Selkirk is a town and historic
royal burgh
A royal burgh () was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs.
Most royal burghs were either created by ...
in the
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders ( sco, the Mairches, 'the Marches'; gd, Crìochan na h-Alba) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Midlothian, South Lanarkshire, West Lothi ...
council district of southeastern
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
. It lies on the
Ettrick Water
The Ettrick Water is a river in Ettrick, by the village of Ettrickbridge and the historic town of Selkirk, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland.
The water, a tributary of the River Tweed, is known also as the River Ettrick, often locally ...
, a tributary of the
River Tweed
The River Tweed, or Tweed Water ( gd, Abhainn Thuaidh, sco, Watter o Tweid, cy, Tuedd), is a river long that flows east across the Border region in Scotland and northern England. Tweed cloth derives its name from its association with the ...
.
The people of the town are known as Souters, which means cobblers (shoe makers and menders). At the time of the 2011
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
, Selkirk's population was 5,784.
History
![Vickyhalls](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Vickyhalls.jpg)
Selkirk was formerly the
county town
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a county town is the most important town or city in a county. It is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county and the place where the county's members of Parliament are elect ...
of
Selkirkshire
Selkirkshire or the County of Selkirk ( gd, Siorrachd Shalcraig) is a historic county and registration county of Scotland. It borders Peeblesshire to the west, Midlothian to the north, Roxburghshire to the east, and Dumfriesshire to the south. ...
. Selkirk is one of the oldest
Royal Burgh
A royal burgh () was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs.
Most royal burghs were either created by ...
s in Scotland and is the site of the earliest settlements in what is now the Scottish Borders. The town's name means "church by the hall" from the
Old English
Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...
''sele'' ("hall" or "manor") and ''cirice'' ("church").
Selkirk was the site of the first Borders abbey, a community of
Tironensian
The Tironensian Order or the Order of Tiron was a medieval monastic order named after the location of the mother abbey (Tiron Abbey, french: Abbaye de la Sainte-Trinité de Tiron, established in 1109) in the woods of Thiron-Gardais (sometimes ''Ti ...
monks who moved to
Kelso Abbey during the reign of
King David I
David I or Dauíd mac Maíl Choluim ( Modern: ''Daibhidh I mac haoilChaluim''; – 24 May 1153) was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians from 1113 to 1124 and later King of Scotland from 1124 to 1153. The youngest son of Mal ...
. In 1113, King David I granted Selkirk large amounts of land.
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace ( gd, Uilleam Uallas, ; Norman French: ; 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence.
Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army a ...
was declared guardian of Scotland in the town at the Kirk o' the Forest in 1297.
Selkirk sent a contingent of 80 men to fight at the
Battle of Flodden
The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton, (Brainston Moor) was a battle fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, resulting in an English ...
in 1513; however, only one man, "Fletcher", returned from the battle, bearing a blood-stained
English flag
The flag of England is the national flag of England, a constituent country of the United Kingdom. It is derived from Saint George's Cross (heraldic blazon: ''Argent, a cross gules''). The association of the red cross as an emblem of England ...
belonging to the
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East in Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Bollin in the east of the county, on the edge of the Cheshire Plain, with Macclesfield Forest to its east ...
regiment.
During the series of conflicts that would become known as the
Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of related conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, then separate entities united in a pers ...
, Selkirk played host the Royalist army of
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose (1612 – 21 May 1650) was a Scottish nobleman, poet and soldier, Lord Lieutenant, lord lieutenant and later viceroy and captain general of Scotland. Montrose initially joined the Covenanters in the Wa ...
, with his cavalry installed in the burgh, whilst the Royalist infantry were camped at the plain of Philiphaugh, below the town. On the morning of 13 September 1645, a
covenanting
Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian polity, Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious af ...
army led by
Sir David Leslie attacked the royalist forces camped at
Philiphaugh
Philiphaugh is a village by the Yarrow Water, on the outskirts of Selkirk, in the Scottish Borders.
Places nearby include Bowhill, Broadmeadows, the Ettrick Water, Ettrickbridge, Lindean, Salenside, Yarrowford and the Yair Forest.
Origina ...
, and a rout ensued. Montrose arrived to find his army in disarray and had to the flee the field. The surrendered Royalist troops were subsequently executed.
The novelist,
Sir Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels '' Ivanhoe'', '' Rob Roy' ...
