Kelso


Kelso is the prettiest town in the Scottish Borders, full of architectural and historical interest, with elegant Georgian buildings, such as the Italianate Town House, which now houses the tourist information centre, cobbled streets lined with individual specialist shops, and the rather French-looking market square, which is the largest in Scotland. The town lies on the north bank of the River Tweed where it meets the Teviot, 19 miles east of Selkirk. Sir Walter Scott, who attended Kelso Grammar School in 1783 said that the town ‘is the most beautiful if not the most romantic village in Scotland’.


Kelso’s early development was in association with the Benedictine abbey, founded in 1128 by King David I, which controlled much of life here. It became an ecclesiastical burgh in the early 13th century and remained one of the wealthiest and most important religious centres in the Scottish Borders until the abbey was destroyed in the Reformation. In 1644, Kelso was designated a burgh of barony and became a market town with brewing, shoemaking and textile industries. Today, the town thrives on tourism and the manufacture of agricultural machinery, soft drinks, electronics and plastics.
Two bridges spanning the Tweed made Kelso an important centre of communication. The five-arched construction built in 1803 by John Rennie, was the model for Waterloo Bridge which was completed in 1817. When that bridge was dismantled in 1937, two of its lamp standards were given to Kelso and still stand at the far end of the bridge from the town.


There is plenty to enjoy in Kelso, whose history and architecture can be appreciated by following the town trail. Parking is free. The Cobby Riverside Walk goes from the town centre to Floors Castle, which stands in beautiful parkland along the banks of the Tweed, with the traditional Walled Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, Woodland and Riverside walks, Garden Centre, Coffee Shop and Restaurant. Home to the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe, this magnificent building is Scotland’s largest inhabited house, with outstanding collections of paintings, furniture, porcelain and tapestry.


The town has much sport and recreation to offer. Kelso Race Course, where racing first took place in 1822, is said to be the ‘friendliest course in Scotland’. There are two 18-hole golf courses and the River Tweed at Kelso is renowned for its salmon fishing. During mid July there is Kelso Civic Week, which is the town’s annual festival, including many of the features of the older border Common Ridings.