The following notes on the history of Ayton, along with some personal recollections, were compiled by the late Ramsay Turner who held a particular interest in the local area and was one of Ayton’s great characters until his death in 1986. For all residents of Ayton and the surrounding area these notes should make interesting reading.
We are extremely grateful to Ramsay Turner’s daughter, Mrs June Buchan for granting permission to use these notes.
THE HISTORY OF AYTON
There is no recorded history, ancient or modern of Ayton Parish. Old charters of Coldingham Priory and a few other sources do give some information of note. It would appear that Ayton was formally a dependency of the monastery of Coldingham. Between the years 1098 and 1167 a colony of monks settled in that place under the auspices of King Edgar, who then bestowed upon them two places called ‘Eiton’, one being the village of Ayton and the other a small dependency on the south side of the River Eye known as Nether Ayton. This last was situated to the east of the churchyard, adjacent to the old Roman road which extended from the wall of Severus at Newcastle and terminated at the Roman camp in the vicinity of St. Abbs Head. All traces of this hamlet have long since disappeared, although some signs of habitation were found during the last war when the field was under cultivation. Another small hamlet was thought to exist near the Jubilee bridge ‘at the confluence of the Horn burn and the Eye’ hence its name - Hornford or Horford. In the copse at the Jubilee bridge there is evidence of an old building which was thought to have been a church. Although there is no actual proof to substantiate this, a booklet of village memories written in 1923 by Andrew Whitlie (a member of an old Ayton family) gives rise to conjecture.
The auld meetin’ hoose wi’ its roof o’ red tiling
Its white washen wa’s an’ Its windaes sae trim
The burn wimplin’ by’t an’ the summer sun shining
A’ makes up a pictur that never grows dim.
There was a ford across the river at this point with a little waterfall beside it. Perhaps this was the ‘wimplin’ burn’ and the Meetin’ House the church in question serving the hamlet of Hornford.
The first recorded settlers in Eiton were a Norman family called De Vesci. Approximately one hundred years after the Norman Conquest they formed a settlement on the banks of the River Eye, erected a castle or a tower (much on the site of the present castle) and proceeded to collect vassals around them for mutual protection. Similar towers were erected in the region of the Avenue known as the Wall Tower and at Huldle. The De Vesci family ultimately changed their name to De Aiton. (* See note on page 10 GD) The towers built by this powerful family were utterly destroyed in 1487 by the Earl of Surrey on a foray into Scotland at the instruction of King Henry VII.
‘Then did I march with Surrey’s power What time we razed old Ayton’s tower.’ (Marmion by Sir Walter Scott)
During the 15th century the estate fell into the hands of the Home family who were considered to be of great importance in the Border area, but, in 1715, the estate was lost to them when sentence of forfeiture was incurred upon James Home for having abetted the Earl of Mar in his attempt to reinstate the Stuarts on the throne. Although his estate was confiscated, Home himself was acquitted and is said to have moved to Birgham where he built himself a house which he called Ayton Hall.
The estate remained in the hands of the crown for several years until it was eventually purchased by John Fordyce, the commissioner for lands and forests in Scotland. During their ownership of some seventy years, the Fordyce family did much to improve the estate and had Just completed the building of a new mansion house when it was completely destroyed by fire even before they were able to take up occupation. This tragedy, together with other financial setbacks, compelled them to leave Ayton and live abroad, always hoping to recover their fortune and return. This, however, was not to be and the estate was sold to William Mitchell-Innes with a pre-emption clause in the conveyance. Because of this clause, it has been said, that in 1846, Mitchell-Innes built the present castle to such a scale as to inhibit any likelihood of the former owners ever being in a position to re-purchase the estate. The castle was built to the design of Gillespie Graham, a noted Scottish architect, who also designed many of the streets in the New Town part of Edinburgh, the Parish Church in Dunbar, Taymouth Castle and Brodick Castle on the Isle of Arran. The red sandstone used to build the castle came from a quarry near Chirnside and the whole construction was completed within two years. The Mitchell-Innes family, however, only lived in the castle for 42 years. In 1888 the castle was sold to the Liddell-Grainger family and has continued in this ownership ever since.
In its early existence the village extended from the Avenue (which was the old Roman road) into the Beanburn which was, at that time, the only road into the interior of the county by way of Millerton Hill and Chirnside. With the passing of the Turnpike Road Act of 1751 tremendous improvements were effected. A new road was constructed which crossed the other at the Junction of the old Town and the Beanburn. Mr Mitchell-Innes then availed himself of the opportunity to dispose of the old dwellings at the upper end of the old village; those buildings lying between the Avenue and the recreation hut were, in his opinion, an encroachment on his new castle. Consequently he effected an exchange and granted feus to allow for the construction of houses on the new road: this led to the formation of an entirely new village.
