Scheduled MonumentsScotlandOld Roxburgh,deserted town between River Teviot & River Tweed
Deserted town between river teviot & river tweed

Old Roxburgh,deserted town between River Teviot & River Tweed

Scotland
HES SM4282
Site type
Deserted town between river teviot & river tweed
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Old Roxburgh is a deserted medieval town situated on a peninsula formed by the confluence of the River Teviot and River Tweed in Roxburghshire, Scotland. The site occupies a strategically prominent position where these two major river valleys meet, with the underlying bedrock composed of Inverclyde Group sandstone, siltstone and mudstone dating from the Osagean period. This geology provided both accessible building stone and natural drainage for the settlement that once flourished here.

The town represents an important example of a Scottish burgh that declined and was eventually abandoned. Its location between two substantial rivers afforded both defensive advantages and control of important trade routes through the Borders region. The convergence of the Teviot and Tweed created a naturally defensible site with ready access to water transport, factors that would have encouraged settlement and commercial activity during the medieval period.

Old Roxburgh is now a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4282. The earthworks and archaeological remains visible at the site provide evidence of the town's former layout and significance, allowing visitors and researchers to understand the spatial organisation and character of a significant Border settlement. The landscape context of the riverside location remains central to appreciating why this position was chosen and maintained as an urban centre.

Old Roxburgh,deserted town between River Teviot & River Tweed is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4282. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Old Roxburgh,deserted town between River Teviot & River Tweed?

Old Roxburgh is a deserted medieval town situated on a peninsula formed by the confluence of the River Teviot and River Tweed in Roxburghshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4282.

Who is responsible for protecting Old Roxburgh,deserted town between River Teviot & River Tweed?

Old Roxburgh,deserted town between River Teviot & River Tweed is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM4282.

What other scheduled monuments are near Old Roxburgh,deserted town between River Teviot & River Tweed?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Roxburgh Castle (0.5 km), Kelso Abbey (1.2 km), Pinnaclehill Farm,burial mound & cists 90m NW of (1.4 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Old Roxburgh,deserted town between River Teviot & River Tweed

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Old Roxburgh,deserted town between River Teviot & River Tweed's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Old Roxburgh,deserted town between River Teviot & River Tweed

Old Roxburgh,deserted town between River Teviot & River Tweed stands on Inverclyde Group, bedrock that formed in the Osagean. The rock here is sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.