Biggar

History

Biggar occupies a key location close to two of Scotland's great rivers, the Clyde flowing to the west, and the Tweed flowing to the east. The area has been occupied since Mesolithic times[1]. The present day A702 follows the route of a Roman road, which linked the Clyde Valley with Musselburgh. In the 12th century, a motte and bailey castle was constructed by the Normans, and the first permanent crossing of the Biggar Burn was built. It is thought that there has been a church at Biggar since the 6th or 7th century, although the first stone kirk was built in 1164, on the site of the existing kirk. In the 14th century, the Fleming family were given lands in the area by Robert the Bruce, whose cause they had supported. The Flemings built Boghall Castle, visible as a ruin until the early 20th century, but now only represented by a few mounds. The town continued to grow as an important market town, and in 1451 the town became a burgh.

The market place remains the central focus of the town. The kirk was rebuilt as a Collegiate church in 1546, the last to be established before the Reformation of 1560. The Flemings found themselves on the wrong side in the 16th century, when they supported Mary, Queen of Scots, and their lands were given over to the Elphinstone family. Biggar Gas Works opened in 1836, producing gas from coal. In 1973, with the introduction of natural gas, the works closed.

Biggar had its own railway station between 1860 and 1953. John Brown the physician and essayist was born in a house in the South Back Road in 1810 which was at that time a manse. He is commemorated with a plaque on the front wall of the municipal hall. In early 1900 a farmer located in Biggar founded Albion Motors as a small business which eventually grew into the largest truck country in the British Empire. The company still exists as part of the Leyland DAF group. The archives of Albion motors can still be found in Biggar.

Find out more about Biggar past and present.

Biggar Today

Biggar is a thriving town with an attractive high street. It boast the best fish and chip shop in Scotland (Townhead Cafe) as well as arguably the best ice cream (Taylors of Biggar). There is a post office, bank and co-op super market as well as a children's puppet theatre (Purvis Puppets) and various small museums.

The Crown and the Elpinstone pubs provide good food in an atmopsheric enviroment. The tourist information is open during from April to September.