Overview of Old County of Roxburghshire

A former county and a dukedom in the south of Scotland largely lying within the drainage basin of the River Teviot, Roxburghshire extends to 665 sq. miles (1722 sq. km) and was bounded to the N by Berwickshire and Midlothian, to the E and S by England, and the W by Dumfriesshire and Selkirkshire. In addition to the Teviot, the county is watered by the Tweed, Borwick, Ale, Slitrig, Rule, Jed, Oxnam and Kale. With modified boundaries, Roxburghshire became a district of the Borders Region from 1975 to 1996 and part of the Scottish Borders Council Area thereafter. Its administrative centre was originally Roxburgh, until that royal burgh was destroyed in 1460, succeeded by Jedburgh and later becoming Newtown St Boswells. Its other main settlements were Kelso, Hawick, Yetholm and Melrose, the latter lost in 1975.