Designating Stobs Camp

From 9 February to 2 March 2023, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) sought views on our proposal to designate Stobs Camp and associated sites as scheduled monuments.

The sites are nationally important monuments that were found to meet our criteria for designation. Stobs Camp is a site that makes a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the military heritage of Scotland, in particular the history of early 20th century military training and First World War internment and imprisonment.

Further details can be accessed on our Heritage Portal: Stobs Camp - Portal.

We received 87 responses which contributed to our knowledge of the monument and also provided insight into how the Camp and associated sites are valued.

An overwhelming majority of the responses were in favour of designating Stobs Camp as a scheduled monument. The following table is a brief summary of the survey results, with focus on the key three questions related to our assessment of the site using the selection guidance for scheduled monuments to decide whether the sites were of national importance.

We received additional comments, the overwhelming majority were supportive of the proposal and recognising the importance of the Camp. The Report on Handling on our Heritage Portal (linked above) provides the responses where a query was raised, along with our answers and information. Some comments from respondents did not raise a query but offered their insight and opinion. Some of these comments include:

•  "The site is not only of national but also of international significance; possibly the best preserved WWI POW camp in the world."
• "Have visited the site and feel it is an important reminder of history of the area."
•  "Stobs is unique as a record of Scotland’s contribution to two world wars. It has a completeness that needs to be preserved and more widely shared."
• "Comprehensive and accurate account of Stobs Camp."
• "The site is of huge historic significance. Many thousands of troops trained here and they also contributed to the economy of Hawick."
• "It should be scheduled because of its historical significance and state  of preservation."
• "The report shows how the remains of the camp make Stobs a rare survival among military sites."
• "I was impressed at the work already done to investigate and preserve.  I feel that scheduling the site will help to consolidate the (largely) voluntary effort already undertaken on the ground."
• "The camp is of great importance to descendants of internees." 

After considering the comments received during the consultation, we have now scheduled Stobs Camp and associated sites as nationally important monuments.

Download the Report of Handling from our Heritage Portal: Stobs Camp - Designation.