History of the name
Nicholas Vigrus was Stewart of Tynemouth c.1295, (Laing, 17), Richard Vigrous
, burgess of Roxburgh, rendered homage, 1296, (Bain,
ii, p. 197), and Hugh de la Vikeres had grants of lands and burgages within
the vill of Roxburgh, Kerton, etc. from Robert I, c. 1315 (RMS., i, App. ii,
128). Thomas de Vigurws, burgess of Roxburgh, c. 1338, son and heir of umquhile
Agnes called Maunsell, is referred to in the same year as Thomas dictus Vigurus
( Dryburgh, p.260,261,264; BNCH.,xxiv, p.226. He granted a burgage in the town
of Roxburgh to Sir William de Feltoun, sherrif of Roxburgh, c. 1338 (Dryburgh,
313). Nothing more is known of this Thomas. He may have given name to Vigurus
or Vigrous Flat. lands called Vigorushalch in the sherrifdom of Roxburghare
mentioned in 1503 (HMC., xii, pt.8, p.178), in 1611 Vigoroushauche (Retours,
Roxburgh, 67). William del Vikers was juror on an inquest at Roxburgh, 1361
(Bain, iv, 62). In 1399 the abbot of Kelso granted to Thomas de Vicaria and
his heirs a tenement in Wester-kelsow, temporarily held by John de Bolden (Kelso,
p. 412). Willemus de Vicar' appears as armiger in Kelso, 1396 (REA., ii, p.
292), and James Viccars of Pethhead, parish of Lesmahago, in record, 1662 (Lanark
CR.).
Roxburgh
district, Borders region, southern Scotland. Created by the
reorganization of 1975, it includes most of the former county of Roxburgh
(q.v.) and a small part of the former county of Berwick. Hawick is the seat
of the district authority. The district, with an area of 595 square miles
(1,540 square km), contains the entire basin of the Teviot River, which flows
northeast in its dale (valley) to its confluence with the Tweed at Kelso.
Rolling grass moorlands enclose the farmland in the deep valleys. Most of
the district's land is under grass. Upland sheep farming is the chief occupation
west of Hawick. The lowland crop-livestock farms combine sheep and cattle
breeding. The economies of Roxburgh's towns centre on their markets, textile
manufactures, and tourist trade. Hawick is especially noted for hosiery and
knitwear. Pop. (1987 est.) 35,133.
![[Roxburgh map]](pictures/roxburgh.gif)
The Borders of Scotland - Roxburgh
Roxburgh, also called ROXBURGHSHIRE, former county, southern
Scotland; since the reorganization of 1975 it is mostly in Roxburgh district,
of Borders region. Numerous archaeological remains in the area include hill
forts in the dales and later Roman camps, forts, and signal stations, as well
as Dere Street, the Roman road running north from England. After the Roman withdrawal
the area was occupied by the Britons of Strathclyde, and it was later annexed
to Northumbria for four centuries until it was ceded to Scotland in 1018. Roxburgh
was constituted a shire by David I, and its ancient town of Roxburgh formed
one of the Court of Four Burghs. The town was abandoned when the castle was
destroyed and James II of Scotland killed in 1460; it was superseded by Kelso.
Other towns in the locality were repeatedly burned during border warfare between
the Scots and English, and the abbeys of Jedburgh, Kelso, and Melrose were ruined
in 1544-45. Abbotsford, near Melrose, was the last home of the 19th-century
novelist Sir Walter Scott, and the surrounding area is known as "the Scott country."
Vickers Associated Tartans
Roxburgh District
Tartan
Roxburgh Red Tartan
Although the name of Vickers is not directly associated with any of the Scottish
clans, the name has been long associated with the Scottish Border area, and
in particular Roxburgh. Having looked for the name
Vickers amongst the many name lists in Scottish tartan and souvenir shops,
I eventually came across a source that stated that those with the Vickers name
were entitled to wear the Roxburgh tartan. Reproduced
above are two version of that tartan.
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