Yarrow - Encyclopedia

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

YARROW, a river and parish of Selkirkshire, Scotland. The river, issuing from St Mary's Loch, flows for 14 m. E. by N. to the Tweed, which it joins about 3 m. below the county town. The stream and vale are famous in poetry. Only a fragment remains of Dryhope Tower, on Dryhope Burn, the home of Mary Scott, "the flower of Yarrow," whom Walter Scott of Harden married about 1576. On Douglas Burn, a left-hand tributary, are the ruins of the keep of "the good" Sir James Douglas, the friend of Robert Bruce; and Blackhouse, Mount Benger and the farm of Altrive are all connected with James Hogg. Near Broadmeadows Sir William Douglas, the knight of Liddesdale, was murdered by his kinsman (13J3) in revenge for the death of Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie at Hermitage Castle. The body lay for a night in Lindean church, now in ruins, near Selkirk, before its burial in Melrose Abbey. On the right bank are the ruins of Newark Castle, built by James III. in 1466 as a hunting seat, afterwards the property of the Scotts of Buccleuch. It was burned by the English in 1548, but the tower was restored. On the right side of the Yarrow is Bowhill, a seat of the duke of Buccleuch.