Overview

The Borders Textile Towerhouse, in Hawick, is a museum about the Scottish Borders knitwear and tweed history. The fascinating, small museum is housed in a very accessible, step free restored 16th century town house. It has permanent galleries telling the story of the local textile industries, an original barrel-vaulted room dating back to the time of the Border Reivers, a picture gallery room and changing exhibitions showcasing contemporary fashion, design, art and craft.

Transport & Parking

The museum is in the town centre and easy to get to by bus. The X95 Borders Bus from Edinburgh, via Galashiels, to Carlisle stops at Hawick. There are also a few local buses. Travelling from Edinburgh or Galashiels, the nearest bus stop is called Travel Agents. From there it is a minutes level walk to the museum. When you get off the bus continue straight ahead. Keeping on the same side of the road. On the corner of the street is a sculpture of five figures with a flag. This statue is in front of the museum, which has an entrance with a couple of steps. There is an archway in the building leading through to a car park and the step free entrance to the museum. Please note, on return I retraced my steps expecting to pick up the bus in the opposite direction on the High Street, and ended up walking its entire length. I had to ask for directions, and ended up walking to the bus stop outside Morrison's in Mart Street, a distance of 0.5 miles. I'm sure there must be an closer bus stop for the return journey, so please check. There is no train station in Hawick. The nearest train station is Galashiels and from there you can get the X95 bus to Hawick, in the direction of Carlisle.

Access

From the front of the building the entrance has a couple of steps and no handrail. The archway to the left of the entrance leads through to a car park and a rear, step free entrance to the museum. There is a bell for access. The museum is step free with lift to all floors. Alternatively there is a spiral staircase with handrails on both sides and the edge of the steps marked by yellow tape. The museum consists of several small rooms and most of them had seating in them. There are a couple of exhibits which you can touch, including one about tweed, where there is a magnifying glass so you can look at the material in more detail.

Toilets

On the ground floor there is an accessible toilet. It has a manual door. There are plenty of grab rails and an emergency cord. It was very clean and tidy.

Staff

Staff were welcoming and friendly on arrival at the welcome desk. There were no room stewards.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

This is a charming museum, both the building itself and its contents is very interesting. I went there as some of my ancestors worked in the textile mills in the Scottish Borders so it was fascinating to find out more and to see the type of machines they would have used. Well worth visiting if in the area or making a special trip for if interested in the Scottish Borders textile trade.

Photos