History
Newtown St. Boswells is an old settlement, well-established by the 16th century. The town has been known at various times as Newtoune, Newtown of Eildon, Neuton and Newtown of Dryburgh. It lies split between the civil parishes of Melrose and St Boswells.
Historically, Newtown St Boswells was a centre for milling grain, with watermills on its burns). It became a regional centre of communication and an exporter of livestock after the opening of its railway station. This importance has declined since the closure of the station in 1969.
From 1975 to 1996, the town served as the administrative centre for the Ettrick and Lauderdale District of the Borders region. Since the reform of local government in Scotland, it has been the centre of the Scottish Borders council area and the Headquarters of the local authority is within the village.
Read more about this topic: Newtown St Boswells
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“We don’t know when our name came into being or how some distant ancestor acquired it. We don’t understand our name at all, we don’t know its history and yet we bear it with exalted fidelity, we merge with it, we like it, we are ridiculously proud of it as if we had thought it up ourselves in a moment of brilliant inspiration.”
—Milan Kundera (b. 1929)
“The one duty we owe to history is to rewrite it.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
“The history of this country was made largely by people who wanted to be left alone. Those who could not thrive when left to themselves never felt at ease in America.”
—Eric Hoffer (1902–1983)