Pill Box and Mayfield Riverside Walk

About Pill Box and Mayfield Riverside Walk

If you look over the wall beyond the north(town) end of the Bridge, you will see another building below parapet level. This is a “pill box" which dates from the Second World War and was built to defend the bridge: thankfully it was never put to use. You may also notice holes in the wall at pavement level, these are “gun loops" through which the wartime defenders intended to snipe at invading forces.
From here take the Mayfield Riverside Walk downstream. This route follows the boundary of the monastic precinct of Kelso Abbey and the land to the left (townwards) probably held its gardens and orchards. On the far side of the river is Maccus' wiel, the fishing pool after which Maxwellheugh was named in the 12th century. Follow the path to a car park next to the entrance of the Garden Centre. In the 19th century the area now occupied by Mayfield was known as “The Malt Barns". It is possible that this is where the monks of Kelso Abbey stored their barley from which they used to brew beer. In the Middle Ages beer was widely consumed, as the water supply was often unsafe to drink.