Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

MANSEFIELD ROAD, EASTFIELD MILLSLB50813

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
B
Date Added
01/03/2007
Supplementary Information Updated
18/11/2008
Local Authority
Scottish Borders
Planning Authority
Scottish Borders
Burgh
Hawick
NGR
NT 50770 15310
Coordinates
350770, 615310

Description

Dated 1882. Near-symmetrical, 2-storey and attic, 9-bay, French Renaissance-style administration and warehouse block; advanced mansard-roofed outer bays with balustraded balconies; single-storey wing to W, pair of small cottages flanking gateway to E. Close-set square attic openings (originally blind, now windows) to all elevations. Finely jointed bull-faced sandstone, rusticated ashlar quoins and polished window margins. String course; modillioned eaves cornice. Projecting cills, round-arched openings to ground floor, hoodmoulded to outer bays. Regular fenestration with tripartite windows to centre and outer bays.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: Principal (S) elevation with off-centre entrance to left; pronounced consoled architrave with large nailhead mouldings. Round-arched windows with prominent keystones bearing saltire crosses. Square-headed openings to 1st storey. Central inscription to attic (see NOTES). Tripartite window set in distinctive round-headed dormer above with inscription in dormerhead (see NOTES); further round-headed dormers to outer bays. 3-bay, single-storey wings with piended roof, hoodmoulded windows and decorative brattishing. Non-traditional additions to rear.

INTERIOR: Extensively modernised but still retaining some internal features including sections of exposed timber flooring, roof structure and original stairwells.

Predominantly 4-pane pattern non-traditional glazing to casement and fixed light windows; non-traditional skylights. Coped wallhead stack to E elevation. Blue slate, lead flashings, cast-iron rainwater goods.

Statement of Special Interest

The administration block at Eastfield Mills has the grandest façade of any of the textile buildings in Hawick and it makes a major contribution to the streetscape. Its French Renaissance chateau style is highly distinctive and the building is both imposing and impressively detailed..

The mill was built by the firm of Blenkhorn, Richardson and Co Ltd. and remained in their hands until their closure in the 1970s. Johnstons of Elgin then took on the buildings, and they continue to use them for knitting and weaving to this day. Although the sheds to the rear were demolished in the 1990s and replaced with modern industrial units, the building is still an impressive reminder of the importance of the textile industry to the burgh.

Inscriptions read: EASTFIELD MILLS, 1882, and B R & CO.

Hawick is famous for its high-quality textiles. Historically the town was responsible for the production of high-quality garments, woollen knitwear, hosiery and, above all, cashmere. The burgh is located at the meeting of the River Teviot and the Slitrig water, which provided the essential element for the success of the mills, an abundance of fast flowing water to power the mills. The burgh had many small cottage mills in 1800 but gradually, as mechanisation took over more and more of the processes, larger mills were constructed. During the 19th century, water power was superseded by steam power, and many of the mills were converted to steam with the introduction of engine and boiler houses (although water continued to be used as source well into the 20th century). The industry led to Hawick at one time being one of the richest burghs in Scotland per capita. List description revised and category changed from C(S) to B following resurvey (2008).

References

Bibliography

2nd Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1897). J Hume, The Industrial Archaeology of Scotland; Vol 1 The Lowlands and Borders (1976), p230. C Gulvin, The Scottish Hosiery and Knitwear Industry, 1680-1980 (1984). D Roemmele, The Industrial Archaeology of the Tweed and Hosiery Textile Mills of Hawick, with Particular Reference to their Development, Ownership and Prime Movers, between 1920 & 1930, MSocSc Dissertation (1997), draft copy. Information courtesy of the owner (2006).

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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Printed: 02/08/2025 09:02