The Scottish Borders Village of

CANONBIE

The Village of Canonbie (population 390) is situated approximately two miles inside the Scottish Border alongside the main A7 trunk road, and scenic route to Edinburgh.

Kielder Holiday and Leisure complex is only 40 minutes drive away using the main tourist route which passes through the village.

Canonbie sits on the River Esk which is internationally renowned in angling circles for its salmon and sea trout. The River Esk and Canonbie were immortalised by Sir Walter Scott in his poem "The Young Lochinvar"

It was during the reign of David the First (1124-1153) that the Priory was founded, and from this Canonbie got its name - "The Town of Canons". Being in the very heart of the debatable lands during turbulent times, it appears that Lord Wharton destroyed the Priory in his notorious raid after the Battle of Solway Moss in 1542.

The River Esk flows through the Parish of Canonbie (population 1270), where the scenery is among the finest in the Scottish Borders, with wild life and flora in abundance.

Our Village Hall affectionately known as the Canonbie Public Hall was built in 1912. The land on which it stands along with the adjoining playing fields was given by the Duke of Buccleuch. The Hall is built with a local red sandstone and has a slated roof.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF CANONBIE PUBLIC HALL

Because of the ever increasing development of the village, the time is fast approaching when the existing Hall will not be adequate to accommodate the various functions which local clubs and organisations hold weekly.

Canonbie Public Hall is located in the centre of the village and is the hub of community activity for the parish. Over the years it has been run very successfully in partnership with the Dumfries & Galloway Regional Council, and the Canonbie Public Hall & Playing Field Recreation Centre Committee.

The present layout is not conducive to user group harmony, when the main hall is being used for sports or musical recreation. The ante room and kitchen area can only be used for meetings with great difficulty due to noise intrusion. The lack of sound proofing makes the two areas almost impossible to use concurrently.

The proposed development will give Canonbie Public Hall additional multi-purpose meeting and exhibition rooms, with an improved sports and recreation facility in the main hall and adjacent field, complemented by improved toilet, shower and kitchen facilities.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION

This red sandstone building constructed in 1912 is of immense importance to the community as a whole. It is maintained externally in weather-proof condition by the owner Dumfries and Galloway Council, and internally in good decorative order by the tenant.

The hall is a traditional style of village hall building and is not ideally suited to serve the community as we enter the new millennium.

POPULATION OF THE CANONBIE PARISH

The village of Canonbie is located one and a quarter miles north of the Scottish border with England. The population is 1270 people, and there are five shops, two hotels and a primary school. During 1983 the Canonbie by-pass was constructed carrying the A7 tourist route to Edinburgh west of the village.

The road passing through Canonbie is the main route to the popular tourist centre at Kielder Water, and the village is on the Carlisle/ Edinburgh rail link coach service. One of the main employment centres is the nearby textile manufacturing town of Langholm, which is approximately 6 miles to the north.

VISITOR AND TOURIST POTENTIAL

The history of the locality goes back many years to the time of the Rievers. The family seats of the Elliots, Armstrong’s and the Bells are all part of a past in which Canonbie played an important role. We believe that part of the new development can incorporate an information centre, offering for sale a selection of historical, traditional and hand crafted products.

Being adjacent to the major tourist route to Edinburgh and on the 'Rievers trail', we feel that Canonbie can capitalise on this potential by creating a 'seasonal facility' to boost and complement the local economy. We believe that entering this lucrative market will form a basis for assisting with the day to day financing of the hall on completion of the development.

NOVEL AND PROGRESSIVE THEMES

During the final stages of the project, it is the intention of the development team to prepare a permanent exhibition of historical exhibits mounted on the wall in one of the meeting rooms. An audio visual theme has also been discussed.