Gifford

The mysterious Goblin Ha' Hotel in the delightful village of Gifford, a lovely place to spend a night away from the city. Comfy beds, wonderful food - and steeped in legend. Before I hear you all groaning in anticipation, this is a short but interesting history lesson. Deep in the realms of the past, the year 1267 saw Yester Castle built for Sir Hugo Gifford, thought by local folk to be a wizard. Within the design of this castle was a dungeon, a vast subterranean chamber, known as the Goblin Hall or Goblin Ha'. But this was no ordinary dungeon - or so we are led to believe. Many heard tell it was built with the aid of magic, wizardly spells and fairy frolics. Others go down a more sinister route, believing the devil himself played a role in its construction. Whatever the truth, lingering in this cold, dank chamber is not advised, so perhaps it is more than a little fortunate that public access is now forbidden. Despite its name, no doubt the subject of many an enquiry, the hotel is far more welcoming, the only magic the conjuring up of excellent meals.
It comes as no surprise that Yester Castle was sporadically fought over by the Scots and the English during the Wars of Independence. The village of Yester sprang up around it, and it was in this very village that the infamous John Knox was born in 1505. When the Gifford family took their privacy more seriously in the early 1700s, they took somewhat drastic action. 1708 saw the systematic removal of the village of Yester to a new location, and a settlement to which the family gave their name came into being. Hence the village of Gifford was born. Yester Castle was later abandoned by the family when they moved into Yester House, built between the castle and the new settlement.

The focus of this new village of Gifford was Yester Parish Church. Built to a T-plan, this white harled church has a striking square tower topped by a rather modest spire. Completed in 1710, it incorporated the bell from the old parish church which dated back to 1492. Following three hundred years of wear and tear and more than a few batterings from the good old Scottish weather, the church has recently been renovated. Nothing short of magnificent, this refurbishment has been carried out to a very high standard, the quality of the woodwork quite striking. And a wander around the churchyard will bring you to some very interesting gravestones. Suffering from the ravages of time, names have been eroded, dates known only by those who lie beneath. But the story of a village is held within these stones, a story time cannot remove.
Commemorated by a plaque on a wall near the church, John Witherspoon is probably Gifford's most famous son. Emigrating to America, he is distinguished by being the only clergyman to sign the American Declaration of Independence. He also went on to become the first president
of Princeton University.
Gifford is a picturesque village, one of Scotland's prettiest, and well worth a visit. Quiet, charming, friendly, with its imposing Town Hall fronted by the mercat cross, pleasant green areas and postcard cottages, it has only two hostelries today - the Goblin Ha' and the Tweedale Arms. In the days of the thrice-annual fairs there were six public houses keeping farmers and traders alike supplied with ale and spirits. Sideshows became a colourful part of the scene. All the hustle and bustle of the market made it a vastly different place to the one we see today. One can stroll along the peaceful streets and leave the clamour of cattle, the shouts of the traders, and the music of the sideshows to the imagination. Pure heaven .......