Some new bloggees have asked for a background piece on Hutton-here is the only one I could find on the WWW and it is not very up todate-well about 40 years out of date actually but is still quite interesting background. The search engine missed another more recent piece with some photos-this is the Berwickshire Community Council Forum site at
http://www.bccforum.info/ Go to 'communities' and follow link to Hutton and Paxton The piece does not mention that the Kirk in Hutton enjoys which surely must be a world's record: Two ministers in 108 years-one was the incumbent for 48 years and his succesor the Rev. D. Leslie lived in this manse for 60 years, retiring and dying in his 80s.
Parish No 745 Hutton is located within the County of Berwickshire which is now known as the Scottish Borders. Hutton sits approximately 6 miles west of Berwick-upon-Tweed. For a map showing the location of Hutton please click here.
The Parish of Fishwick united with Hutton in 1610. All that now remains of the medieval parish is an overgrown graveyard which contains the ruin of the mortuary chapel. There was also a medieval Parish church in the village of Paxton. Paxton now has its own Parish Church. For a map showing the location of Hutton, Fishwick and Paxton please click here.
"HUTTON, a parish, containing the post-office villages of Hutton and Paxton, on the south-east border of Berwickshire. It is bounded by the liberties of Berwick, by England, and by the parishes of Ladykirk, Whitsome, Edrom, Chirnside, Foulden, and Mordington."
from the Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, edited by John Marius Wilson, 1868.
Church History
Hutton Old Parish Church
The Church at Hutton was dedicated by David de Bernham who was the Bishop of St Andrews on 6 April 1243. In 1652 seating was installed within the Parish Church, it is thought that it was the original church that had the seats installed. Before the seating was installed members of the congregation brought their own seats. Between the years of 1655 and 1660 Hutton Old Parish Church underwent repairs which included the addition of a gallery on the west side of the church and the roof being re-thatched.
In 1765 a new church was built to replace Hutton Old Parish Church. The new Church had seating for 400 people. The church had an earthen floor, un-plastered walls no ceiling and a thatched roof. A paved floor was laid in 1791 along with the plastering of the walls and ceiling. This church was demolished in 1834. At this time the church was said to be in a state of disrepair bordering on ruinous.
Hutton Parish Church
The Parish Church which stands in Hutton today was built in 1834. The present day church was given a new floor and seating during the modernizations of 1934. In 1961 it was necessary to install a new roof and ceiling.
Fishwick Church
Fishwick was once a Parish in its own right until it joined with Hutton in 1610. After Fishwick united with Hutton, Fishwick Chapel remained in use as a Parish Church. In 1731 a Church Session meeting was held at Fishwick Parish Church. This was the last written recording of Fishwick Church being used.
Paxton Church
In 1843 Mordington Free Church was built, most of the congregation which attended the church services were from the village of Paxton. The village of Paxton also provided the congregation for Horndean United Free Church. The church remained as Mordington and Paxton United Free Church until 1929 when the United Free Church united with the Church of Scotland. The church is now united with Hutton and Foulden Parish Churches.
Population
Here are some figures showing the parish's population through time:
1755 – 751
1801 – 955
1811 – 1030
1821 – 1118
1831 – 1096
1841 –
1851 –
1861 – 1067
1871 –
1881 – 969
1891 –
1901 – The present pop of Hutton and Paxton is about 400 (blog-ed) No more farm labourers and domestic servants and all those people who have deserted the countryside for the towns. Hutton village itself may not have a 100 people-except during the Jim Clark Rally
