Castle Comfort Stairlifts offers top brand stairlifts, keen prices and fast installs for all those seeking stairlifts in Galashiels, Scottish Borders. And all work comes with our no-quibble guarantees and famous customer service satisfaction.
Stairlifts Galashiels – Stairlifts Scottish Borders
Galashiels sits right in the centre of the Scottish Borders county. Its name means dwellings next to Gala – Gala Water is a river. Galashiels’ history dates back to at least the Iron Age as the local hill fort in the area of Torweedlee is testament. A later Broch at the same site – a sort of hollow dry stone tower – was destroyed by the Romans. So although the settlement was there from hundreds of years earlier, it was first mentioned by a similar name in the 12th century during the reign of Scotland’s King David I.
Stairlifts
Castle Comfort Stairlifts make no claims to an early existence or being equipped with the craft of dry stone walling, but we do have a great knowledge of stairlifts! Amongst a retired population of around 500 in Galashiels we know that about 2.6 of them have already regained their independence and get up and down their stairs safely using a stairlift.
If you or someone you care about needs assistance getting up and down the stairs, no matter what their age, we can help. We supply and install a wide range of stairlifts to accommodate different staircases at very fair and competitive prices. If you’d like to know more, take a look around our website and blog or just give our local office a call on 0131 242 0046 .
Textiles and tartans
Galashiels has long been the heart of the textile industry, since medieval times in fact. Whilst the industry started modestly with just three fulling mills, this had increased to 35 by the early 19th century.
Realising that transport costs would always make their textiles more expensive than those produced in Yorkshire for instance, Galashiels concentrated on producing superior quality textiles. By the end of the 19th century Galashiels had grown in size due to this industry and its population had reached 18,000 – more than it is today!
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| Source:Wikimedia Commons |
By the mid 19th century the railway had arrived which halved the cost of transport to Edinburgh and also brought raw material (wool) from foreign parts too.
Amongst fine cashmeres and great knitwear, the other big production was tartans. Tartans were initially the symbol of different regions in Scotland and the signature of different weavers. The first one, the Falkirk Tartan, dates back to the 3rd century. The Falkirk Tartan was a simple check pattern and is thought to pre-date the Roman occupation of the British Isles.
Tartan as we know it now, seems to date from 16th century. It was not until the 19th century that tartans became linked to different ‘clans’ or families. Initially they were used to recognise friend or enemy in battle. At the beginning of the 19th century the Highland Society of London called on every clan chief to register their tartan so that they could be authenticated.
There are thought to be between 3,500 – 7,000 different tartans though some of these are tartans allocated to individuals and even countries. Around 150 new tartans are created every year.
Tartans can be modern, ancient, weathered or muted in colour and it is these different ways of presenting them that makes the numbers so vast.
Soor Plooms
The coat of arms for Galashiels shows two foxes stretching to eat the plums from a tree with the motto Soor Plooms (Scottish pronunciation). This references an incident when the soldiers of an English raiding party picking wild plums were caught and killed by the Scots.
Not only is this event remembered on Galashiels Coat of Arms, but also commemorated in a local sweet delicacy also called Soor Plooms. The bright green sweets can be bought in the town.
Braw Lads Gathering
Galashiels was declared a Burgh or town in 1599. Ever since, the town has celebrated this with an annual Braw Lads Gathering every July when horseback riders ride through the town. There are many other celebrations including a funfair, music and competitions etc. The event was immortalised in a poem by Scotland’s own Rabbie Burns.
Old Gala House
This house was built by the Pringle family of fine knitwear fame. The house has an interesting history all of which can now be discovered by visitors. At one time it was a school and thought to be the inspiration for the St Trinian books and films.
Notable people
· Robert the Bruce gave nearby Ettrick Forest to Sir James Douglas in the 14th century. He later became the Earl of Douglas and himself granted the Pringle family the lairdship of Galashiels. They went on to build Old Gala House
· Rabbie Burns wrote two poems about Galashiels – Braw Lads and Sae Fair Her Hair
· Sir Walter Scott the famous poet made his home at Abbotsford House just across the River Tweed. Today Abbotsford House remains as a monument to Scott where his library still contains over 9,000 rare volumes. Visitors can see this collection as well as other rooms in the house.
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| Source:Wikimedia Commons |
· Football players Danny Galbraith, playing for Hibernian and John Collins, Director of Football at Livingston both come from here
· Three notable rugby union players also claim Galashiels as home: Gregor Townsend, Bryan Redpath and Craig Chalmers. Andrew Murdison, a rugby League player of the 1920’s was born nearby at Lowood
· Judith Miller was born in Galashiels; she is an antiques collector and expert who has regularly appeared on Antiques Roadshow
Any Galashiels residents who consider themselves antiques need not feel that age or that inability is getting the better of them! Castle Comfort Stairlifts can help with straight, curved and even reconditioned stairlifts to make all floors of your home accessible.
We can assess which chairlift is right for you, supply from a range manufactured in the UK; we can also fit them in less than half a day. Our 24/7 after sales service will ensure you stay mobile too. We can also advise on grants and point you in the direction of 0% finance so that you don’t have to delay your purchase.
Of course if you still have questions or just want to get on with it, please give our local office a call on 0131 242 0046 .
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