Denholm

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Denholm
Gaelic:	– (not applicable)
Scots:	(as English)
Location
OS grid reference:	NT568184
Statistics
Population:	608 (2001 census)
Administration
Council area:	Scottish Borders
Constituent country:	Scotland
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Police force:	Lothian and Borders Police
Lieutenancy area:	Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale
Former county:	Roxburghshire
Post office and telephone
Post town:	HAWICK
Postal district:	TD9
Dialling code:	01450 870
Politics
Scottish Parliament:	Roxburgh and Berwickshire
UK Parliament:	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
European Parliament:	Scotland

Denholm is a small town located between Jedburgh and Hawick in southern Scotland. It lies in the valley of the River Teviot.

The village of Denholm is situated in a beautiful part of Teviotdale in the Scottish Borders, about halfway between the towns of Hawick and Jedburgh. It lies in gentle rolling countryside between Ruberslaw and the Minto Hills, volcanic outcrops which thrust up through the underlying Old Red Sandstone.

The original settlement of 'Denum' was sited 'at the valleys' where the broad valley of the River Teviot meets the narrow glen of the Dean Burn. The early hamlet was plundered and burnt during English raids of the 16th century. The village we see today dates from the 17th century when it was laid out around the Green.

Denholm is a Conservation Area listed as 'a planned village as opposed to the traditional unplanned or organic form of village usually found in Roxburghshire.'

The village is built around the Green, which in days gone by was let for grazing to the butchers or smallholders. In the middle of the Green stands Leyden's Monument which was erected in 1861. The Green has always been at the heart of village life. Weekly and half-weekly fairs used to be held here. Part of the base of an old mercat cross can still be seen inside the railings surrounding the monument. The cross itself was removed and the base hollowed out sometime in the 19th century to make a water trough for cattle!

Council pre-fabs were put up in the Ashloaning at the end of the war followed by the 'Crudens semis' and the 'Orlits'. During the 1950's 6 more semi-detached houses were built in the Loaning and 10 in Murray Place. All through the 1950's the public water supply was inadequate for the post-war village but in 1963 a proper supply was finally piped in from Alemoor Loch, above Roberton. The way was now open for more housing development.

As like most villages Denholm is expanding and many new houses have been built in the past few years. Denholm Mill and Denholm Hall Farm have both been developed for housing but as the centre of the village, around the Green, is a conservation area then nothing will spoil this beautiful wee place.

Village website: http://www.denholmvillage.co.uk

Famous sons of Denholm

Steve Hislop Eleven times winner of the Isle of Man TT. Winner of British Superbike championship in 1995 and 2002.

John Leyden Orientalist

James Murray (lexicographer) 1837-1915, the primary editor of the Oxford English Dictionary from 1879 until his death.

Ainslie Henderson Singer/songwriter