We still await PICS and TEXT from Lamberton. Have received content from Foulden.
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Please email any information, pictures etc on any of the above communities to:
secretary@bccforum.info
or post to:
Paul Wheelhouse
Inverbrae
Cove
Berwickshire
TD13 5XD
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Mordington |
Of Saxon origins, Mordington is
situated in the extreme south-east of Scotland in the ancient county of
Berwickshire. It is a long narrow hilly and undulating parish bordering
England, and the Scottish parishes of Lamberton & Foulden (with whom it is
today united) and Paxton. It is in the presbytery of Duns, and church is
noted here in the 12th century. Anciently there was a parish church near the
old Mordington House and eventually this was replaced with another, on the
Duns road, and lastly by a splendid edifice c1870 near the school,
tragically demolished in 1989. For over a century there was also a Free
Church at Mordington, with its manse, both of which still stand, but now in
private ownership. The nearest church is now at Foulden.
Until virtually the twentieth century, Mordington consisted entirely of two,
later three, estates. The feudal barony of Mordington, containing Over and
Nether Mordington, has as its earliest recorded owner, Agnes de Morthington,
who married Henry Haliburton. Later, Robert the Bruce confirmed it upon
Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray and eventually it passed to the famous
‘black’ Agnes Randolph, Countess of Dunbar, so-called because of her olive
complexion. In 1372 it passed to her daughter upon her marriage to Sir James
Douglas of Dalkeith. A branch of his family became Lords Mordington but
espoused the Jacobite cause and were forfeited. The title is dormant. |
The original mansion was a Tower, replaced in the 18th century by the
splendid old Mordington House, sadly demolished c1975 after the failure in
the male line, after 250 years of ownership, of the last Campbell-Renton
laird. In the early 17th century Nether Mordington was separated and became
its own entity with its own Regality and seat, the latter, dating from the
later 16th century, eventually being renamed Edrington house, still today a
residence.
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The southern part of the parish comprised the Edrington estate, which
belonged for upwards of 500 years to the Lauder of Bass family. They
possessed Edrington castle, high above the Whiteadder river which still had
four floors and battlements in the 1880s. It is still marked on Ordnance
Survey Maps but little remains. Below it stands Edrington mill, in operation
prior to 1375, on the Whiteadder. It survives but in poor condition and is
clearly at risk. The bulk of the Nether Mordington lands is now conjoined
with the Edrington estate, the proprietor being Mr. Michael Thornhill. |
Agriculture has always been the main occupation in Mordington, and the
Smithy at Mordington Clappers is still working. The Jeffrey family have been
the blacksmiths here since c1700. Almost next to it stands the old
Mordington School, a listed building. It is the last local schoolroom still
in its original state, but was sold in 2002 and is currently at risk of
inappropriate development.
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In the twentieth century the great Over Mordington estate was split up into
agricultural holdings intended for returning soldiers who wished to work the
land and several holdings and/or their homes remain. Mordington Mains is
possibly the largest remaining farm, with some of the old estate remaining
with the present Mordington house. The current laird there is Mr.John
Trotter.
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Mordington returns three councillors to the Foulden Mordington and Lamberton
Community Council. Mordington falls within the Scottish Borders Council
Chirnside (Ward 2) Constituency.
Further information can be gleaned from The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland
by Rev.John M. Wilson (Edinburgh, c1865), The Parish of Mordington by Mrs.
W.R.Johnson, (1966), Edrington Castle, Berwickshire, & early references by
G.M.S. Lauder-Frost, F.S.A.,(Scot), in the Borders Family History Society
Magazine, (Galashiels, pps: 7 – 13, Issue, 41, October 1999, ISSN
0268-5701), and Smallholding Memories (various contributors,
Berwick-upon-Tweed, 2000). |
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What's On this Month? |
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Clubs & Societies |
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