Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho

Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho
Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho is located in Scottish Borders
Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho
Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho
Location within the Scottish Borders
Population648 
OS grid referenceNT113357
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBiggar
Postcode districtML12
Dialling code01899
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
55°36′25″N 3°24′30″W / 55.606846°N 3.4082247°W / 55.606846; -3.4082247

Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho is a parish in Peeblesshire in the Scottish Borders, 11 miles south-west of Peebles, lying in the upper part of the valley of the River Tweed in the Southern Uplands. It is a union of three former parishes of bearing these names and the united parish is bound by Kirkurd on the north, Stobo on the east, Drumelzier on the south-east, Culter and Biggar, South Lanarkshire on the west and by Skirling in the north-west. For 4½ miles the eastern border of the parish follows the northward flowing Tweed.[1] It is 9½ miles long north-to-south and 3½ miles wide. The only village is Broughton.[2]

Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho (1821) showing separate parishes
Kirk of united parish shown at Callate (Calzeate) in far east of Kilbucho

This parish comprehends the old parish of Broughton in the north, and Glenholm in the south-east and Kilbucho on the south-west. In accordance with the deed of annexation, all three names are retained in the name of the united parish. Biggar Water, which forms the boundary between the Broughton and the other two, flows in an easterly direction and, before joining the Tweed, is joined in turn by Kilbucho Burn, Broughton Burn and Holms Water, each of which forms valleys containing the parishes that bear their names.[2]

The origin of the name Glenholm is obviously the valley of the Holms. Kilbucho, also spelled Kilbeuhhoe, Kilbochoe, Kilbocho, and Kirkbucho, is probably the Gaelic prefix "Kil" meaning chapel together with the name of the Venerable Bede or St Bega or St Bees. "Brough" in Broughton may refer to "burgh" or more likely the Scots term Brough or Bruch, meaning circle, of hills.[2]

The united parish was established by the Presbytery of Biggar in 1794 [3] and a new church was built in 1804 at a convenient central location for the united parish. While within Kilbucho,[2] the church is located just south of the village of Broughton and across Biggar Water. It is now a member of the linked "Parishes of Upper Tweeddale". Which is made up of the four linked Parishes [3] of:

  • Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho
  • Skirling
  • Stobo and Drumelzier
  • Tweedsmuir


At the time the three old parishes were united their area and population was :[4]

Parish Area
(acres)		 Pop.
1801
Broughton 4660 274
Glenholm 9060 270
Kilbucho 6710 250
TOTAL 20,430 794

At the same time the north-west portion of Kilbucho, around Hartree and Hartree Hills, was transferred to the parish of Culter in Lanarkshire, although this portion remained in Peeblesshire. This had an area of 1712 acres. However this portion was returned to the united parish in 1891, so that Culter became a parish entirely within Lanarkshire.[1]

For some time the three parishes continued to exist for some civil purposes. They continued as Registration Districts until 1870 [5] and to have separate parish schools.[2]

The civil parish of Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho is covered by the Upper Tweed Community Council (which also includes part of Drumelzier).[6]

The civil parish has a population of 648 (in 2011) [7] and its area is 19,797 acres.[8]

  1. ^ a b Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland, by Francis Groome, 2nd edition 1896; article on Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho
  2. ^ a b c d e Statistical Account of Scotland, Vol III Roxburgh, Peebles, Selkirk, publ.William Blackwood, 1845; article on Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho (Peeblesshire section)
  3. ^ a b Web site of Church of Scotland linked "Parishes of Upper Tweeddale" www.uppertweeddale.org.uk retrieved May 2016
  4. ^ Description of Tweeddale, by Alexander Pennecuik, publ A. Allardice, Leith, 1815; p.43
  5. ^ National Records of Scotland www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/statutory-registers/registration-districts retrieved May 2016
  6. ^ Scottish Borders Community Council web site https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/directory_record/7745/upper_tweed retrieved May 2016
  7. ^ Census of Scotland 2011, Table KS101SC – Usually Resident Population, publ. by National Records of Scotland. Web site http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/ retrieved March 2016. See “Standard Outputs”, Table KS101SC, Area type: Civil Parish 1930
  8. ^ Gazetteer of Scotland, publ, by W & AK Johnston, Edinburgh, 1937. Article on Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho. Places are presented alphabetically