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Bill Kirk

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Hawick was founded by the Angles in the 600s. During the 1100s a Norman family, the Lovells built a large motte in Hawickas the base for their wooden castle. Hawick suffered greatly during the cross border wars between England and Scotland in the 1300s, 1400s and 1500s.

On 9 September 1513 almost all of Hawick's men were killed at the Battle of Flodden. The next year the town was threatened by English troops, but they were fought off by the boys, or "callants" of the town, who captured the English flag in the process.

This event is commemorated by a statue of a horse and rider in the High Street: and by the annual "Common Riding". Several hundred riders gather every year during early June to ride around Hawick and the surrounding countryside

For the last few hundred years the industry in Hawick has revolved around textiles. This started with hand knitting of socks in the 1600s. during  the 1700s hand power was largely replaced by water power and a complex arrangement of sluices and culverts were constructed to provide the town's then 50 textile mills with enough water to keep them working.

By 1800 up to 3000 people were employed in Hawick's textile industry producing hosiery, carpets and other linen and woollen goods. During the late 1800s steam power began to replace water power and the number of mills grew. The most famous to emerge during this time were John and Robert Pringle, their name is now internationally recognised along with that of that of Lyle & Scott, who started in 1874.

We used to have a railway that by 1920 moved well over a quarter of a million sheep and cattle that were sold each year at Hawick's market.  Hawick lost its railway in 1969, recently though a vigorous campaign has brought hope to develop the link to Edinburgh.

Today you will come to Hawick by travelling along the A7 from Carlisle to Edinburgh

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