Fairs had long been held twice yearly but, as regular merchants and shopkeepers established themselves, those fairs were no longer considered necessary and, in 1832, they fell into abeyance. Goods offered for sale in the village consisted of cloth, linen, household furniture, gingerbread men and horses and earthenware, all of which were produced locally. It was likely that the earthenware dishes were made in the terrace of houses known as ‘Pattie Raw’ (Potter’s Row). In addition a small tannery was set up in the Beanburn. As a useful substitute for the fairs, a monthly horse market was established which was patronised by dealers from Berwick and district. The boys of the village were utilised to run the horses up and down, displaying them for the prospective purchasers. (one should remember that, at this time, it was unlikely that there would be any enclosures of the front of the houses, and therefore there was plenty of room for manoeuvre in the High Street.)
With four mills in the parish to provide flour, oatmeal and barley, and with the increase of the trades ancillary to a country parish, the village became virtually self-sufficient. Shortly after the turn of this century, the population figures were given as being between five and six hundred persons in the village and between one thousand two hundred and one thousand four hundred in the parish. These figures may sound rather high for a small village, but it is worth remembering that there were over seventy tenemented properties in Ayton. At this time, also, most families tended to be large in number. Couple these facts and the ensuing result is not so surprising.
Early in the century, over one hundred and twenty men and women would be employed in the village, the largest single employer being the Bleachfield Paper Mill. This last was originally a cloth mill but was converted to paper making about 1845. It worked in conjunction with the paper mill at Millbank which was unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1866. The other major employer in the area at that time would have been Ayton Castle estate. With the advent of the railway, another large source of employment was revealed.
There seems to have been ample opportunity for education within the parish. Apart from the parish school there were five private schools, dependent on school fees, and one supported by the Fordyce family. The usual three Rs were taught, although records show that additional subjects, including French, German and Latin were offered in the parish school. The school fees at that time (1830) amounted to £84 per annum in the parish school, but were somewhat less in the private sector. There were also two subscription libraries in Ayton, one containing 500 books and the other 300. A benevolent gentleman from the neighbourhood was responsible for founding the smaller library and with the assistance of others, by way of donation, he was able to make books more readily available to the poorer section of the community. A Friendly Society was started in 1820 but did not appear to flourish as its only support came from the older section of the village. The young were deemed to be ‘losing the spirit of independence, becoming less saving in their habits and relying more on parochial aid for supplying the wants of old age’. The parish laboured under a singular disadvantage - it was the first village in Scotland lying on the new road. Families and individuals who had originally belonged to Scotland, and who had no parish settlement in England, were constantly being sent back from England, whereupon the Parish Council of Ayton offered what charity it could. By 1820, however, the Poor Law had been instituted and Shelter Houses had been provided for these unfortunate itinerants. From this time on, the village appears to have developed in many ways. The Kings Arms Hotel, which had been situated in the Old Town, had long since ceased to function, as it had been superseded by other hostelries built on the High Street, but there now seemed to be a lack of accommodation suitable for social functions. The activities of the local Volunteer Company necessitated the provision of adequate premises, and in 1865 the Volunteer Hall was erected in the Old Town to answer this need. ‘The Volunteer Hall Company’ was formed to raise the necessary finance. It had a share capital of £600 which consisted of some locally subscribed £l shares and a generous supplement from Mr and Mrs Mitchell-Innes of Ayton Castle. In 1867 the hall was opened with all due formality, and during that year a two-day bazaar was held, the proceeds of which were to help defray the cost of the building, help pay off a debt incurred in bringing a new water supply to the village from Heughhead Haugh and to provide a fire engine for Ayton and district. A gallery was erected at the entrance to the hall to accommodate bands of the Royal Artillery who provided music for the occasion.
Stallholders dressed as befitted their station; the upper strata were in ‘black dresses with Marshall Neil roses and aprons of costly brocade’; the next group were in ‘black dresses with gold sashes to denote sunflowers’; the lower orders had to be content with cream coloured aprons with crimson bows, while the artisans were only allowed a ‘blue peeniel. However the bazaar proved a great success, realising the sum of £955.9s.8d. The debts were cleared and the fire engine purchased. Through time the hall sadly fell into disrepair and eventually became so dilapidated that it was demolished. The fire engine, which is still in existence, is believed to be housed at Ayton Castle.
