Village History

Since the village website was set up Ayton Local History Society developed its own very informative website which can be viewed here. If you wish to find out about Ayton’s past, this is the place to look.

Did you know? Here are a few interesting snippets about Ayton

• 1333,19th July, the rout which followed Scotland’s defeat at the Battle of Halidon Hill continued for 5 corpse strewn miles as the English knights killed at will: the first rear-guard defence was organised around Ayton using the River Eye as a natural defensive barrier.
• In September 1497, at Ayton Old Church , James IV of Scotland and Henry VII of England signed a seven year truce. This was 5 years after Christopher Columbus banged into the new world (1492) and 123 years before the Pilgrim Fathers landed in New England (1620)
• 1715 James Hume, Earl of Hume, a supporter of the Jacobite cause, aided the Earl of Mar to reinstate the Stewarts upon the throne with his support of the failed second Jacobite rebellion. For this support, James Hume forfeited the Ayton Castle Estates and they were passed to the Crown.
• 1914-18: 42 men from Ayton Parish lost their lives in defence of their country during World War One.
• 1939-45 World War Two: 15 men from Ayton Parish lost their lives in defence of their country
• 1948 – between 8 and 13 August 15 inches of rain fell. The River Eye burst its banks and damaged many railway bridges. Ayton, lying on the high ground was not flooded by the river. Unfortunately, the Bean Burn, which runs through the village, burst its banks and caused much flooding.
• 1966 Ayton train station closed the nearest railhead became Berwick-upon-Tweed.
• 1980 – Ayton is finally by-passed so that the bulk of traffic is diverted on to the present A1.