Survivors Of The South.

The Borders have seen much conflict over the centuries-its remaining castles tell of their own parts in the story

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FROM battles between Northumbrians and the Picts in the 7th century, through the Wars of Independence and the "Rough Wooing", the Borders have endured centuries of conflict.

Back and forth across the Cheviots or the flatlands around Gretna and into Dumfries and Galloway, warfare has been funnelled through the natural passages in the landscape.

Built to guard these routes or as homes for the victors and beneficiaries, the Borders have both battle-worn buildings and palatial residences.

Floors Castle

Kelso

NESTLED on the outskirts of Kelso in the Scottish Borders, Floors Castle is the result of centuries of history and architectural evolution. Since the 1720s, it has been the grand seat of the Duke of Roxburghe, a lineage deeply connected to the history of Scotland.

The castle's journey began with only a modestly ambitious plan. John, Earl of Roxburghe, entrusted architect William Adam with the task of creating a residence.

Adam's design took the form of a plain block adorned with towers at either end, reflecting the elegant simplicity of the Georgian era. However, the castle's true transformation came under the stewardship of a later Duke, James Innes-Ker. He commissioned the visionary architect William Playfair to remodel and expand the structure.

Playfair, known for his masterful neo-Gothic style, imbued Floors Castle with its present character. Look closely, and you'll find echoes in Edinburgh's former Donaldson's College, another of Playfair's masterpieces.

The name "Floors Castle" itself is a curiosity, with some attributing it to the French "fleurs" (meaning flowers), a nod to the surrounding natural beauty. Others believe it simply refers to the terraces upon which the castle gracefully sits.