The most notable antiquity in the village must be the ruins of the pre-reformation church in Ayton churchyard. This church is thought to date back to the middle of the 12th century. It was granted to the monks of Coldingham by Scottish Edgar and thus became the property of the Priory of Coldingham. It was dedicated to St. Dionysius. In the year 1380 John of Gaunt met the commissioners of King Robert 11 to arrange the renewal of the truce between the two countries. In 1384 a similar meeting was held in the church and, finally, on September 30th 1397 the truce was agreed. It was signed in Ayton Church, on behalf of King James, by one Andrew Forman and others and was to last for seven years.One of the earliest chaplains connected with the church was Robertus Parsona Cappellae de Ayton, the date of whose tenure of office is somewhat ‘ indefinite, the closest approximation being between 1166 and 1232. The south transept of this church was used as a private burial vault by the Fordyce family, former owners of Ayton Castle. The church of Ayton also has, in its possession, two pewter cups dated 1680, two similar flagons dated 1766 and two silver chances each of which bears the inscription - ‘this cup originally given by Magdallan Rule of Pilvalls to the church of Ayton in 1677, renewed and enlarged in 17801.The only object of historical interest in the parish is the camp of Drumrav or Habchester situated to the south of Ayton Hill. It is often referred to as the Roman camp, but historians assert that it was built by the North Britons to repel the assaults of their northern neighbours. It is unfortunate that much of this camp has been destroyed by the plough and now only half the circle remains. Outwith the village, the most interesting inhabited house is that of Old Linthill near the confluence of the Ale and the Eye.Local interest is centred on the story of the murder of Ninian Hume’s widow by her butler and confidential servant, Norman Ross. The latter, while attempting to steal her ladyship’s keys from her pillow, caused her to awaken and, in the ensuing struggle, fatally wounded her. The household was awakened by her screams and came to her aid. To avoid this confrontation, Ross Jumped from the window, breaking his leg in the process. On his eventual capture, he was taken to Edinburgh, convicted of murder and hanged in chains at the Gallowlea between Edinburgh and Leith. His was the last recorded case whereby the offending hand was cut off prior to execution. Other places of interest within the parish are Prenderguest and Whiterig. During the reign of David the First half of the Prenderguest estate belonged to Swain, priest of the ancient parish of Pishvick on Tveedside, who apparently renounced title to the estate in favour of the monks of Coldingham. Many of the Coldingham charters are witnessed by members of an Anglo-Norman family who seem to have imparted their name, Prenderguest, to the lands. Records from Lindisfarne monastery state that, in 1326, William de Prenderguest plundered the bakehouse and brewery of that establishment. About the middle of the 15th century the estate passed into the hands of the Home family. The present farmhouse was the mansion; the original, which stood in the steading was taken down. Whiterig was another small estate in the hands of the Homes, where the original house was taken down and a mansion erected which is still standing. During the 15th and 16th centuries the two estates of Bastleridge and Peelwalls were also owned by the Homes, and Home of Bastleridge has been styled bailiff of the barony of Peelwalls. The original mansion house at Peelwalls stood in the present kitchen garden, while the new house was built, in the early 1800s.- using stone from the famous quarry of Killala in Fife.
Tradition has it that a colony of Flemish merchants settled in the Flemingtons and Redhall. As it is well known that the wool marts of these people were called Redhalls, the existence of a place of that name in the neighbourhood would be understandable. One of these redhalls stood at the foot of the Woolmarket in Berwick.
Gunsgreen House, situated close to Eyemouth harbour, was supposedly built by a wealthy smuggler. In order to hide his contraband, he had the house built with many concealments and was reputed to have had tunnels to the sea constructed. At some time in its history, Gunsgreen contained a flourishing brewery.
The river Eye was reputed to have operated 32 mills along its course and, of the four mills in the vicinity, the most interesting must be that of Netherbyres, the earliest record of which goes back to 1204. During that time it would have been a corn mill, but when the Martin family entered the tenancy in 1501, it was converted to tweed. It continued as such until 1810 when the new tenants, the Bells, returned it to its original purpose. Until 1927 they produced coin, flour and barley meal, but the mill was no longer a viable proposition and ceased to function. The mill is a building of three storeys and contains two wheels 6 ft broad and 13ft in diameter, which in turn operate three pairs of grinding stones. During the flood of 1948 the weir and mill lade were destroyed and the wheels covered with an inordinate amount of sludge.