, presided, as the
sheriff-depute, in the courtroom at
Selkirk Town House
Selkirk Town House is a municipal building in the Market Place, Selkirk, Scottish Borders, Scotland. The structure, which is used as a local history museum is a Category A listed building.
History
The first municipal building in the town was a ...
in the early-19th century.
Selkirk grew in the mid-19th century because of its
wool
Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool.
As ...
len industry, although it largely closed in the 1970s. The town is also known for
bannocks
The Bannock tribe were originally Northern Paiute but are more culturally affiliated with the Northern Shoshone. They are in the Great Basin classification of Indigenous People. Their traditional lands include northern Nevada, southeastern Oreg ...
, a dry fruit cake, which was first sold in the market place by a local baker, Robbie Douglas, in 1859.
Traditions
The Selkirk
Common Riding is a celebration of the history and traditions of the Royal and Ancient Burgh. It is held on the second Friday after the first Monday in June.
Landmarks
The remains of the "forest kirk", referred to in ancient times as the church of St Mary of the Forest, still stand in the old churchyard. It is also the final resting place of several maternal ancestors of
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
, the 32nd President of the US.
Just to the south of the town is
The Haining
The Haining is a country house and estate in Selkirk in the Scottish Borders. The present house dates from the 1790s, and was a property of the Pringle family. In 2009, the house and grounds were bequeathed to The Haining Charitable Trust which ...
, the late 18th-century residence of the
Pringle family. In 2009 the last owner died, and left the house and grounds "for the benefit of the community of Selkirkshire and the wider public." A charitable trust is now planning to restore the building as an art gallery.
The Selkirk Grace
The Selkirk Grace has no connection with the town of Selkirk, beyond its name; it originated in the west of Scotland. Although attributed to
Robert Burns
Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...
, the Selkirk Grace was already known in the 17th century, as the "Galloway Grace" or the "Covenanters' Grace". It came to be called the Selkirk Grace because Burns was said to have delivered it at a dinner given by the
Earl of Selkirk at
St Mary's Isle Priory
St Mary's Isle Priory was a monastic house of Augustinian canons located on the Isle of Trail or St Mary's Isle in Galloway.
The Prioratus Sanctae Mariae de Trayl
It is alleged Fergus, First Lord of Galloway (1138), granted then St. Maria de Tra ...
, in Kirkcudbright in Galloway.
::::In
Scots
:Some hae meat and canna eat,
:And some wad eat that want it,
:But we hae meat and we can eat,
:Sae let the Lord be thankit.
::::In English
:Some have meat and cannot eat,
:And some would eat that want it,
:But we have meat and we can eat,
:So let God be thanked.
Sport
Rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
plays its role in Selkirk culture and society.
Selkirk RFC
Selkirk Rugby Football Club are a rugby union side based in Selkirk in the Borders, Scotland.
They play in their home games at Philiphaugh, and compete in the Scottish Premiership (the highest tier of club rugby) and the Border League (the olde ...
play in their home games at
Philiphaugh
Philiphaugh is a village by the Yarrow Water, on the outskirts of Selkirk, in the Scottish Borders.
Places nearby include Bowhill, Broadmeadows, the Ettrick Water, Ettrickbridge, Lindean, Salenside, Yarrowford and the Yair Forest.
Origina ...
, competing in the
Scottish Premiership
The Scottish Premiership, known as the cinch Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is the top division of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), the league competition for men's professional football clubs in Scotland. The Scottis ...
and the
Border League
The Border League, is the oldest established rugby union league in the World, having been formed in 1901. Currently known as the Booker Border League, after its sponsors, teams from all over the Scottish Borders as well as Berwick RFC from Nor ...
.
The town cricket club was formed in 1851 and still plays in the Border League. The cricket ground at Philiphaugh is the site of the Battle of Philiphaugh.
The town also has a footballing tradition, having produced some players of note in the Scottish game including
Bobby Johnstone
Robert Johnstone (7 September 1929 – 22 August 2001) was a Scottish footballer, who played for Selkirk, Hibernian, Manchester City, Oldham Athletic and Witton Albion. Johnstone also represented Scotland and the Scottish League.
Johnston ...
of
Hibernian.
[Bobby Johnstone. The Passing of an Age by John Leigh ]
Notable people
![SCO-Selkirk-High Street with Mungo Park monument 2018](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/SCO-Selkirk-High_Street_with_Mungo_Park_monument_2018.jpg)
*
Peter Blake ( 1951–2018), film and television actor
*
James Brown (J.B. Selkirk) (1832–1904), poet and essayist
*
James Marr Brydone
James Marr Brydone (1779–29 March 1866), was a Scottish surgeon who served in the British fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar. He is best remembered for being the first person in the main British battle fleet to sight the Franco-Spanish fleet, and ...
