This is the 18th century Old Marriage House in Coldstream. It was also the Toll House for the bridge, which crosses the River Tweed from Coldstream in Scotland to Cornhill-on-Tweed in England. The Old Marriage House is at the Scottish end of the bridge and is now a private home. But from 1754 until 1856 it was popular (like the Smithy at Gretna Green) for runaway marriages, because during that period under Scottish law couples could get married without parental consent and without giving prior public notice.
In the 19th century 1,446 ‘irregular’ marriages, valid in Scots law were conducted by ‘priests’, whose numbers included local men such as shoemakers and molecatchers. During that period five earls and at least two, maybe three, Lord Chancellors of England were married there.
This is the Coldstream Bridge, built between 1763-6, designed by John Smeaton. It replaced the old ford across the river.
For more Saturday Snapshots see Alyce’s blog At Home With Books.
BooksPlease 
What an interesting and pretty place. I’d like to live there and spend all my time looking for trolls. Great history behind it.
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Great story behind the picture. A wonderful setting and idea for a historical novel.
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What a cool house, and what HISTORY.
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Beautiful house and bridge! Love that you shard the story behind them!!
Here’s My SS
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Intriguing blog™«™ª Happy week-end™¥ My SS: http://lore-eleven.blogspot.com/2013/01/curve-here.html
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Fascinating! And what a beautiful spot. Thanks for sharing it.
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Such interesting photos and history. You take me on travels I otherwise might not take. Thanks.
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Hi Margaret,
What a beautiful place and a lovely picture.
We still have a working toll bridge near to us in Bathampton, Bath. Both house and bridge are listed buildings, with the house still functioning as accommodation for the toll collector.
http://transportheritage.com/find-heritage-locations.html?sobi2Task=sobi2Details&catid=86&sobi2Id=362
Thanks for the interesting detail in your story, I love these snippets of information,
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Yvonne
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Margaret – Such a beautiful place! I have a terrific mental picture too of couples heading for Coldstream.. Or maybe I’m just a romantic… 😉
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That’s so funny – it was like the Las Vegas wedding chapel of its time. 🙂
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I had no idea that couples ran away to other places in Scotland – for some reason I just assumed it was only Gretna, because that’s the only place we ever hear about. Would Smeaton be the same man who designed Smeaton’s Tower, the lighthouse which now stands up n Plymouth Hoe?
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