Lauder
The Royal Burgh of Lauder is a town in the Scottish Borders in the historic county of Berwickshire. On the Southern Upland Way, the burgh lies 27 miles south east from Edinburgh, on the western edge of the Lammermuir Hills. The current population of the town is around 1500, although it is swiftly growing as over 100 new houses are being developed on the southern side. This means that, at the beginning of the 21st century, the population is approaching what it was at the beginning of the 20th century previous to the phase of depopulation over the last 100 years. Lauder is today strongly influenced by its distance to Edinburgh as it is now considered to be near enough for employees to commute into the capital for work. The bus service to Edinburgh is trusted but infrequent. Prominent buildings in the town today include the Tolbooth or Town Hall, which predates 1598 when records reveal it being burnt by a party of Homes and Cranstouns led by Lord Home, in a quarrel in between them and the Lauder family who were at the time sitting on the bench as hereditary baillies. On 18 July 1793, during the course of a major and lengthy thunderstorm, a 'ball of fire struck the steeple above the Tollbooth, and did considerable damage'. Current controversy in Lauder is the town's growth, whether it is wanted or worthwhile, the site of a new primary school and how soon one will be developed, and the location and amount of wind farms on the surrounding hills. Also on the agenda is the discussion surrounding the development of a brand-new health centre in the burgh. For all your home makeovers, make certain to find trustworthy professionals in Lauder to make certain of quality.