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Oxton, Scottish Borders facts for kids

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Oxton
Oxton.jpg
Village centre
Oxton is located in Scottish Borders
Oxton
Oxton
Population 270 (2001)
OS grid reference NT496535
• Edinburgh 20 mi (32 km) NW
Civil parish
  • Channelkirk
Council area
Lieutenancy area
  • Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town LAUDER
Postcode district TD2
Dialling code 01578
Police Lothian and Borders
Fire Lothian and Borders
Ambulance Scottish
EU Parliament Scotland
UK Parliament
  • Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Scottish Parliament
  • Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale
List of places
UK
Scotland
55°46′19″N 2°48′11″W / 55.772°N 2.803°W / 55.772; -2.803
The birds of Berwickshire; with remarks on their local distribution migration, and habits, and also on the folk-lore, proverbs, popular rhymes and sayings connected with them (1889) (14568971110)
Oxton in the late 19th century

Oxton is a small rural village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, just off the A68. It is 4+1⁄2 miles (7 kilometres) north of Lauder, and 20 mi (32 km) southeast of the centre of Edinburgh, yet in a quiet rural position.

History

The village of Oxton lies in the parish of Channelkirk. This name for the parish appears to have come into general use in the district around the beginning of the eighteenth century but its ancient name was Childer-kirk and later Gingle-kirk. A Roman camp, visible from the air, and recorded on Ordnance survey maps has been identified nearby and may have been connected with the progress of the army of Septimius Severus in AD 209–210. Saint Cuthbert, who became Bishop of Lindisfarne, was born in the vicinity in AD 635, and probably baptised his early converts at the nearby Holy Water Cleuch (spring).

The village Oxton was called Ugston for several hundred years and appears under that name as late as the 1841 census. As with all Scottish parishes its inhabitants were ruled by a combination of the Kirk Session and the Heritors, the latter being local landowners who were jointly responsible for funding all projects in the parish such as repairs or extensions to the church, the manse, the school, the churchyard, the schoolmaster's house, and even the river bridges, all out of their own pockets.

The village now hosts Bird Gardens Scotland CIC, a bird conservation breeding centre and home to over 300 birds from around the world, including Chilean flamingos, Laughing Kookaburra, and Emu, as well as other animals such as Red-Necked Wallaby and Castlemilk Moorit Sheep. The gardens share the site with Oxton Pottery, a working pottery with regular classes and a gift shop.

Notable people

Gallery

  • Oxton3

    Red house at Oxton

  • Oxton5

    Oxton house and post box

  • Oxton Mains

    Oxton Mains farm

See also

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