In 1960 some restoration work was started by the present owner, Mr Liddell-Grainger, but
it proved too large an undertaking and was abandoned. In common with so many old buildings the mill and mill house have deteriorated even more with the passage of time.
Mr James Eaton from Cranshaws has researched extensively into the names Eaton and Ayton and is in no doubt that the popular story that the De Vesci family changed their name to De Aiton is incorrect. He writes “The name Ayton, or Elton means “town on the water (Eye)” and the Ayton or De Aiton family, who took their surname from the lands that they held do not derive, as it is sometimes, and is here stated, from the Norman family of De Vesci; this statement that they do rests on a confusion of the Berwickshire family with the Atons, so called Barons of Vescy, who came from Yorkshire. None of these Yorkshire Atons can be identified with those Aytons who held their land in the Merse in feu from the Priory of Coldingham and can be traced in the Coldingham Charters from the time at which they first appear as holding the lands in 1166 - 1182 down to 1472, when John de Ayton resigned his lands of Ayton and Whitfield in favour of George de Home, a younger son of Alexander de Home, the first Baron Home.”
My father came to Ayton from Horncliffe in 1901 and commenced business as a slater and plasterer in the house next door to the one in which I now live. [The Rowans, High Street] In 1908 I started my schooling in the school situated in the middle of the village, which consisted of two blocks of two and three rooms. The headmaster at that time was Harry Duncan Fraser, the infant mistress Miss Mary Wilson and the other teachers were Miss Maclean and Miss Black. At this period there would be over one hundred pupils in the school between the ages of five and fourteen. On reaching the age of fourteen, some pupils went on to Duns for a further period of education at Berwickshire High School, travelling there by train at their own expense. During my early days in the infant classes, considerable alterations to the buildings took place as porches were added to the headmaster’s block and the infant room together with toilet accommodation for the staff. This I remember particularly well as I had to walk up a ‘gantry’ to the cookery room to reach the infant class. At this time too, a new area of education was made available, when one of the rooms was fitted out with benches to allow the senior boys to learn joinerwork. To these benches were added table tops to allow the girls to learn cookery and laundry under the supervision of miss Stewart the peripatetic domestic teacher. Girls even travelled by train from Burnmouth to partake of these classes. Music lessons were always a pleasure to me, as the headmaster and the infant mistress were both possessed of musical ability. I still retain many happy memories of songs such as ‘Hail smiling morn’ and ‘Who will o’er the Downs’, and my love of music, fostered as it was at that early age, has remained with me all my life.
About this time another feature of our school life commenced with the introduction of the ‘Penny Bank’ which was run in conjunction with the Post Office Savings Bank. Every Friday morning from 9 am until 9.25 am the headmaster and a teacher collected in the money, and in my latter days at school I was given the job of taking the money to the Post Office for investment in a savings account. I still have, in my possession, a bank book for 1912 showing a weekly contribution of 2d.
Our headmaster left Ayton for a similar post in Chirnside and the ensuing vacancy was filled by Philip Scott, a very able man and a strict disciplinarian. That he had all our interests at heart was borne out by the fact that, if any boy or girl wished to be taught Latin or book-keeping, he would do this for half an hour one morning a week. However the Great War of 1914-18 had started and unfortunately Mr Scott was called up. His place was taken by Rev. James Milne, a retired missionary, who tried his best, but was not a success in the field of education. By 1917 I had reached the age of thirteen. My father then applied for an exemption for me to leave school as his men were all on active service. The church was an organisation which was always to play a large part in my life.
Until the union of the Established and the United Free churches in 1929 there were the two denominations existent. The U.F. was situated in Summerhill behind the house known as Kirklands, then the U.F. manse and now owned by Miss Willins. Being a breakaway unit of the Established church the U.F. church was in the minority, its membership being about 130 as opposed to the 400 or 500 enjoyed by the Established church.
As my parents were members of the United Free my brothers and I were required to attend church and Sunday School. In addition, a weekly Band of Hope meeting was held in the United Free church hall during the winter months. It was conducted by Mrs Connachle, the wife of our local veterinary surgeon, whose one aim in life was to encourage us to sign the pledge against the ‘demon drink’. However one feature of the Band we did enjoy was the singing of the Sankey type hymns such as ‘Away, away, away to the Band of Hope’ and ‘into a tent where a gypsy boy lay’ the latter designed to bring a tear to the eye.
