Stow of Wedale

Stow of Wedale
Stow of Wedale
Elevation	180 m (590 ft)

Stow
Stow
	Stow Location within the Scottish Borders
Population	718 Scotland's Census 2011
OS grid reference	NT456447
Council area	Scottish Borders;
Lieutenancy area	Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale;
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	GALASHIELS
Postcode district	TD1
Dialling code	01578
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk;
Scottish Parliament	Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale;

Stow of Wedale, or more often Stow, /ˈstaʊ/ is a village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland (historically Midlothian), 7 miles (11 kilometres) north of Galashiels. In the 2011 Census the population was 718. It is served by Stow railway station.

The name

The name Stow is an Old English word stōw meaning 'holy place' or 'meeting place', whilst Wedale is probably derived from the words wēoh (or wīg) meaning 'shrine' and dæl meaning 'valley'.[1]

Pack horse bridge across the Gala Water, at the south end of Stow

The Church

There has been a church at Stow since the 7th century, but the earliest example still visible today was built in the late 15th century on the site of the Church of St Mary which was consecrated on 3 November 1242. The church used today, St Mary of Wedale, was built in 1876 and features a 140-foot-high clock tower. Our Lady's Well is situated 1 mile (2 kilometres) south of the village and was rebuilt in 2000.

A rare example of a packhorse bridge, built in the 1650s, can be found in Stow. Stow was an important place in the woollen and agricultural industries in the 19th century.

In 1870, James Thin purchased a plot of land in the village and had a house built which was completed in 1873 and was named Ashlea. This house is still a private residence but is not owned by the Thin family.

Stow New Parish Church

Famous residents

Sir John Rose Cormack (1815–1882), born and raised in Stow
John Downie Falconer FRSE (1876–1947), geologist, born in Stow
Sir Walter Mercer FRSE (1890–1971) orthopaedic surgeon

References

Smith, A. H. (1956). English place-name elements. Cambridge: English Place-Name Society. pp. i.125, ii.159, ii.264–5.

Sources

Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (extracts).
Killochyett: Stow of Wedale
A History of Stow Church
Pictures around Stow

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[EPNE-1] Smith, A. H. (1956). English place-name elements. Cambridge: English Place-Name Society. pp. i.125, ii.159, ii.264–5.