Dating from the thirteenth century, Hawick has a proud history as a market town and the centre of the Borders' textile industry. It is also home to the Common Riding, the traditions of which date back to the early sixteenth century. All of these aspects of the town's past are featured in this book, which contains over 180 period photographs, many never published before. Long-gone sights include Andrew Oliver's auction mart, the opening of the old swimming baths, the railway station, the Auld Mid Raw, Buffalo Bill's Circus, and there is a special section devoted to the Common Riding. There are pages of photographs of the town's various bands, organisations, sporting clubs, and many of the community events that have been held over the decades (including the unveiling of the Horse memorial and the roller skating carnival of 1917!). The communities surrounding Hawick are also featured, including: Adderstonshiels, Appletreehall, Ashkirk, Bedrule, Bonchester Bridge, Chesters, Denholm, Hobkirk, Minto, Mosspaul, Roberton, Stobs and Teviothead.

As Hawick celebrates the 500th anniversary of the fight at Hornshole, the first stirrings of the defining traditions of the common riding, Alistair Moffat takes the narrative much further back into the mists of prehistory, to the time of the Romans, the coming of the Angles and the Normans. He recounts how Hawick got its name, where the old village stood, who the early barons of Hawick were and then charts the amazing rise of the textile trade, bringing the story right up to the present day. Beneath the familiar streets and closes lies an immense story - the remarkable and unique story of Hawick. If this book shows anything, it shows that Hawick has changed radically over the many centuries since people began to live between the Slitrig and the Teviot. All that experience in one place has created and invented much and the future will turn for the better for a simple reason. Hawick's greatest invention is her people.