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Galashiels is the second largest town in the
Borders region in southeast Scotland, 35 miles
south of Edinburgh.
Galashiels is popular for its Tapestry
Museum on the High Street, Old Gala House
Museum a 5 minute walk west of the Market
Square on Scott Crescent, and Abbotsford House
museum 2 miles southeast.
Galashiels has many small local shops around
the centre and many large stores close to the
centre such as Asda, B&M, Home Bargains,
McDonalds, M&S Foodhall, Next, Sports
Direct, Tesco, TK Max. Many touring bands play
here. WhatsOn
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Attractions
Camping &
Touring Parks in area
The image top is from the Market Square
looking down Bank Street with the High Street
further on. There is a Statue of Sir Walter
Scott here and a large Mural of him on a
building.
The Great Tapestry of
Scotland is a museum on the High Street,
with 160 linen panels showing the history of
Scotland, opened in 2021. Wiki Page.
The Old Post Office building is next to the
Tapestry Museum, built in 1896 at 1 Channel
Street.
Channel Street is the main Shopping Street
in the town leading from the Post Office south
to Market Street.
Coulter's Candy
Statue is at Market Street, erected in 2019
in honour of Robert Coulter, a local Weaver who
made Sweets to sell around the Borders. There
is a song about him from the mid 1800s named
Ally Bally Bee.
At the top of Market Street is the Market
Cross erected around 1599, and Burgh Chambers
built from 1867.
The Tower with a War Memorial was built onto
the Burgh Chambers in the 1920s.
The Border Reiver Statue in front of the
Burgh Chambers was erected in 1924.
Old Gala House
Museum is a 5 minute walk west from the
Market Cross down John Street then onto Scott
Crescent, built from 1457 for the Pringle
family, converted to a Museum, Borders Family
History Society, and Wedding venue in the
1980s. Wiki Page.
Abbotsford House, home of Sir Walter
Scott, 1771 to 1832, is 2 miles southeast
of Galashiels, one of the top attractions in
the area.
Galashiels History
1136 - Melrose Abbey was built 5 miles west
of where Galashiels is today, with the Monks
introducing sheep farming to the area for wool
and meat.
Around this time, the name Galche is
mentioned in a charter, thought to be the first
mention of Galashiels.
1400s early - there was a Tower of Earl
Douglas in the area.
1457 - the earliest parts of Old Gala House
were built for the Lairds of Galashiels, the
Pringle family, who were granted the Lairdship
by Earl Douglas. Galashiels has since grown
around the house.
1500s - the first small Water Powered
Textile Mills
were built.
1590s - the Old Tolbooth was built in the
centre of Galashiels to serve as a courthouse,
prison and for council meetings.
1599 - the Market Cross was built in the
town centre, replaced by the one seen today in
1867.
1771 - the Lairds of Galashiels, the Scott's
by then through marriage, began encouraging the
building of large Textile Mills in the
area.
1849 - the Railway reached the town leading
to coal being brought in to power Steam Mills
and Wool from around the area, then transport
the high quality cloth around the World.
1870s - New Gala House was
built for the Lairds of Galashiels, the
Scott's.
1880 - the Old Tolbooth was demolished, then
replaced by the Burgh Chambers that can be seen
today.
1890 - the population had grown to 20,000
due to the Textile Industry.
1987 - New Gala House was demolished.
1996 - the last Textile Mill closed in
Galashiels, named Patons & Baldwins.
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