the county town of Peeblesshire, stands on the left bank of the river Tweed, here crossed by a bridge of five arches, 22 miles S. of Edinburgh, with which it is connected by railway. The Eddleston Water, which here joins the Tweed, flows through the town, dividing it into an old and a new portion. The latter contains many substantial buildings; and since the completion of the railway numerous elegant villas have been built for summer residences. Peebles possesses a parish church, a Free church, and places of worship for United Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Roman Catholics; also a town-house, jail, grammar-school, and scientific institute. The Chambers' Institution, the gift of William Chambers, Esq., to his native place, is a picturesque suite of buildings, containing reading-room, gallery of art, library, museum, and public hall. Peebles is not noted for any particular trade or manufacture. It was long a hunting residence of the Scottish kings, and Alexander III. founded here in 1260 a monastery for Red Friars, some remains of which still exist. In 1357 it sent two members to Parliament. It was destroyed by the English in 1545, but was afterwards rebuilt and surrounded by walls, which continued standing till 1707. The burgh is governed by a provost, 2 bailies, a treasurer, dean of guild, and 7 councillors: municipal constituency, 97. The annual revenue of the burgh property is about £300. The annual value of real property in the burgh in 1858-9 was £4592. Pop. (1851) 1982; inhabited houses, 310.