| Stow | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Stow Location within theScottish Borders | |
| Population | 700 (2020)[1] |
| OS grid reference | NT456447 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GALASHIELS |
| Postcode district | TD1 |
| Dialling code | 01578 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
| 55°41′31″N2°51′43″W / 55.692°N 2.862°W /55.692; -2.862 | |
Stow of Wedale, or more oftenStow,/ˈstaʊ/ is a village in theScottish Borders area ofScotland (historically inMidlothian), 7 miles (11 kilometres) north ofGalashiels. In the 2011 Census the population was 718. It is served byStow railway station.
The name Stow is anOld English wordstōw meaning 'holy place' or 'meeting place', whilst Wedale is probably derived from the wordswēoh (orwīg) meaning 'shrine' anddæl meaning 'valley'.[2]
According to legend, Stow was the site of one of the battles in whichKing Arthur defeated theSaxons.[3]
There has been achurch at Stow since the 7th century, but the earliest example still visible today was built in the late 15th century on the site of the Church ofSt Mary which wasconsecrated on 3 November 1242. The church used today, St Mary of Wedale, was built in 1876 and features a 140-foot-highclock tower.[4]
A mile or so north of Stow lies the clachan of Torquhan, likely in the 13th century to have been one of the last places where the Brittonic languageCumbric was finally replaced by English.[citation needed]
Our Lady's Well is situated 1 mile (2 kilometres) south of the village and was rebuilt in 2000.[5] This is one of the oldest holy wells associated with the Virgin Mary in Scotland.
A rare example of apackhorse bridge, built in the 1650s, can be found in Stow.[6]
Stow of Wedale Town Hall was completed in 1857.[7]
In 1870,James Thin purchased a plot of land in the village and had a house built which was completed in 1873 and was named Ashlea. This house is still a private residence but is not owned by the Thin family.[8]
The Parish of Stow and Fountainhall is part of the Galashiels and District ward of Scottish Borders Council area. The village has a vibrant community with Stow Primary School and Nursery, Stow Bowling Club, Stow Amateur Football Club and Stow Cycle Hub at the centre of the village. There are also a Post Office and Shop, Cafe, Bookshop and the Station House Bar and Kitchen.A number of Walks Around Stow leaflets have been produced which feature local landmarks, including a nearby Broch, with short histories of each route. These are available to buy locally.
.jpg)
 | ThisScottish Borders location article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |