Roxburgh
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- This article is about the Scottish town. For other places with the same name, see Roxburgh (disambiguation).
Historically, Roxburgh (Rosbrog in Scottish Gaelic) was an important Scottish town. In the Middle Ages it had at least as much importance as Edinburgh, Stirling, or Berwick-upon-Tweed. Its significance lay in its position in the centre of lowland Scotland's most agriculturally fertile areas, and its position upon the River Tweed, which allowed river transport of goods via the main seaport of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Its position also acted as a barrier to English invasion.
The town stood on a defensible peninsula between the rivers Tweed and Teviot, with Roxburgh Castle guarding the narrow neck of the peninsula. Nothing remains of the town except some ruined segments of castle ramparts. Its site lies to the south of modern Kelso and Floors Castle, which lie on the other side of the Tweed. The Duke of Roxburghe owns the site.
English and Scots forces repeatedly captured and recaptured the town during the Scottish Wars of Independence. Its final recapture in 1460 saw the town and castle destroyed. After this time the town never regained its importance because the final English capture of Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1482 left Roxburgh with little reason to exist.
(See: http://www.channel4.com/history/timeteam/2004_rox_ancient.html )
Roxburgh District
| Roxburgh District 1975–96 | |
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In more recent times (1975–1996), Roxburgh referred to a local government district in the Borders region of Scotland. Its borders broadly resembled those of the traditional county of Roxburghshire. In 1996 the district of Roxburgh became part of the Scottish Borders unitary area. (See also: Subdivisions of Scotland)
Roxburgh Village
Nowadays the name Roxburgh belongs to a small village about one and a half miles southwest of the site of the historic Roxburgh.