Scott & Chisholme Country - 1st Sunday in Advent

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This is the view from my guest bedroom window. Those of you who have been here will recognise the television mast on the Millers' Knowes with the Target Hills beyond.

My back garden today. Last winter I had already hung my Christmas lights on the wee pine tree before the winter snows arrived. I had been to church this morning for the First Sunday in Advent. The little girl who lit the First Advent Candle thought it was like a birthday candle and she promptly blew it out and our Minister had to ask her to re-light it. Then on the walk home I met Andrew Hepburne-Scott of Harden, Lord Polwarth who was showing some overseas visitors around our town. Some say the Scotts of Harden are the rightful leaders of Clan Scott being an unbroken male line, the original Scott of Harden being a younger brother of Scott of Buccleuch whose ancestry incudes a female line, but here in Scotland Richard the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry is recognised as the Chief of Clan Scott and Lord Polwarth as his Chieftain who may deputise for him.

Not the biggest icicle in the neighbourhood but proof that we are back into icicle season.

This sheep's winter fleece might be a kilt next year!

The Shepherd and his flock. A difficult shot to take as flash would have reflected back in the freezing fog and would have scared the sheep so there is some motion blur on the Border Collie and the sheep.

What goes on behind these gates with their forbidding signs?
Stirches House was built in the early nineteenth century for a son of the Chisholmes of that ilk.
The son inherited his wife's uncle's estate, as a condition of which he had to take the uncle's Scott surname and become Scott Chisholme. His son John James Scott Chisholme (1 August 1851-21 October 1899) was a British cavalry officer who died heroically leading a charge that turned the Battle of Elandslaagte in the Second Anglo-Boer War.
John James Scott Chisholme was the son of John Chisholme and Margaret Walker and was born here at Stirches in Scotland. His father succeeded to the estate of his maternal uncle, James Scott of Whitehaugh, and under the terms of the latter's will, assumed the surname of Scott in addition to his own. Scott-Chisholme was educated at Loretto School, Musselburgh, and Repton School. He joined the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers in 1872, and was promoted to Captain in March, 1878. He served with the 9th Lancers in the Second Anglo-Afghan War of 1878-80, and was present at the capture of Ali Musjid, in the affair at Siah Sung where he was severely wounded. He also took part in the operations around Kabul in December 1879 and was again wounded. In 1881 he became Brevet-major in March being awarded the medal with two clasps, and became Major in December 1884. In May 1889, he was transferred to the 5th Royal Irish Lancers and was military secretary to Lord Connemara, who was governor of Madras from 1886 to 1890. Subsequently he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in August 1894, and brevet-colonel in 1898. Although he retired in 1899 he then volunteered for service in the Second Anglo-Boer War.
As Colonel he became the first commander of the Imperial Light Horse formed of 444 men including officers, chosen from among 5,000 volunteers. He was killed at the regiment’s first battle at the Battle of Elandslaagte on 21 October 1899 leading from the front and waving a red scarf. Chisholme was the last in the male line of an ancient border family.
Following his death, Stirches House became home to a Hawick mill owner, then later it became St. Andrews Roman Catholic Convent and now in the 21st century it is home to thirty handicapped and elderly residents who have full time nursing care.

The driveway to Stirches House on a snowy day.

Spare a thought for dear Ann. She has been my friend for 37 years, 25 of which we lived together as husband and wife. Now diabetes and strokes have taken their toll and she is paralysed from the waist down and has dementia and needs the full-time nursing care provided in Stirches House. I am her only regular visitor.