The Berwickshire coastline consists of high cliffs over deep clear water with sandy coves and picturesque harbours.
Notable buildings in the town include Gunsgreen House[2] and a cemetery watch-house built to stand guard against the Resurrectionists (body snatchers).
[citation needed] Eyemouth is not far from the small villages of Ayton, Reston, St Abbs, Coldingham, and Burnmouth, all in Berwickshire.
Fort Point at Eyemouth was the site of the first trace-italienne-style fortification in Britain, built on a spur or peninsula overlooking the existing harbour during the war known as the Rough Wooing.
Some of the stone was brought from a demolished tower at Dunglass Castle, East Lothian and timber was taken from Coldingham Priory.
[5] A larger and more complex fort was built in 1557 by d'Oisel and probably the Italian military engineer Lorenzo Pomarelli for the Regent of Scotland, Mary of Guise, when at war with England.
The new fortress could hold some 500 French troops, and may have been intended as a staging post to securely store munitions and artillery near Berwick-upon-Tweed and the border with England.
"George Craw of Netherbyre" was "deceased" by July 1614 when his son William came into possession of that property and Reidhall, "with the walk mill" extending to 12 husbandlands (312 acres (126 hectares)).
[9] A later William Craw, who had a passion for mathematics, built the first 'modern' harbour at Eyemouth and, in 1715, the elliptical walled garden, the latter almost certainly unique in the world.
The Netherbyres House we see today was commenced about 1835 for Captain Sir Samuel Brown, R.N., who had the patent and monopoly for the supply of anchor chain to the Royal Navy.
Hero William Spears (1812–1885), is celebrated by the dramatic bronze statue in Eyemouth Market Place, where he stands pointing the way to Ayton, the scene of his peaceful demonstration.
Coldingham Shore, for instance, is only three miles distant, and has a population of about one hundred fishermen, of a very respectable class, sober and well dressed, and "well to do."
In the late 18th century, with the arrival of a group of Dutch engineers in the town, a survey was undertaken for a canal linking Eyemouth to Duns.
[18] The elected Eyemouth Town Community Council is led by a Chairman and has 12 members, including an Honorary Provost.
Three representatives of Scottish Borders Council attend monthly public meetings in order to take on board and act upon feedback from the community councillors, who serve as a voice of the people of the town.
Other places of interest nearby include the fortifications of Berwick-upon-Tweed also designed by Sir Richard Lee, and its military museum, Paxton House, the Union Bridge and the Chain Bridge Honey Farm, and scores of quiet country roads skirting the Cheviot Hills, frequently snow-capped in winter.
Typical Border towns and villages, such as Kelso, Grantshouse, Abbey St Bathans, Cove, Cockburnspath (pronounced 'coburnspath' or 'copath' by locals), Cornhill, Wooler, Morpeth, Alnmouth and Alnwick are all within easy reach for day trips from Eyemouth.
Near Chirnside stood Ninewells House, since demolished, where Scottish Enlightenment philosopher David Hume spent much of his life.