THIS week, Ross McGinn from the Innerleithen Community Trust brings us the history of an innovative farmer from Innerleithen.

Lord Arthur Cecil, the brother of the second Marquis of Salisbury who was three times the Prime Minister of Great Britain, was born July 3, 1851 and died July 16 1913, aged 62.

Lord Cecil built a house and lived at Orchard Mains in Traquair and has been described as Innerleithen’s ‘good fairy’.

It was likely that he was asked to lay the foundation stone of the New Volunteer Drill Hall (former Cleikum Mill) at the west end of Innerleithen High Street because of his generosity to and affinity with the people of Innerleithen and district. 

This great occasion took place on April 7, 1877, and a silver trowel was presented to him to commemorate the event. 

The trowel is currently on display at St Ronan’s Wells.

Arthur Cecil was a man of significant character. 

An article from the Pall Mall Gazette of 1890 tells of the time that Lord Arthur was one-day walking through a field on his farm at Innerleithen when a young bull rushed at him. 

Instead of turning tail Lord Arthur coolly seized the animal by the horns and pushed him back, wriggling and struggling, inch by inch, till he left the animal cowering and trembling all over.

Farming at Orchard Mains, Traquair, Lord Arthur, with his brother Lionel, was an innovator devoting time to experiments to cure a disease affecting salmon, although this venture was ultimately unsuccessful. 

He also experimented in new farming techniques on the ‘model’ farm, with the benefit of creating much local employment.

Further he worked tirelessly to improve by cross breeding several species, including dogs, ponies, horses and cattle. Indeed, some of his writings and papers were studied by those who eventually created ‘Dolly’ the sheep. 

Cattle of Cecil’s were prizewinners at the International Agricultural Exhibition in 1897 and he was a founder member of some of the breed societies still in existence today.

It is noted in the writings of John A Anderson that Lord Arthur Cecil financially supported most of the local societies in Innerleithen and also attended the opening of Innerleithen Golf Course.