Duns

Duns is a town in southeast Scotland, 50 miles southeast of Edinburgh.

Duns is popular for the Jim Clark Motorsport Museum, Duns Castle Nature Reserve, and Manderston House 2 miles east.

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Camping & Touring Parks in area

The images top are of Duns Market Cross and Market Square in the Town centre.

The White Swan Hotel is in the southwest corner of the Square.

The Polish Bear Statue is by the Market Square. Named Wojtek, this Syrian brown bear was rescued as a cub by soldiers from the Free Polish Army. Over the following years, the bear was used in the war effort such as clearing ammunition.

The Jim Clark Motorsport Museum is on Newtown Street, a short walk southwest of the Market Square. Jim Clark was a Formula One racing driver from Duns that won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965. Clark died in 1968 during a Formula Two racing accident at Hockenheim in West Germany.

Duns Parish Church and Duns Park are a short distance south of the Market Square. The Church was mostly built in 1880, a year after the previous building was damaged by fire.

Duns Park has a War Memorial, Polish War Memorial, John Duns the Philosopher statue, Kids Play, and Bowling Green.

Duns Golf Club, founded in 1894, is situated about 1 mile south of the Town centre.

Duns Castle is situated about 1 mile up Castle Street from the Market Square. The Castle is private with it being used for Weddings, Holidays, and Corporate Events. There are two man made Lakes on the Estate that can be visited as a Wildlife Reserve.

There is a circular Walking Route to the Lakes and Duns Law Hill where the original Town of Duns was situated.

Manderston House is situated about 2 miles east of Duns, it can be visited from May to September.

Wedderburn Castle is situated about 2 miles southeast of Duns. This is a private castle that is used for Holidays and Weddings. Wedderburn Castle may have a few open days each year for visitors. You need to check the website for information.

Duns History

The original site of Duns was at Duns Law Hill where there are remains of an Iron Age hill fort at the summit, about 2 miles north of where the Town of Duns is today.

1296 - one of the earliest recordings of Duns is when the town is mentioned after a 'Robert of Douns' signed the Ragman Roll during the First War of Scottish Independence, a Roll where Scottish Landowners pledged to support the King of England in his quest to gain control of Scotland.

1314 - the defeat of a vast English Army at the Battle of Bannockburn leads to Robert the Bruce becoming King of Scotland.

1320 - Duns Castle was built for the Earl of Moray, nephew of King Robert the Bruce.

1333 - during the Second War of Scottish Independence, Sir Archibald Douglas, Guardian of Scotland, raised an army at Duns to attack the English that were laying siege to Berwick. Those Scots were defeated at the Battle of Halidon Hill.

1372 - in response to Scots carrying out a number of raids in England, the Earl of Northumberland invaded Scotland and camped at Duns. The English were defeated by locals in what is known as the Battle of Duns.

1490 - the town was created a Burgh of Barony in by King James IV with the townsfolk given the right to hold a market every Wednesday.

1544, 1545 and 1558 - Duns was badly damaged by fire during the war of the Rough Wooing as King Henry VIII tried to force the infant Mary Queen of Scots to mary his young Son.

1517 - Antoine d'Arces /known as the White Knight, had his head cut off by George Home of Wedderburn and stuck on a pole at Duns Market Cross.

1588 - the town was moved from Duns Law to its present location.

1630? - Nisbet House was built 2 miles south of Duns for the Nisbet Family.

1639 - fortifications were built on top of Duns Law as the English Civil War spread into Scotland. Remains of the fortifications can be seen today.

1650 - during the English Civil War, that spread into Scotland, Oliver Cromwell stationed a garrison in Duns after the Battle of Dunbar.

1670 - the Town and Duns Estate were bought by Sir John Cockburn of Cockburn.

1680 - the first Tolbooth was built at Duns Market Square.

1696 - Duns Estate was sold to John Hay, 1st Marquess of Tweeddale.

1775 - Wedderburn Castle was built for the Wedderburn family 2 miles southeast of Duns.

1790 - Duns Parish Church was built to replace a much earlier building on that site.

1816 - a new Tolbooth was built after the original was damaged by fire.

1851 - Kimmerghame House was built 3 miles southeast of Duns for the Swinton family.

1880 - Duns Parish Church was re-built after the previous building was dammaged by fire.

1882 - Duns Castle was transformed into a Gothic Castle for the Hay's by the architect James Gillespie Graham.

1894 - Duns Golf Club was founded.

1903 - a bill was introduced by the Secretary for Scotland confirming Duns as the county town of Berwickshire.

1903 - Manderston House was built for the Liberal Peer, Lord Palmer, 2 miles east of Duns.

1942 - the family of Jim Clark moved to Edington Mains Farm by Duns.

1963 and 1965 - Jim Clark won two Formula One Championships.

1966 - the Tolbooth was demolished.

1968 - Jim Clark died during a Formula Two racing accident at Hockenheim in West Germany. He was buried at Chirnside Parish Churchyard 6 miles east of Duns.

1969 - the Jim Clark Motorsport Museum was opened in Duns.

1990s - many new homes start being built in and around Duns.

2016 - the Statue of the War Hero bear Wojtek is unveiled in Duns centre.