Teviot Bridge, The Trysting Tree

Records of the nineteenth century describe the Trysting Tree, an impressive elm that stood near the confluence of the Rivers Teviot and Tweed.

In 1838, the minister of Kelso parish wrote that the tree marked the spot where the River Teviot was forded before a bridge was built. At this time, the tree was described as being in the last stages of decay, though some of it had been used to build furniture for Floors Castle. Local stories about the tree describe it as a lovers' meeting place in the early nineteenth century and in earlier times, a gathering place for bands of reivers.

Text prepared by RCAHMS as part of the Accessing Scotland's Past project

NT73SW 14 7211 3376

(NT 7211 3376) Trysting Tree (site of) (NAT).

OS 6" map, (1938).

An ancient elm known by the name of the Trysting Tree, existed until very recently at or near the boundary between the parishes of Kelso and Roxburgh; and marks the spot where the river used to be forded before the erection of Teviot Bridge.

OS Name Book 1858.

In Kelso Public Library is an enlargement of an illustration of the Trysting Tree taken from Gilpin's 'Forest Scenery', together with a newscutting (Kelso Mail 20 April 1910), in which an anonymous correspondent refers to the tree having been a lovers' meeting place in the early 19th century and gathering place of the Border Reivers earlier. The cutting also quotes a detailed description of the tree by Douglas (Dr Douglas 1798), in 1798 when it was 79ft high; and mentions an alleged piece of the tree having been taken to London in 1846, which suggests that it may have been destroyed about that time.

Visited by OS (RDL), 3 December 1963.