A salmon or two
The granddaughter of George “Keyhole” Purvis remembered never being able to enjoy a relaxing soak when staying with him at Horncliffe, because the bath was always full of fish! Apt then that George named his memoir “A salmon or two”
Up the river without a paddle
Great Uncle Thomas lost an oar while ferrying people across the Tweed in his rowing boat. Grandad, who was suffering from pneumonia at the time, waded in to rescue the oar (and Great Uncle Thomas)
Tickling times
In the 1970s near Gala Water, I remember seeing a man being chased through a petrol station. He was holding on to a fish he’d just ‘tickled’ out of the Tweed!
Images: Norham Castle overlooking the Tweed by Airborne Lens; the Tweed at Horncliffe © David Chatterton (cc-by-sa/2.0) geograph.org.uk/p/4192005; salmon fishing at Coldstream © Neil Theasby (cc-by-sa/2.0) geograph.org.uk/p/3634078.
These stories were collected for Tweed Stories at Norham’s Heritage Open Days event in September 2026. With thanks to the St Cuthbert’s Church HODs team and everyone who attended. Find out much more about Norham at www.norhamlife.co.uk.
