- Conservation Area
- Innerleithen
- Conservation Area Statement
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The Conservation Area of Innerleithen includes much of the High Street, Leithen Road, and part of Traquair Road, Waverley Road, Horsbrugh Street, and Pirn Road.
Until late 19th century Innerleithen was a small hamlet; comprising of only a few thatched houses, a mill, and a church.
The character of Innerleithen Conservation Area owes much to the Leithen Water that runs through the town to the Tweed.
A lade to the west of the river supplied several woollen mills (one of them was the first in the Borders, established in 1788), a sawmill and Smail’s Printing Works (now run by the National Trust for Scotland).
Innerleithen was an ideal location for the woollen industry. Its fast flowing river offered waterpower to the mills and wool was produced in the surrounding pastoral countryside.
The development of the woollen industry did not begin as a gradual process, but on a large scale with the building of Brodie’s Mill.
The majority of properties within the Innerleithen Conservation Area are 19th century and residential and follow a fairly general pattern.
Architecturally they are quite plain as individual units but rely for their interest and integrity on their proportioning, detailing and uniformity as a group of buildings. Snecked whin stone, sandstone, harling, stone quoins, and slate are the main building materials.
Most properties have timber sash and case windows and solid timber doors, and dormers. They are characteristically of a small scale either single, one and a half or two storeys in height.
Therefore any new development must aim to contribute to the existing character of the Conservation Area. Also included within the area are retail and other commercial properties, any alterations to these should seek to respect the individual building and the wider Conservation Area.
There are currently 19 listed properties within the amended Conservation Area. There are also two Scheduled Monuments: the Cross Shaft, Innerleithen Parish Church and Innerleithen Roman Camp. The Roman Camp is partially outside the Conservation Area. - Designation, adoption and boundary information
- Alterations to the Innerleithen Conservation Area boundary from that shown in the Tweeddale Local Plan (1996) consist of the exclusion of an area to the south-west and south-east of the Conservation Area, Torwyn along the Strand and properties at Nursery Park. General tidying of the boundary is also proposed so that it follows elements on the ground.
- Download boundary map
- Innerleithen Conservation Area
- Contact
- Heritage and Design Officer
- Online Form
- Contact heritage and design officer
