GALASHIELS, a town (manufacturing) and burgh of barony,
partly in the parish of Galashiels, county
of Selkirk, and partly in the parish of Melrose,
county of Roxburgh, 4 miles (N. by W.) from Melrose,
6 miles (N. by E.) from Selkirk, and 33 (S. S. E.) from
Edinburgh; the whole town containing 4536 inhabitants,
of whom 2061 are in Selkirkshire, and 2475 in Roxburghshire.
It is of remote antiquity, and derives its name,
signifying in the British language "a full stream", from
its situation on the river Gala, which flows through part
of it, and by which, in former times, it was frequently
inundated. This evil is now effectually checked, and the
river is spanned by four bridges. In the reign of David
II., the Scottish army was quartered in the immediate
neighbourhood, after the battle of Crichtondean, in
which the English, being taken by surprise, had been
defeated, and compelled to cross the Tweed near the
town. About a mile distant, on the road to Abbotsford,
is a tract formerly a marsh, but now in a state of cultivation,
where some of the English forces were slain in a
skirmish, and in which, while draining the land, were
found several implements of war. In 1599, Galashiels
was erected into a burgh of barony; and in 1622, from
a report of the lords commissioners, it appears that it
had become of some importance, and contained not less
than 400 inhabitants. The town is of very pleasing appearance,
consisting chiefly of houses built within the
last fifty or sixty years in a neat and handsome manner;
the streets are partially lighted with gas, and the inhabitants
are amply supplied with water. A public library,
supported by subscription, forms a collection of 5000
volumes of fjeneral literature. Galashiels also possesses
a most respectable circulating library and two reading
or news rooms, and libraries are attached to some of the
places of worship.
The principal trade carried on here, and to which
the town owes its importance and rapid increase, is the
woollen manufacture, which has been brought to a very
high state of perfection. The articles produced are,
narrow fancy cloths of various quality known in the
market as " tweeds ", ^ Saxony-wool tartan, shawls, and
plaids. The narrow cloths vary in price from twenty
to eight)' pence per yard, the |- tartan cloakings from
two to nine shillings per yard, and the shawls from three
to thirty shillings each. These articles of dress are in
high esteem for their texture and for the richness and
variety of their colouring. There are eleven factories in
the town, and a twelfth is about to be erected; they are
all dependent on water-power, except two which have
the aid of steam, and the spindles now number 17,000,
and the looms 563, affording together employment to
1400 persons. The quantity of wool annually used is
estimated at full 1,000,000 lb., value £80,000, principally
from Australasia, Germany, and other foreign countries,
the use of wool of home growth being nearly superseded:
the yearly value of finished goods is £'200,000. The
great increase of the trade of Galashiels may be understood
from the statement of the fact that, seventy or
eighty years ago, only 7'2'2 stone of wool were used by
the clothiers, and scarcely as much more could be manufactured
by private persons. In the year 1790, it appears
that 243 packs of wool, each pack containing
twelve stone of twenty-four lb., were purchased by the
manufacturers; besides which, they received from different
quarters wool, yarn, and weaved cloth, to a considerable
amount, to be dyed and dressed. At that
period, about '250 women were constantly engaged in
spinning wool; there were also occasional spinners;
and three machines, having each thirty or thirty-six
spindles, were employed two or three days in the week:
the number of looms was only forty-three. Hosiery
goods are made to a small extent; there are likewise a
tannery, two skinneries, several forges for the manufacture
of machinery required for the factories, and a
thriving brewery. Three banks have branches here.
The market, held on Monday, was formerly of considerable
note, but has now unaccountably fallen into disuse,
and the fairs are very indifferently attended. The postoffice
has two deliveries a day; and facility of communication
is afforded by the Edinburgh and Hawick railway,
lately opened, and by excellent roads in every direction.
The burgh is governed by a bailie, appointed by
Hugh Scott, Esq., of Gala, the lord of the manor; but
though he has the right of jurisdiction common to burghs
of barony, he now holds no courts either civil or criminal,
and the police of the town is managed principally
by the two counties in which Galashiels is situated.
The PARISH consists of the old parishes of Galashiels
and Lindean, the former situated in Selkirkshire, and
the latter in Roxburghshire. No part of the town is in
Lindean. The parish is nearly eight miles in length,
about three miles in average breadth, and is bounded by
the parishes of Melrose, Bowden, Selkirk, and Stow: the
rivers Tweed, Ettrick, and Gala either skirt or flow
through it, and the banks of the two first are richly
clothed with wood, and display much beautiful scenery.
It comprises more than 10,000 acres, of which about
one-half are arable, 500 woodland and plantations, and
the remainder hill-pasture. The surface is diversified
with hills and narrow winding glens, and some of the
former have a considerable elevation, the highest being
the Meigle, anciently Amulet Megs, which commands
the tow-n, and is nearly 1500 feet above the level of the
sea: the loftier lands embrace interesting views of the
mansions and grounds of Abbotsford, Torwoodlee, Yair,
and Sunderland, the vale and abbey of Melrose, and the
rivers above mentioned. The chief lake is Loch Cauldshiels,
which is about a mile and a half in circumference,
of great depth, and well stocked with perch and pike;
it is greatly adorned on one side by the woods of Abbotsford.
The rivers abound with salmon and trout; the
fishery on the Tweed has for some years been placed
under salutary regulations, and at present does not commence
till the 15th of February.
The SOIL of the parish is various; in some places a
rich black loam, in others a stiff retentive clay, and on
the banks of the rivers of a very sandy quality. The
crops are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and turnips.
Generally the cultivated lauds have been well drained
and inclosed; and bone-dust, guano, and other foreign
manures are much in use: the farm-houses and offices
are commodious, and all the more recent improvements
in husbandry have been adopted. Great attention is
paid to live stock; the breed of cattle has been much
improved, and the sheep in the low grounds are the
Leicester, and in the high grounds Cheviot and halfbred.
The annual value of real property in the parish is
£9649, including £2'215 for the Roxburghshire portion.
The plantations are of Scotch, spruce, and larch firs,
intermixed with oak, ash, elm, beech, and sycamore;
they are well managed, and in a very thriving condition.
In this parish the substrata are greywacke, clay-slate,
and ironstone. The seats are. Gala House, a handsome
mansion in a well-planted demesne, ornamented with
ancient trees of stately growth; and Faldouside, a very
neat modem erection. Ecclesiastically the parish is in
the presbytery of Selkirk, synod of Merse and Teviotdale,
and in the patronage of Hugh Scott, Esq., of Gala:
the minister's stipend is £'211. 11., with a manse, garden,
and glebe, valued at £40 per annum. Galashiels church,
erected in 1813, is a good structure in the later Enghsh
style of architecture, with a square embattled tower.
There are places of worship in the parish for the United
Presbyterian Synod, members of the Free Church,
Baptists, and Independents. The parochial school affords
a liberal course of instruction, and is well attended; the
master has a salary of £34, with about £70 fees, and a
house and garden. There are two schools in the rural
districts; the master of one has a salary of £8, and of
the other £5, in addition to the fees. Societies of various
descriptions exist w hich afford rehef to their members in
cases of distress. Vestiges of two encampments, both
supposed to be of Roman origin, may be traced on the
estates of Faldonside and Fairnilee. Nothing is left of
the church of Lindean, which was abandoned, on account
of extreme dilapidation, nearly forty years before the two
parishes were united.