(1779–1866), surgeon who sighted the
French fleet, signalling the beginning of the
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (180 ...
*
Rae Hendrie (b. 1977), television actress
*
Scott and
Grant Hutchison, members of the
indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
band
Frightened Rabbit
Frightened Rabbit were a Scottish indie rock band from Selkirk, formed in 2003. Initially a solo project for vocalist and guitarist Scott Hutchison, the final lineup of the band consisted of Hutchison, his brother Grant (drums), Billy Kennedy ...
*
Bobby Johnstone
Robert Johnstone (7 September 1929 – 22 August 2001) was a Scottish footballer, who played for Selkirk, Hibernian, Manchester City, Oldham Athletic and Witton Albion. Johnstone also represented Scotland and the Scottish League.
Johnston ...
(1921–2001),
Scotland international footballer and a member of the
Hibernian Famous Five forward line
[
*]Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang (31 March 1844 – 20 July 1912) was a Scottish poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales. The Andrew Lang lectures at the University o ...
(1844–1912), poet, novelist, literary critic and contributor to anthropology
*Gideon Lang
Gideon Scott Lang (1819–1880) was a Scottish born Australian pastoralist who was a key figure in the pioneer settlement of Victoria, the Riverina and the Darling Downs regions.
Born on 25 January 1819 in Selkirk, Lang left school at 16. In 1 ...
, Australian pastoralist and parliamentarian
*Sandy McMahon
Alexander McMahon (16 October 1870 – 25 January 1916) was a Scottish footballer who spent most of his career with Celtic.
Career
Born in Selkirk, McMahon started his career with Woodburn F.C. then Darlington St Augustine's before relocating ...
(1871–1916), Scotland international footballer and Celtic's eighth highest all-time top goal scorer
* Will H. Ogilvie (1869–1963), Scottish-Australian poet
* Mungo Park (1771–1806), explorer of the African continent
*John Roberts
John Glover Roberts Jr. (born January 27, 1955) is an American lawyer and jurist who has served as the 17th chief justice of the United States since 2005. Roberts has authored the majority opinion in several landmark cases, including ''Nati ...
(1845–1934), wool merchant
* John Rutherford (b. 1955), Scotland international rugby player, played for Selkirk R. F. C.
* Tom Scott (1854–1927), artist
*James Sorley
James Sorley FFA FRSE (1853–1924) was a 19th/20th century Scottish actuary. In 2001 the company was absorbed into the Royal London Group.
Life
He was born in Selkirk on 15 October 1853.
On the foundation of Scottish Life Assurance Compa ...
FFA FRSE
Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This soci ...
(1853–1923) Treasurer of Scottish Life Assurance Company
* Tibbie Tamson, alleged to be variously a victim of the Scottish witch trials, a suicide victim, a plague victim, or a murder victim
Climate
Like the rest of the British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...
, Selkirk has a maritime climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...
with cool summers and mild winters. However the area appears to have one of the widest absolute temperature ranges in the United Kingdom. The absolute minimum temperature of at the nearest weather station is both a daily record, and the record lowest temperature for the UK outside of the Highlands. Conversely, Scotland's highest temperature of was recorded at Greycook, St. Boswells just to the east.
Twinning
* Plattling
Plattling is a town in the district of Deggendorf, Bavaria, Germany, on the river Isar, 9 km southwest of Deggendorf, just before it enters the Danube
The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roma ...
, Bavaria.
See also
*Selkirkshire
Selkirkshire or the County of Selkirk ( gd, Siorrachd Shalcraig) is a historic county and registration county of Scotland. It borders Peeblesshire to the west, Midlothian to the north, Roxburghshire to the east, and Dumfriesshire to the south. ...
* Selkirk Rugby Club
* Selkirk Football Club
*List of places in the Scottish Borders
''Map of places in the Scottish Borders compiled from this list'':See the list of places in Scotland for places in other counties.
This list of places in the Scottish Borders includes towns, villages, hamlets, castles, golf courses, historic ...
References
External links
Selkirk online website
{{authority control
Towns in the Scottish Borders
County towns in Scotland
Royal burghs
*
Parishes in Selkirkshire
Populated places established in the 6th century
Eildon