IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Mount View, KELSO, TD5 8RE

Town Yetholm lies on the north side of the Bowmont Valley in the Scottish Borders. To the east the land rises towards the Cheviots, while the nearest significant settlement is Kelso, 8 miles (13 kilometres) to the north west. The village is highly unusual in Scotland in having a number of thatched cottages and houses. The name Yetholm means "Gate Town", and the village lay on the front line during the various wars between England and Scotland. The cross border turbulence meant that permanent settlement in Yetholm may only have started towards the end of the 1500s. Town Yetholm is built astride the B6352, part of which broadens out into a tree-clad green. This is home to the Wauchope Memorial, and is overlooked by the Plough Hotel. Signs of ancient human activity are written into the landscape around Yetholm in the form of numerous hill forts, hut platforms and field boundaries. Perhaps the most striking piece of evidence was unearthed in 1837, when two bronze shields were dug from boggy ground at the edge of the village. The shields were probably deposited as gifts to the gods, sometime between 1150 BC and 750 BC. They are currently on display in the National Museum at Edinburgh. In the 7th century the area was part of the Kingdom of Northumbria. King Oswy granted most of the Bowmont Valley, including Yetholm, to the monastery at Lindisfarne. During the 11th century the border between England and Scotland was drawn through the area, placing Yetholm in Scotland. The daily life of Yetholm's peasants was interrupted in 1304 when Edward I convened a meeting here to receive the submission of 'rebellious' Scottish noblemen. From this date until 1603, relations between England and Scotland were to be hostile. Yetholm suffered from its exposed position, most notably in the 1520s and 1540s when it was burned to the ground during Henry VIII's wars against Scotland. In the 18th century agricultural change across Scotland meant that many labourers became surplus to requirements. In Yetholm land was made available to smallholders and Town Yetholm's population grew. In addition to their smallholding, many made a living from trade or craft. In 1776, 25 looms were recorded in the village. Yetholm's weavers had a guild and their flag, with its motto 'Mens days are swifter then a weavers shuttle', from the Book of Job, is held by the National Museum. During the 20th century, the mechanisation of agriculture resulted in many farm workers becoming surplus to requirements, and Yetholm's population has declined. Undiscovered Scotland: http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/yetholm/yetholm/index.html Yetholm Online: http://www.yetholmonline.org.uk/History%201.htm

Towards the north end of town, with Bowmont Terrace on the left.

Looking south-eastward.

This can be found on the wall of the school in Town Yetholm. For more detail see : http://www.bench-marks.org.uk/bm21083