It's not really known why Ayton has a clock tower when many other villages round about don't. It could be because the police station and cells were in that building at one time, but Ayton also sat astride the old Great North Road, later to be the A1, and it would have been a significant staging post on that road.

The earliest photos of Ayton always show a flag pole on the clock tower. There are only three clock faces because at the time of building there were no houses behind the High Street where the Crofts houses are now. It's interesting to note that the building itself is now owned by Berwickshire Housing Association but the clock mechanism is still owned by Scottish Borders Council.

These pictures from the top of the tower which were taken in December 2007 give some good views of the village. Click on each picture to enlarge it.