Three buildings form the 'heart' of Hawick. A former mill holds a cafe and cinema. Opposite, historic Drumlanrig's Tower, once a major seat of the Douglas clan, now houses the Borders Textile Towerhouse. This tells the story of the town's knitwear-producing history. Behind the mill, the Heritage Hub is a state-of-the-art facility open to anyone wishing to trace their Scottish heritage or explore other local archives.
Heart of Hawick
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
16.87 MILES
One of Scotland's great country houses, Traquair House has a powerful, ethereal beauty, and exploring it is like time travel. Odd, sloping floors and a…
12.34 MILES
Just outside Melrose, this is where to discover the life and works of Sir Walter Scott, to whom we arguably owe both the modern novel and our mind's-eye…
11.43 MILES
The 'guardhouse of the bloodiest valley in Britain', Hermitage Castle embodies the brutal history of the Scottish Borders. Desolate but proud with its…
12.61 MILES
Perhaps the most interesting of the Border abbeys, red-sandstone Melrose was repeatedly destroyed by the English in the 14th century. The remaining broken…
12.07 MILES
This is the most beautiful and complete of the Border abbeys, partly because the neighbouring town of Dryburgh no longer exists (another victim of the…
9.94 MILES
Dominating the town skyline, this was the first of the great Border abbeys to be passed into state care, and it shows – audio and visual presentations…
14.74 MILES
For the best views of the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park, attend a stargazing session at this state-of-the-art, 2008-built observatory. Its…
18.09 MILES
Grandiose Floors Castle is Scotland's largest inhabited mansion, home to the Duke of Roxburghe, and overlooks the Tweed about a mile west of Kelso. Built…
Nearby attractions
0.01 MILES
The historic Drumlanrig’s Tower is a solid stone mansion that was once a major seat of Douglas clan power in the Borders. It now holds the Borders Textile…
0.03 MILES
The Heritage Hub, formerly the corn exchange, is a handy facility for anyone wishing to trace Scottish heritage, or other local archives. If you can't…
3. Hawick Museum & Art Gallery
0.57 MILES
This museum has an interesting collection of mostly 19th-century manufacturing and domestic memorabilia as well as details on a tragic pair of local…
8.93 MILES
Halliwell’s House Museum is the oldest building (1712) in Selkirk. The museum charts local history with an engrossing exhibition, and the Robson Gallery…
5. Sir Walter Scott's Courtroom
8.97 MILES
Drop into Sir Walter Scott’s Courtroom, where there’s an exhibition on the man’s life and writings, plus a fascinating account of the courageous explorer…
9.72 MILES
Jedburgh Castle was a victim of Scotland's wars for independence but this smart 1820s prison was built on the site as part of a jail reform program. You…
9.94 MILES
Dominating the town skyline, this was the first of the great Border abbeys to be passed into state care, and it shows – audio and visual presentations…
8. Mary, Queen of Scots' Visitor Centre
10.07 MILES
Mary stayed at this beautiful 16th-century tower house in 1566 after her famous ride to visit the injured Earl of Bothwell, her future husband, at…