Berwickshire Facts for Kids

Berwickshire

Berwickshire is a historic county in Scotland, part of the United Kingdom. It's also the name of a special area within the Scottish Borders Council. Berwickshire is located right on the border between Scotland and England. It gets its name from a town called Berwick-upon-Tweed. However, Scotland lost Berwick to England way back in 1482, so the town isn't part of Berwickshire anymore.

Berwickshire's first main town was Berwick-upon-Tweed. After England took Berwick in 1482, the county's official business moved to Duns or Lauder. Later, in 1596, Greenlaw became the county town. Today, a special court called a Sheriff Court still meets in Duns.

How Berwickshire Was Governed
The Berwickshire Coat of Arms
Berwickshire's Name Today
Images for kids
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How Berwickshire Was Governed

In 1890, the Berwickshire County Council was created, just like other county councils across Scotland. This council met in Duns. However, the Berwickshire County Council stopped existing in 1975.

In 1975, a new larger area called the Borders Region was formed. Inside this region, a Berwickshire District Council was also created. Its area was similar to the old county but not exactly the same. The Berwickshire District Council also ended in 1996.

Now, all of Berwickshire is part of the larger Scottish Borders Council Area. This means the Scottish Borders Council is in charge of local services for the area.

The Berwickshire Coat of Arms

Berwickshire County Council's shield

When the Berwickshire County Council was formed in 1890, they wanted their own special symbol. They asked the Lord Lyon King of Arms, who is in charge of coats of arms in Scotland, to design one for them. On October 10, 1890, he gave them a shield and arms.

The shield shows a bear that is chained to a wych-elm tree. This design comes from the shield of Berwick-upon-Tweed. The bear and wych-elm were chosen because their names sound a bit like "Berwick."

When the Berwickshire District Council was created in 1975, the Lord Lyon gave them the same coat of arms. But when the district council ended in 1996, the right to use these arms went back to the Queen.

Berwickshire's Name Today

Even though Berwickshire isn't a separate council area anymore, its name is still very much alive locally. For example, there's a newspaper called The Berwickshire News. Many local groups and clubs also keep "Berwickshire" in their names.

The Berwickshire Civic Society, a local community group, has been working to put up road signs. These signs would let drivers know when they are entering Berwickshire. The society also holds a "Keep Berwickshire Tidy" competition every April to help keep the area clean and beautiful.

Some of the towns and villages in Berwickshire include: