Swinton, Scottish Borders
Swinton is a small village in the Scottish Borders. It is in the former county of Berwickshire, around 5 miles (8.0 km) south-east of Duns, and 3 miles (4.8 km) north-west of the Anglo-Scottish border.
History
Swinton dates to the 11th century or earlier, and is associated with the Swinton family, who took their name from the settlement. In 1769, the village was re-designed and a market was created, now marked by the market cross. A parish church was built and still stands today. In the churchyard, the Swintons have their own burial enclosure. In 1843, the Free Church of Swinton was built, but in the 1900s the spire was removed and it became the local village hall.
Notable people
- Daniel Laidlaw, recipient of the Victoria Cross
Etymology
According to oral tradition, the name of the village is derived from the number of wild boars the land was once infested with.[1]
Swinton House
Swinton House, 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the village, dates in its current form to 1800, and was the residence of many of the Swinton family.[2] It was built to replace an earlier house, which was destroyed by fire in the late 18th century. Both the house and the nearby 18th century dovecote are protected as category A listed buildings.[2][3]
References
- ^ Lewis, Samuel (1846). A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. London: Samuel Lewis. pp. 519–526.
- ^ a b "Swinton House, Listed Building Report". Historic Scotland. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
- ^ "Swinton House Dovecote, Listed Building Report". Historic Scotland. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
