The award-winning Heart of Hawick comprises of two derelict buildings in the town's West End, creating fantastic facilities including the Tower Mill, the Heritage Hub, civic space and the Textile Towerhouse.
A derelict spinning mill and Category A listed building, Tower Mill is unique in Scotland in that it sits on a massive arch over the Slitrig Water and incorporates a 14 ft high Victorian waterwheel. Tower Mill has been completely transformed into a cinema/theatre with film or live events on every day, a café/bar serving hot food and drinks, and a VisitScotland Visitor Information Centre. Facilities also include meeting and conference spaces, and underwater cameras so you can spot nearby otters, heron, bats and salmon.
Formerly the Corn Exchange, the Heritage Hub is now the Scottish Borders Archive and Local History Centre providing research and archive services for existing and non-traditional audiences including clans and family history societies, archive and genealogy businesses, international visitors and young people. The professionally qualified staff have extensive local knowledge and experience and the exhibition space boasts regularly changing exhibitions.
Connecting the campus, the civic space is an external performance and community space, an outdoor café bar in fine weather, a site for civic artwork, a home to farmers' and continental markets and a river viewpoint.
The Borders Textile Towerhouse tells the fascinating story of the people, processes, craft and history behind the region’s textile heritage. The museum features lively hands-on exhibitions and is a great day out for the whole family.
