Hawick, Weavers Cottage

Headland Archaeology Ltd was commissioned to undertake recording of historic buildings on a proposed development site at Commercial Road, Hawick, Roxburghshire. Headland had already produced an archaeological desk based assessment for this site in October 2008, which identified the remains of two late 18th or early 19th century textile mill complexes, Dangerfield Mill and Langlands Mill, within the proposed development area.

Given the prior demolition of the majority of both mill complexes and the significant alterations to both standing buildings on the site their value as historic structures had been compromised. This report forms a record of the structures prior to demolition and redevelopment in line with the requirements of the planning authority [Planning Ref. 09/00622/FUL].

NT 5020 1500 A desk-based assessment in October 2008 identified the remains of two late 18th- or early 19th-century textile mill complexes, Dangerfield and Langland Mills, in a proposed development area. Historic building recording of the standing buildings associated with Dangerfield Mill (the wool sorting shed) and the remains of Langlands Mill was undertaken on 14–15 October 2009. The work allowed the documentation of the changes that have taken place on the site since the construction of the mills in the 19th century.

The surviving wool sorting shed and ruined weaving and carding sheds associated with the Dangerfield Mill probably represent buildings constructed during the expansion of the mill in the late 19th century. The wall remains of the Langlands Mill suggest different phases of construction. Some possible rubble-built portions of the wall may date to the early 19th century, when the site was occupied by the Rough Heugh Mill, later incorporated into the Langlands Mill. Most of the two mill complexes have already been demolished, and both standing buildings have been significantly altered. Their value as historic structures has therefore been compromised. This report forms a record of the structures before their demolition and redevelopment.

Allison Borden – Headland Archaeology Ltd

The cottage was demolished ahead of construction for Sainsbury's in 2009.

SBC HER (CB)

A small, angled one and a half storey stone cottage with two entrance

doors, one with a taking-in door above, first appears in the map record on the 1898 Ordnance Survey map. The cottage had stone cobbled floors at the ground floor. There is also a power loom, with partially completed knitwear still on it, situated along the back wall

of the cottage. Just inside the entrance door toward the north side of the cottage, a wooden staircase follows the angle of the front wall and runs up along the north wall to the first floor of

the cottage, where a number of stretchers for sizing the jumpers and other equipment related to knitwear manufacture are still stored. The cottage has been used as a workshop, painters’ workshop, stable and small knitwear factory. From 1999, it has been used for storage.

Source: Headland Archaeology (AHB)

Funder: Halcrow Yolles