Hawick

Many thanks to Lovat Mill for facilitating this camera's location and to Tweed Rivers Fisheries Association for capitally funding its installation. The River Teviot is a watercourse located in the Scottish Borders region of Scotland, serving as a tributary of the River Tweed. Its source can be found in the western foothills of Comb Hill, situated on the border of Dumfries and Galloway. Flowing in a northeast direction, it traverses Teviotdale, passing notable landmarks such as Teviothead, the Colterscleuch Monument, Broadhaugh, Branxholme, and Branxholme Castle. Continuing on its course, the Teviot goes through Hawick and Lanton, alongside the Timpendean Tower and the town of Ancrum, Harestanes and Monteviot, Nisbet, and Roxburgh, before merging with the River Tweed in the southwest of Kelso.Lovat Mill, renowned worldwide for its exceptional design and quality weaving, holds a distinguished reputation. In addition to producing Tweed, the mill is celebrated for crafting luxurious fabrics, including woven pure cashmeres. As Scotland's premier weaver of Estate and Regimental Tweeds, Lovat Mill takes pride in supplying over 180 private estates and military regiments throughout the United Kingdom. The recognizable product known as "Tweed" traces its origins back to Commercial Road in Hawick, a mere few meters away from the current location of Lovat Mill.The name "Hawick" has Old English roots, first documented in 1167, and translates to "enclosed farm" or "enclosed hamlet." The investigation into the etymology of Hawick was initiated in the 1860s by James Murray, a local teacher who later became the primary editor of the Oxford English Dictionary. Situated at the confluence of Slitrig Water and the River Teviot, the town boasts a long history of habitation. The western end of Hawick is home to "the Motte," the remains of a probable 12th-century Scoto-Norman motte-and-bailey castle.A noteworthy event in Hawick's history took place on June 20, 1342, when Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie, fulfilling his duties as Sheriff of Teviotsdale, presided over court in Hawick's church. William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale, arrived accompanied by an armed retinue and was cordially received. However, Douglas and his men attacked Ramsay, leaving him wounded and in chains before taking him to Hermitage Castle, where Ramsay ultimately perished due to starvation. This incident is widely believed to have occurred because Douglas believed he should hold the position of Sheriff of Teviotsdale.The formal declaration of Hawick as a town is attributed to the Battle of Hornshole, fought in 1514 between an English raiding party and local youths from Hawick. In 2014, on the battle's 500th anniversary, approximately 1,800 children dressed in period costumes reenacted the historic event. The earliest official document referencing the town dates back to October 11, 1537, where Hawick is reaffirmed as a free burgh since time immemorial.St. Mary's and Old Parish Church, constructed in 1764 on the site of an earlier 13th-century church, stands as the oldest religious structure in Hawick. Although the church suffered extensive fire damage in the late 19th century, it was reconstructed in a similar architectural style. The cemetery encompasses gravestones from the 17th and 18th centuries and features an elaborate ironwork memorial gate donated by the town council.Hawick experienced significant growth and emerged as an important manufacturing town for textiles and knitwear during the late 18th and 19th centuries. In 1771, John Hardie introduced the first knitting machines to Hawick, building upon an existing carpet manufacturing trade with the intention of expanding into stocking production. However, due to a decline in the stocking trade by 1815, weaving manufacturers established themselves in the town, utilizing resources from the declining industry. These industries continued to expand, and in the early 1830s, the term "Tweed" originated in Hawick due to a miscommunication of "twill" for the River Tweed. Subsequently, the town focused on manufacturing various textiles, hosiery, and knitwear, including cashmere, adapting to changing fashion trends and materials. During the 1930s, over 1,200 individuals were employed in the knitwear industry, but the textile sector gradually declined in the late 20th century, with only a few small businesses remaining.In July 2020, construction commenced on a £92 million flood defense scheme in Hawick. However, in October 2021, while engineering work was still underway, the town suffered severe damage from heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding.