In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Wilton like this:
Wilton, a parish of Upper Teviotdale, Roxburghshire, containing, on the left bank of the river Teviot, the thriving Wilton or north-western suburb of the parliamentary burgh of Hawick. It is bounded NW by Ashkirk and Lilliesleaf, NE by Minto, SE by Cavers and Hawick, and SW by Hawick and Roberton. ...
Its utmost length, from NE to SW, is 5 5/8 miles; its utmost breadth is 3 ¼ miles; and its area is 8820 acres, of which 59 2/3 are water. Borthwick Water runs 1 1/8 mile east-by-southward along the south-western boundary to the Teviot, which itself flows 5 7/8 miles north-eastward along or close to all the south-eastern boundary. Where it quits this parish, near Hassendeanburn, the surface declines to 380 feet above sea-level, and thence it rises to 586 feet near Burnhead, 840 at Heip Hill, 880 at Borthaugh Hill, 926 at Wiltonburn Hill, and 1043 at Drinkston Hill. The haughs and hill-screens which recede from the Teviot are everywhere beautiful; and part of them, a little S of the middle, forms the larger section of the fine hill-locked landscape of Hawick's environs. Though the interior is all hilly, the heights are broad-based, and gentle in ascent; and they generally admit the dominion of the plough, and become pastoral only towards the north-western boundary. About two-thirds of the entire area are in tillage; and most of the other third, though now in permanent pasture, has been at one time cultivated. About 100 acres are covered with plantation. Silurian rocks predominate; and the soil, which ranges from alluvium to shallow earth, is mostly fertile. Principal residences are Briery Yards, Bucklands, Sillerbithall, Stirches, and Wilton Lodge; and 6 proprietors hold each an annual value of £500 and upwards. Wilton is in the presbytery of Jedburgh and the synod of Merse and Teviotdale; the living is worth £760. A very handsome new parish church, Early English in style, and containing 950 sittings, was opened in 1861. Its predecessor, built in 1762, after extensive repairs and alterations, is now used as a mission hall. Some years before 1736 one of the earliest Sunday schools in Scotland was started by the minister, Mr William Crawford (1676-1742), who was author of Dying Thoughts. Three public schools - Clarilaw, Dean, and Stouslie - with respective accommodation for 65, 50, and 67 children, had (1884) an average attendance of 53, 40, and 28, and grants of £44, £28, 7s., and £35. Landward valuation (1884) £9613, 18s. 7d. Pop. of entire parish (1801) 1307, (1831) 1870, (1861) 3357, (1871) 3936, (1881) 5782; of portion in parliamentary burgh (1861) 1162, (1871) 2986, (1881) 4848.—Ord. Sur., sh. 17, 1864.
Wilton through time
Wilton is now part of Scottish Borders district. Click here for graphs and data of how Scottish Borders has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Wilton itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Wilton, in Scottish Borders and Roxburghshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/21289
Date accessed: 28th April 2024
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