EYEMOUTH, a parish and sea-port and burgh of barony,
in the county of Berwick, 3 miles (N. E.) from
Ayton, and 8 (N. N. W.) from Berwick; containing 1401
inhabitants. This place, which derives its name from
its situation at the influx of the river Eye into the sea,
appears to have been indebted for the degree of importance
it possessed at a remote period to its connexion
with the priory of Coldingham, to which it seems to
have been granted by charter in the reign of William
the Lion. From its advantageous position, it was probably
early made available as a port for the landing
and embarking of pilgrims visiting the priory, and for
the supply of that establishment with various stores for
the use of its numerous fraternity. Few events of historical
importance are recorded in relation to the place
prior to the erection of a fortress here by the Duke of
Somerset in his invasion of the country in the year
154/. This fortress was dismantled on the conclusion
of a treaty of peace between England and France in
1550; it was afterwards restored and garrisoned for a
time, but was finally demolished at the period of the
union of the two kingdoms. The town, which is pleasantly
situated at the mouth of the river Eye, is irregularly
built, but contains many good houses. It is chiefly
inhabited by persons employed in the corn trade, which
is carried on to some extent; in the fisheries; and in the
various handicraft trades requisite for the neighbourhood.
The streets are well paved, and the inhabitants
are supplied with water conveyed by iron pipes. The
approaches are commodious, and a good bridge has been
built across the Eye, near which the turnpike-road to
Ayton branches off in two directions, one leading by the
north, and the other by the south, bank of the river.
A chain-bridge, also, has recently been thrown over the
Eye, by Capt. Sir Samuel Brown, to form a readier communication
with his estate of Netherbyres. A parochial
library is supported by subscription, and forms a
tolerable collection of volumes on divinity and other
subjects.
The TRADE in grain, since the establishment of the
market, has been rapidly increasing, and is now very
extensive: the quantity of grain sold in the first year
after the opening of the market was estimated at
£20,000. Warehouses have been erected on the quay,
and a spacious building formerly used for barracks has
been converted into a store-house. On the river is a
mill for preparing pearl-barley and oatmeal, of which
great quantities are shipped for London. The manufacture
of paper has been established at Millbank, just
without the borders of the parish, where a spacious mill
with the requisite machinery has been erected, in which
a considerable number of persons are employed. The
post-office, which is a branch of the office at Ayton,
possesses a good delivery; and the Commercial Bank
has one of its agencies in the town. The market is on
Thursday, and is abundantly supplied with grain, and
numerously attended: two fairs, also, are annually held
here, but very little business is transacted at them. A
lucrative fishery is carried on; the fish usually taken
are cod, haddock, and herrings. In the cod and haddock
fishery about fifteen boats are regularly engaged,
each of which is managed by six men, and the yearly
produce is estimated at more than £3000. The herringfishery
is also very productive, and in 1820 afforded employment
to more than 100 boats, whose cargoes in that
year amounted to 10,000 barrels: in 1844 the fleet engaged
in the fishery consisted of sixty-one boats. The
cod, either dried or pickled, is generally sent to London;
the red or smoked herrings to London, Hull, Newcastle,
and Glasgow; and the white or pickled herrings to Ireland,
and the ports of the Baltic.
The business of the port consists chiefly in the exportation
of grain and the produce of the fisheries and
distillery; and in the importation of timber, bones for
manure, rags for the paper manufacture, coal, slates,
bricks and tiles, freestone, and paving stones, vfith
various articles of general merchandise. In the year
1834 the exports were, S50 quarters of wheat, 4300
quarters of barley, 2800 quarters of oats, and 2800
gallons of spirits; the quantity of coal imported was
2367 tons, and the whole number of vessels that entered
the port was 198. The harbour, which previously
to the year 1770 was exposed to the north-east winds,
was then much improved and rendered more secure by
the erection of a pier and breakwater under the direction
of Mr. Smeaton; and it has been subsequently
enlarged and deepened by the removing of shingle and
the clearing away of rocks. In 1844 an extensive
additional pier was completed to afford security to the
shipping. The depth of water at spring tides is sixteen
feet, and at neap tides ten feet; and from its situation
in the German Ocean, and its facility of access, the harbour
is much frequented by vessels detained by contrarywinds.
