Waverley Mill was constructed in 1866-1867 by Canonbie-born general merchant James Scott (1804-1881) who formed a woollen business with his sons John (1838-1894) and Alexander (1843-1903).

They expanded the facility in the 1870s to create Langholm’s largest woollen mill, pushed into second place in 1878 by Reid & Taylor‘s expansion.

In the photo below, Waverley Mill is below and right of centre, with Buccleuch Mill to its left. Above it is a railway siding and the town’s railway station, important for logistics. At top left is Ashley Bank House, built by John Scott. His brother Alexander built another large house nearby, called Erkinholm.

By the time of the Great War, the mill had passed to Alexander’s sons James (1868-1924), Tom (1871-1947), a Scottish rugby international, and Arthur (1873-1940). A fourth son, John (1881-1942), became an electrical engineer in Glasgow.

Tom outlasted his brothers in the business and made his two sons Alex (1905-1988) and William (1908-1971) partners in 1939.

The company was purchased by Allied Textiles in 1973 (also the purchaser of Reid & Taylor in 1964) which closed the business in 1975 and sold the site to Edinburgh Woollen Mill.

Edinburgh Woollen Mill was started in