Church life had its social aspect too, the annual picnic to Coldingham being an event of great importance in the village. At nine o’clock in the morning we assembled in the Beanburn to await the arrival of the farm carts, lent by the local farmers, which would convey us to the beach. Mr Robert Hume our Sunday School superintendent saw us aboard amid great excitement. This excitement grew as we got our first glimpse of the sea at Whitecross and on reaching the sands we discarded boots and stockings and made for the water. At mid-day a bell called us to praise led by Mr Willie Hume one of our teachers. The afternoon was spent in games and races, tea was served at four o’clock and at six o’clock the signal was given for the return to Ayton.
Christmas was the next event in the social calendar of the church. The Sunday School children were required to practise carols for the occasion, one of our duties being the entertainment of our elders at the party.
In due time I became an office bearer on the board of managers but this came to an end with the union of the churches in 1929. In 1958 I was ordained an elder in the Parish church and subsequently became session clerk, a position I was to hold for some twenty years.
As youngsters (as youngsters do) we had many pursuits. The Big Rocks at Ayton Mill were a source of great enjoyment, as were the red clay braes nearby where we slid down on our bottoms to the detriment of our breeks, while the Miller’s Hole, Corner’s Hole and the Dam Head were all popular places during the holiday period. Our simple pleasures included bird nesting, fishing with a bent pin, snaring ‘beardless gumping trout and dooking in the Damhead. Our elders also had their interests, chief of these being the annual Flower Show and Sports held on the last Thursday in August. N P Allan and his orchestra came from Berwick to provide music during the show and at the dance in the evening. The sports were held in the Garden Park opposite the Volunteer Hall and people were free to move between the two venues. The sports were run on almost professional lines and competitors came from the surrounding district to participate. Other clubs included the Ayton Castle cricket club whose pitch was in the Avenue field and maintained by castle staff, the football club who played on any available field and the golf club which was situated in Ayton Law Haugh and East Reston Haugh. Quoiting, another popular sport, took place behind the Red Lion Hotel. For indoor recreation there was the reading room and billiard room in the Sunday School hall and vestry of the old United Free
church, but this was replaced after 1918 by a new club in the old town. The reading room fell into abeyance altogether.
Entertainment in the village was provided by travelling concert parties, circuses and menageries. There would be a visit from the man with his dancing bear and the German Band, the latter arriving in a horse drawn wagonette from which they presented their programme of music. Prior notice of circuses was made by Jimmy Haggarty, the village handyman, by pasting bills of forthcoming events at the ‘pants’ where the womenfolk came to draw water. Cooks, Biddles and Pinders were some of the circuses to visit, Biddles being especially remembered for its spectacular parade through the village. The circus programme generally consisted of equestrian events, some acrobatic turns, a ‘strong man’ and, of course, the clowns. Bostock and Womble had a menagerie of lions, camels, tigers and the like.
Concert parties made their usual annual visit and J M Hamilton, Will Nott, Durward Lely and Kennedy were all very popular. J M Hamilton was particularly so as he sang Scottish songs in his fine tenor voice. On occasion, his wife (billed as Nellie Macnab) joined him in duets. Will Knott’s company boasted a ventriloquist, a Mr Walters, who married an Ayton lady by the name of Mrs Wallace with whom he lodged during the week of the performances.
Within the village community itself were many musically inclined people; George Allan organist of the Parish church, teacher of music and conductor of the local Choral Union; Miss Mary Wilson the infant mistress and Mr and Mrs J M Scott all accomplished, performers. There was also an active Oddfellovs Society who presented an annual soiree and concert. The members of this society all wore regalia similar to that of the Freemasons. Mr Fraser the headmaster was responsible for the giving of lectures (often with the aid of a magic lantern) at the Mutual Improvement Society. As a community Ayton was virtually self sufficient in the earlier part of this century and could boast a hospital at Millerton, two doctors, a veterinary surgeon, a gasworks, a lemonade factory and two churches. There were five dairies and three bakers. Some shops had their own certain individuality; Taffy Rudd was famous for his toffee which came in trays ready to be broken up by his hammer as required; Maggie Grieg (who also provided hand lotions for the ladies) was noted for aniseed balls and popcorn; Sinclair the grocer would sell a ‘poke’ of brown sugar and oatmeal for a halpenny, while Jenny Gummy (Miss Smith) kept three boxes of candies from which one could choose, a penny box, a halpenny box and a farthing box. In a more orthodox vein, facilities were offered by Sinclair, Shiel and Dickson grocers, Burgon and White butchers, Armatage, Cairns and Blake bakers, Mason draper and dressmaker, Dalgetty tailor, Peter Lugton draper (and local barber at twopence a head) his wife who employed dressmakers, Morrison and Grieve watchmakers, Allan and Patterson bootmakers and Cooper saddlers. Cis Hume sold newspapers and wallpaper, while Fred Chappell and Willie Hall sold bicycles; the nurseryman was Connachle, the blacksmiths Ewart and Wightman, the Joiner was Heron, the mason Swanston, the slater Turner, the plumber Christie and son and the painter was Hume. Last but not least were the two Dalgettys, carters and coal merchants, who also owned a small croft each. There were two banks, the Royal and the Commercial, and a Post Office which was deemed head office for the area. From there, mail was despatched to Eyemouth, Coldingham and St Abbs by pony and trap. Apart from the postmistress, Miss Stewart, the office employed the services of four clerks, some four or five postmen and a telegraph messenger. About 1910, the telephone was introduced into the village and a suitable kiosk was installed within the post office.