The custom-house is superintended by a principal
coast-officer, and two tide-waiters also reside on
the spot; the care and management of the port are
under the control of a board of trustees appointed by
act of parliament. Eyemouth was erected into a burgh
of barony by charter granted in 1597, by James VI., in
favour of Sir George Home of Wedderburn, with all the
usual privileges, and is governed by a baron-bailie appointed
by the superior of the barony. With the consent
of the superior, the burgesses had power to elect
magistrates, to erect a gaol, and hold courts for the trial
of all offences not capital, and the determination of civil
pleas to an unlimited amount, together with a weekly
market and two annual fairs; but the only jurisdiction
exercised by the bailie is the occasional holding of a
court for the determination of petty causes.
The PARISH is about a mile and a half in length, and
nearly of equal breadth, comprising 8S0 acres, of which,
with the exception of about twenty acres in woodland
and a few acres of pasture, the whole is arable. Its
surface is varied, in some parts rocky, and the scenery
is diversified with wood and water. The river Eye has
its source at Dodhill, in the parish of Oldhamstocks,
and after flowing through Cockburnspath, Coldingham,
and Ayton, forms the eastern boundary of this parish
for about a mile, and falls into the sea. The Ale, a
small rivulet, runs for some miles along a picturesque
valley, then constitutes the southern boundary, and
joins the Eye at the south-eastern extremity of the parish.
Every where the soil is extremely rich and fertile;
the system of agriculture is in a very advanced state,
and the four and six shift rotations equally prevail: the
crops are wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, and turnips.
Bone-dust and sea-wrack are amply used for manure;
the lands are well drained and inclosed, and all the more
recent improvements in implements of husbandry have
been adopted. The sheep are of the Leicestershire breed,
and the cattle of the short-horned or Teeswater; very
few of either are reared in the parish, but a considerable
number are bought, and fed for the market on turnips
and grass. The chief substrata are greywacke and greywacke
slate, with rocks of trap and porphyry. There is
also a rock of breccia or coarse conglomerate, forming
the promontory that bounds the bay: this stone, of
which the breakwater and quays of the harbour were
constructed, is of excellent quality; it is quarried for
building, and can be raised in masses of any size. The
annual value of real property in the parish is £2683.
The manor-house of Linthill is an ancient edifice, pleasantly
situated on the banks of the Ale, near its influx
into the river Eye, and commands a finely-varied prospect,
embracing the harbour, with the shipping, and the
sea in the distance.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Chirnside, synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and in the
patronage of the Crown. The minister's stipend is
£130. 19- 6., exclusively of a composition for tithes of
fish, for which each boat pays £1. 13. 4.; with an excellent
manse, and a glebe of nine acres and a half
Eyemouth church, situated in the centre of the town,
was erejcted in 181'2; it is a neat edifice with a tower,
presenting little exterior embellishment, and is adapted
for a congregation of 450 persons. There are places of
worship for the Free Church, the United Presbyterian
Synod, and Primitive Methodists. The parochial school
affords a liberal course of instruction; the master has a
salary of £34, with £23 fees, and a house and garden.
A branch of the National- Security Savings' Bank is
prosperously conducted. There are some remains of the
fort erected by the Duke of Somerset, occupying a considerable
site on the promontory projecting into the sea,
which, from its commanding position, affords an extensive
prospect. Little is left except the foundations, now
covered with verdure; but it would appear to have been
a place of great extent and of massive proportions. The
adjacent grounds have been tastefully laid out, and form
an interesting and much frequented promenade. Eyemouth
gave the title of Baron to the great Duke of
Marlborough.