes of the Scottish Borders*Ettrick, Virginia...
Forest and is surrounded by many hills in excess of 1500 feet (457.2 m) The area was renowned for the rearing of Cheviot sheep
Cheviot sheep
The Cheviot is a breed of white faced sheep which gets its name from a range of hills in north Northumberland and the Scottish Borders. It is still common in this area of the United Kingdom, but also in north west Scotland, Wales and the south west of England as well as more rarely in Australia,...
.
In early times the village bore the name Kirkbryde or Strathquair, the Kirkbryde coming from the local church which was dedicated to St. Bride
Brigid of Kildare
Saint Brigit of Kildare, or Brigit of Ireland , nicknamed Mary of the Gael is one of Ireland's patron saints along with Saints Patrick and Columba...
, or Bridget. As early as the 12th century, Traquair was of some importance, important enough to be raised to the status of a Sheriffdom
Sheriffdom
A sheriffdom is a judicial district in Scotland.Since 1 January 1975 there have been six sheriffdoms. Previously sheriffdoms were composed of groupings of counties...
. One of the earliest mentions of the area came in 1107 when Traquair House
Traquair House
Traquair House, approximately 5 miles southeast of Peebles, is claimed to be the oldest continually inhabited house in Scotland. It is built in the style of a fortified mansion, and not strictly a castle...
or Tower was known as a hunting lodge of the Scottish kings and as a refuge for priests. The house was known as Traquair Palace and, in 1176, at the palace, William I of Scotland
William I of Scotland
William the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
granted a charter for the erection of a burgh
Burgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
with the power to hold markets every Thursday.
The burgh which was erected that year at Traquair is known now as the City of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. Traquair House was one of a string of towers built along the line of the River Tweed as defence of the borderlands against English invasion.
The lands of Traquair were granted by King Robert the Bruce
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
to Sir James Douglas, Lord of 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:...
. The manor was later in the hands of the Murray family, the Douglas of Cluny
William Douglas of Cluny
William Douglas of Cluny was the son of William, 2nd earl of Angus and Margaret Hay.William Douglas was appointed guardian to King James III, during his minority, and received from him, before 1462, some of the spoil accruing from the forfeiture of the Earl of Douglas and his adherents...
then the Boyds before becoming forfeit to the crown. Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany is said to have granted the lands to William Watson in a charter signed at 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...
in 1409. In 1469, there was uproar when James III of Scotland
James III of Scotland
James III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
granted the estates to Dr William Rogers. Rogers only lived there a few years before selling it to James Stewart, 1st Earl of Buchan
James Stewart, 1st Earl of Buchan
James Stewart, 1st Earl of Buchan , was the second son of Sir James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorne, and Joan Beaufort, the widow of James I of Scotland...
. Rogers, reputed to be a friend and court musician to the king, sold the house to Buchan for 70 Scots merks (less than four pounds in today's money). The earl gifted the manor of Traquair to his son, also James, who later died at the Battle of Flodden Field
Battle of Flodden Field
The Battle of Flodden or Flodden Field or occasionally Battle of Branxton was fought in the county of Northumberland in northern England on 9 September 1513, between an invading Scots army under King James IV and an English army commanded by the Earl of Surrey...
on 9 September 1513. The estate was elevated in status in 1633 when John was elevated to the title of John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquair
John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquair
John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquair was a Scottish statesman, the son of John Stewart, the younger, of Traquair in Peeblesshire, of a branch, originally illegitimate, of the house of Buchan, and was created Baron Stewart of Traquair in 1628 and earl of Traquair in 1633.He was appointed...
; he later became Lord High Treasurer of Scotland
Treasurer of Scotland
The Treasurer was a senior post in the pre-Union government of Scotland, the Privy Council of Scotland.The full title of the post was Lord High Treasurer, Comptroller, Collector-General and Treasurer of the New Augmentation, formed as it was from the amalgamation of four earlier offices...
but was later attainted and died penniless. The last of the family, Lady Louisa Stewart, died aged 99 in 1875 and the lands of Traquair passed to her kinsman, Henry Maxwell. Henry adopted the name Stuart and the Maxwell Stuarts still live at the house today. Modern day Traquair House
Traquair House
Traquair House, approximately 5 miles southeast of Peebles, is claimed to be the oldest continually inhabited house in Scotland. It is built in the style of a fortified mansion, and not strictly a castle...
is an acclaimed visitor attraction, brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
, wedding venue, corporate hospitality and conference centre.
Jacobite Rising of 1745
The Jacobite rising of 1745, often referred to as "The 'Forty-Five," was the attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for the exiled House of Stuart. The rising occurred during the War of the Austrian Succession when most of the British Army was on the European continent...
. On his departure, the 5th earl declared the gates would never open again until a Stewart monarch required entry to the house. The second version belongs to the 7th earl who deemed the gates stay closed after the death of his wife, in 1796, and not to re-open until there was another Countess of Traquair.
The Duke of Montrose
Duke of Montrose
The title of Duke of Montrose was created twice in the peerage of Scotland, firstly in 1488 for David Lindsay, 5th Earl of Crawford. It was forfeited and then returned, but only for the period of the holder's lifetime...
visited Traquair in 1645 after the Battle of Philiphaugh
Battle of Philiphaugh
The Battle of Philiphaugh was fought on 13 September 1645 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms near Selkirk in the Scottish Borders. The Royalist army of the Marquess of Montrose was destroyed by the Covenanter army of Sir David Leslie, restoring the power of the Committee of Estates.-Prelude:When...
. Then Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
came to Traquair in order to see a then-famous thicket of beech trees known as the 'Bush aboon Traquair'. A considerable village in the early 18th century, Traquair boasted no less than six alehouses but the local minister stated the locals drank to excess. By the end of the century there was only one pub and the population was said to have halved during that century. At one point, at the same time, there was talk of building a road through Traquair to become the main route between 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...
and Carlisle. An Edinburgh man had even offered to fund the building of a new bridge over the River Tweed but the plans never came to fruition and the local roads stayed in a very poor state. A toll
Toll
The word toll has several meanings.Road transportation infrastructure* "Toll" is sometimes used as a synonym for tariff** Toll road, a road for which road usage tolls are charged...
bar was built in an attempt to raise funds for roads but was not successful.
Church
There is reputed to have been a religious establishment at Traquair since 1116, in the See of St. Kentigern of Glasgow. It was dedicated to St. Bride whose holy well was in the glebeGlebe
Glebe Glebe Glebe (also known as Church furlong or parson's closes is an area of land within a manor and parish used to support a parish priest.-Medieval origins:...
. The present church building was built in 1778 on top of those ancient and historic foundations.
Today
Present day Traquair is still a straggling hamletHamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
with only 79 houses and less than 200 inhabitants. The parish had a population of 566 at the 2001 census. With no pubs, the centre of activity in the village is the village hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
where various local clubs and associations meet. The social gatherings of Traquair are also held in the atmospheric little hall. The hall's committee have adopted an open doors policy and don't cater only for the villagers but for the wider populace too.
The Sir Walter Scott Way
Sir Walter Scott Way
The Sir Walter Scott Way is a long distance path in the Scottish Borders of Scotland, in memory of Sir Walter Scott, of one of Scotland's greatest writers.-The Way:...
long-distance path passes through Traquair.
See also
- Traquair HouseTraquair HouseTraquair House, approximately 5 miles southeast of Peebles, is claimed to be the oldest continually inhabited house in Scotland. It is built in the style of a fortified mansion, and not strictly a castle...
- List of places in the Scottish Borders
- List of places in Scotland