Mention must also be made of some of Ayton’s eminent citizens. There was the Rev David Cairns who ministered in Ayton for some twelve years and who ultimately became the Principal of Aberdeen University; there was the Rev J J M L Aiken who was minister in the Parish church for over fifty years and whose keen interest in gardening and nature caused him to compile an interesting list of flora and fauna in a brochure describing the delights of Coldingham as a holiday centre.
Our own Minister in the United Free church, John Maclaren, was of a literary bent and sent regular contributions to Blackwoods Magazine and to the press. Harry Duncan Fraser, our headmaster, was of a like ilk and wrote a delightful book of essays entitled “Leaves from a Village Garden” a copy of which I have in my possession. He was also something of a poet and compiled a book of poems called “Songs of a Dalesman”. The most notable Aytonian must however have been our local poet, Robert Mennon, whose book of poems “Moral and Religious” (which includes the song ‘The Whoopers of Ayton’) has done much to immortalise the village in story and song.
Personalities of another kind must also be given a mention. I think of old Eazie Thomson who kept four or five cows. In the summer months when the cows vent out to grass in the Cow Field, the other dairy folk milked them in the field. Eazie however preferred to bring her kye home and, although she was almost blind, led them up the street at a very leisurely pace. Other names which spring to mind are Jock the baker, Peter Brack, Bob Scott, Jockle Brown and Freddie Horner. Jock the baker was a ‘caution’, speaking as he did with a strong nasal accent and being possessed of a wonderful vocabulary of scarcely biblical language which he used to advantage. Hailing from Leith originally, he was a baker to trade and worked on fretwork as a hobby. Jockie Brown, Peter Brack and Bobble Scott were inseparable boozing companions. Jockie never vent near the pubs until he had accumulated sufficient funds to make it worth his while, whereupon all three vent on a ‘binge’ till the funds were exhausted. Jockie would then return to his Job as a rabbit trapper and Patie Brack to his, which involved breaking up stones for road metal. Bob Scott did whatever he could, and was often employed by the butchers or carters as he had had some experience of slaughtering with his father. Freddie Horner was a grimy old man who came from Yorkshire. He worked at the Bleachfield where he attended to the animals. He lived in a single-end house and was possessed of a great number of cats. The village nurse, Jessie Patterson, occupied the ground floor of the house which is now called ‘Jesmond’ in the Old Town. She appeared to be a tower of strength, always helping others in whichever way she could. The esteem in which she was held was marked by the erection of a marble cross on her grave in Ayton churchyard. Other ladies worth a mention are Jess Ann Johnstone who had a tearoom in Beech Cottage and the Misses Rae who ran a boarding house in Glenlea, Tower Road.
There were also the visitors to Ayton, a chimney sweep called Macauly who was invariably drunk, Daft Sandy from Chirnside who was always needing ‘tippy’ for beer, old Betty Blythe and her husband Davy from Chirnside who collected rabbit skins and rags in exchange for crockery and the Unthank family from Berwick who sold paraffin from a tank on the back of their lorry.
Such then is and was Ayton. In the words of Robert Mennon
“I envy not the man who can despise
His native place, the scenes of youthful joys, The woods, the lanes, the fields, the sunny skies,
Where oft he played with kindred happy boys.
May Ayton ever be till time shall cease,
The abode of worth, the home of happiness, All classes live in unity and peace,
And make these fairy scenes a land of bliss.”
(Ayton Past and Present)