HOW did modern Galashiels come to look the way it does? If you are curious, TheSouthern has four copies of a new book on the history of the town to give away in a new competition.
Entitled Historic Galashiels: Archaeology and Development, and published jointly by Historic Scotland and the Council for British Archaeology, the book charts the events that shaped the town – from when massive ice sheets that gouged out the valley, to the social, economic and architectural impact of Galashiels becoming the Scottish centre for tweed manufacture.
The book is part of Historic Scotland’s series on Scottish burghs, which has covered the history and archaeology of more than 70 of Scotland’s historic towns and cities. The book starts with the archaeological evidence for settlements on the site of the modern-day town, moves on to the arrival in 1849 \and examines the woollen industry, which affected everything, from the town’s water channels and housing to society in general.
By identifying areas that may hold an archaeological resource, the book will allow developers and local authority archaeologists to better plan how to record and learn from these sites.
To be in with a chance of winning a copy, all you have to do is answer the following question correctly:
When was Galashiels made a burgh of barony?
Send your answers by email to: markentwistle@tweeddalepress.co.uk or on a postcard to Gala Book Competition, c/o Mark Entwistle, The Southern Reporter, 19 Bridge Street, Kelso, TD5 7HT, no later than 9am on Monday, March 12. The usual rules apply.