Newstead, Scottish Borders
Newstead
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 Looking northeast from Eildon Hill North, Newstead below on the left |
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 Newstead
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| Newstead shown within the Scottish Borders | |
| Population | 256 (2001 census) |
| OS grid reference | NT565341 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MELROSE |
| Postcode district | TD6 |
| Dialling code | 01896 |
| Police | Scottish |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Newstead is a village in the Scottish Borders, about 1.3 miles (2.1 km) east of Melrose. It has a population of approximately 260, according to the 2001 census.
It is situated in the valley of the River Tweed, at a crossing point for the Roman Dere Street. Newstead was of great strategic importance throughout history. This was principally due to the proximity of the prominent Eildon Hill. Former inhabitants include: the ancient Selgovae; the Roman army at Trimontium (Newstead); monks and masons, builders of nearby Melrose Abbey and, more recently, navvies working on the impressive railway viaduct at Leaderfoot.
It is reputedly the oldest continually-inhabited settlement in Scotland. Certainly buildings, inhabited by the locals who provided for the needs of the soldiers when the Romans were there, and that the people who remained when the Romans went back south continued to live there, and that a population is recorded there from 650AD onwards, until the present day. The stonemasons, architects and other tradesmen who built Melrose Abbey were lodged here. In 1905 it was the site of a discovery of a very rare Roman helmet.
Newstead lies within the Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk UK Parliament constituency and the MP is Calum Kerr. It lies in the Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale Scottish Parliament constituency and the MSP is Christine Graham.
On the main street is the Village Hall which was the school until 1937 when it was closed. The hall is used as the main meeting place and for other community functions - it is the only non-residential building in the village available for public use.
St John's Wynd, a lane leading to the site of the first Masonic Lodge in Scotland. Set up by the masons, mainly to regulate training and craftsmanship of the apprentices, before becoming journeymen, the Lodge certainly existed before 1600. The building fell into disrepair after the Lodge moved its premises to Melrose in 1742. Only a marker stone and plaque now remain.
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Wikipedia