Galashiels Town Trail

Built around the Gala Water (a tributary of the Tweed) the town of Galashiels lies in a shallow valley.

Until the late 18th century Galashiels was little more than a village but grew in stature as the industrial revolution harnessed the advantages of the available water power. In earlier years the nearby Abbey and village of Melrose were granted charters by King David I (1124-53) and King William I (1165-1214) in which land near the Gala Water is mentioned, (possibly where the Old Town was built).

In 1617, a new church was constructed at Galashiels and the parish name was changed to Galashiels in 1622. The town boasts a distinctive coat of arms showing two foxes looking up at the plums on a tree, a reference to an event in 1337 when a troop of English soldiers were caught beneath a plum tree and were slain by the local townspeople. The first mill in Galashiels is thought to have been built in 1581 on Bank Street, followed over the next 350 years by many textile mills and grand houses for the owners and managers. Few of the mills remain but the town retains a strong textile heritage with the focus now more on design and innovation rather than manufacture. The town also hosts the world famous Heriot-Watt University School of Textiles and Design. Today, Galashiels is the largest service centre in the Borders with new connections to Edinburgh following the opening of the Borders Railway (formerly part of the Waverley Line). As the rail gateway to the wider Borders area, the town will take on a new role in future years and welcome visitors seeking to explore our local area or to view the proposed Great Tapestry of Scotland at Tweedbank.

Please allow at least 45 minutes to complete, excluding time taken to enjoy the destinations along the way.