The Scottish Borders village of Newstead will celebrate its rich history, heritage and community spirit on Sunday 7 September with the inaugural Newstead Sundials Festival.
This unique event highlights the legacy of generations of resident stonemasons who built Melrose Abbey and left their mark in the sundials that still adorn many houses throughout the village. It will also shine a light on Newstead’s deep-rooted connections to the River Tweed and the nearby Trimontium Roman fort.
The Newstead Sundials Festival 2025 is supported by Destination Tweed’s Community Grants Scheme, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and is organised by Newstead Village Community Trust (NVCT) in collaboration with Connecting Threads and the Trimontium Trust.
Festival goers can look forward to a packed afternoon of free activities including live traditional music, storytelling, Roman dancing and demonstrations, creative workshops, market stalls and family fun. The day will also see the launch of a specially-commissioned Stonemason’s Trail, developed by Tweed Valley Blogger, Stewart Wilson, which guides visitors to historic sundials across the village. Stewart will be hosting pre-booked tours during the afternoon.
A highlight of the celebrations will be the unveiling on the Village Green of a new sundial installation crafted in tribute to the village’s stone-carving heritage by stone carver Natasha Smith and local volunteers during a special workshop organised by Connecting Threads, the cultural strand of the region’s £25 million Destination Tweed project.
Mark Lovatt, Chair of Newstead Village Community Trust, said: “This festival is about celebrating everything that makes Newstead unique – from our heritage as a stonemasons’ village to our connection with the River Tweed and the Romans at Trimontium. It’s an opportunity for residents and visitors to come together, have fun, and learn something new. We hope it will become a much-loved annual tradition.”
Destination Tweed Project Manager, Charlotte Douglas said; “Newstead is reputed to be the oldest continually inhabited village in Scotland and the Sundials Festival is a wonderful celebration of that living heritage. It brings together the village’s remarkable history, craftsmanship and creativity while connecting people to the River Tweed and the wider story of the region. We’re pleased to be able to support an event that honours the past while inspiring current generations to explore and enjoy this unique place.”
Other Festival highlights include:
- Family Fun at the Once-Upon-a-Time’ stage with treasure trails, crafts, and face painting plus storytelling from Nicky Toneri featuring her magical retelling of Thomas the Rhymer’s time in fairyland
- Live music from the Matt Seattle Band, featuring traditional Border piping and the debut of new compositions, The Stonemasons’ March and The Piping Pig of Melrose Abbey.
- Terra Incognita Photo Walks inspired by the River Tweed exploring local histories through mapping and photography. Hosted by Connecting Threads, with photographers Kat Gollock and Zoe Hamill. Places pre-booked at destinationtweed.org or Eventbrite
- Pop-up Sundial Inn on the Village Green with live music, barbecue, and local beers
- Market stalls on Main Street showcasing local produce and crafts
- Cornerstone Café refreshments in Newstead Village Hall
- The Border Reivers Classic and Modern Car Club Rally
The Newstead Sundials Festival takes place on Sunday 7 September from 12-5pm and has been organised in collaboration with the Trimontium Trust and Connecting Threads. Places on the Stonemason’s Trail must be pre-booked at www.nvct.scot or Eventbrite.