Burgh Chambers and War Memorial, Cornhill Square, Galashiels

in the foreground and the war memorial in the background: with the lighting scheme devised by the council, the angel of peace appears to generate wings]] The first municipal building in the town was a tolbooth completed around the time when the town became a burgh of barony in 1599. Like other Scottish tolbooths, it was primarily used as a prison, but by the mid-19th century the it was in a dilapidated condition.}} Following significant population growth, largely associated with the woollen industry, the area became a police burgh in 1850. The new burgh commissioners decided to commission a new municipal building for the burgh: it was designed by Robert Hall & Co. in the Scottish…