The Laying of the Foundation Stone of Greenlaw Town Hall

Greenlaw Town Hall was commissioned, and paid for, by Sir William Purves Hume Campbell, Earl of Marchmont in 1829, to be the new County Buildings of Berwickshire. But it was Vice-Admiral Sir David Milne Home KCB, KG, second Grand Principal of the Superior Grand Chapter of the Royal Arch Free Masons of Scotland, who laid the foundation stone with Royal Arch Masonic honours, in August of that year.

According to Robert Gibson, who wrote about the event later that century, a procession comprising of the county sheriff and members of his court, commissioners of the county, the minister of the parish, the surgeon of the Marchmont estate, and the members of the Grand Lodge of the Royal Arch Chapter wearing the insignia of their craft, marched from the east end of the town along the High Street to the village green. Here, the Hall was to be built, and the ceremony took place.

Sir David, with the help of George Aitchison of Drummore, Deputy Grand Principal, and Thomas M’Baine of Fishwick, Acting Deputy Grand Principal, the foundation stone was ‘well and truly laid’. Rev. Abraham Hope prayed for the posterity of Sir William, and Sir David gave a short speech, in which he entrusted the safekeeping of the stone as a ‘sacred deposit’ to the people of Greenlaw.

Three bottles were placed in a cavity in the foundation stone: one containing coins of the realm; the other containing copies of newspapers of the day; the last containing lists of office bearers of the Supreme Charter of the Royal Arch Freemasons of Scotland, and of the office bearers of the Eyemouth and Duns Chapters. A silver plate engraved with the Marchmont Arms was put over the cavity. The plate was also inscribed with the date of laying the stone, the purpose intended of the building, the names of those who took part in the ceremony, a list of the principal county officials, the factor on the Marchmont estate, the architect, the contractor, Sir William, and his son Sir Hugh.

The building was completed in the winter of 1831. The first meeting held in it was of country landowners, assembling to protest against the Reform Bill of 1832. It was not until 1840 that the county records were moved to the Hall, to be stored in the fireproof room inside the dome designed specially to contain them. This room was later found to be unfit for purpose due to damp, so the records were moved to the east wing of the building. The room was then used for a time as a meeting place for the local Chapter of Freemasons.