The History of Clovenfords Country Hotel

No one knows how long the area around Clovenfords has been settled, but remains of an Iron Age hill fort can still be found close by at Caddonlee, as well as an ancient stone that is thought to have been a standing stone, long ago.

In 1867 relics of an old military encampment were found close by on Meigle Hill comprising of scrap iron, broken blacksmiths tongs and fragments of sheet bronze.

The first records of an Inn date to circa 1750 and through the years, the building has had a few changes of hands. At times a private home, but always returning to a hotel. – Not surprising really, as there is such a feeling of welcome around this building that you couldn’t keep it to yourself….its as though the building itself is happiest when the doors are open and people come wandering in.

There is no pretension here, just honest value and friendship. Perhaps these are the very qualities that our ancient patrons, Sir Walter Scott, William Wordsworth and John Leydon enjoyed so much.

Scott was a regular visitor to the Clovenfords; residing here for many months, until finally purchasing a property close by at Ashiestiel. He recommended the Inn to his friend Wordsworth, which J.G.Lockhart writes about in his Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott…

The night before Wordsworth and his sister reached Melrose they slept at the Inn at Clovenfords where, on mentioning Scott’s name, they were received with all sorts of attention and kindness – the landlady, observing that Mr Scott ”was a very clever man, an old friend of the house and usually spent a good deal of time here at the fishing season”

Wordsworth must have enjoyed his visit, as he included Clovenfords in one of his poems, Yarrow Revisited: 15th May 1901.

Across the road from the Clovenfords you’ll find the old site of the Tweed Vineries, that in its heyday, produced 15,000lbs of grapes – some, no doubt finding their way to the hotel. The Borders of Scotland are not known for their grape production, but with the assistance of a large workforce and five miles of hot water pipes, grape production was central to the village for many years. The Vineries have long since closed, but you can see a piece of the original vine in the hotel restaurant, slowly creeping it’s way across the sunny conservatory.

In 2004 the Millar family took over the hotel and whilst retaining its original features, have set about modernising and transforming much of it. A new conservatory was added in 2005, doubling the size of the busy restaurant. New Kitchens were built at the same time, to ensure the smooth running of all three eating areas. Plans are in hand for further changes in the years to come, so keep an eye on this space…………….