Roxburgh, St James's Fair Green

St James's Green lies to the north of Vigorous Haugh, west of Kelso, and was the site of St James's Fair, a market associated with the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh. Records show that this was the most important fair to be held in Scotland in the Middle Ages. The origins of the fair probably lie in the late twelfth century when much of Roxburghshire was under English control. As much of Scotland's wool for export came from the Borders, it is probable that English merchants began a market to exploit this resource.

St James' Fair took its name from a church that once stood near the site of the market. The church bells would have been rung to signify the beginning of the market, and after Roxburgh was no longer inhabited, the provost of Jedburgh would come to 'cry the fair'. As Roxburgh had been a royal burgh, so it fell to the nearest royal burgh to undertake this duty. St James' Fair continued until the 1930s and had become a venue where Romany families from across Scotland came together to buy and sell horses and ponies.

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

NT73SW 3 7175 3424.

(Name: NT 7175 3424) St. James's Fair Green (NR)

OS 6"map, (1938).

St James' Fair, still held annually on the Fair Green, perpetuates the dedication of St James' Church (Roxburgh 6 SW 10) which was on record in 1134. (A O and M O Anderson 1936).

RCAHMS 1956.

No further information. The fair is no longer held on the Fair Green.

Visited by OS (EGC) 11 December 1963.