The
Royal Burgh of is a town in the
Scottish Borders . It lies on the
River Ettrick , a tributary of the
River Tweed , famous for its
Salmon Fishing . The population at the time of the 2001
Census was 5,839.
It may not be the largest
Burgh in the
Scottish Borders , but it possesses a great amount of history, tradition and spirit. It was formerly the
County Town of
Selkirkshire .
The people of the town, "Souters", named after the town's traditional shoe cobblers, are proud followers of all things
Borders , from their
Common Riding and
Rugby .
Selkirk's ancient past is one which encompasses many aspects of
Scottish History , from being the site of the first Border
Abbey to where
William Wallace , was declared
Guardian Of Scotland . The names of
Bonnie Prince Charlie ,
The Marquess Of Montrose and the
Outlaw Murray have all contributed to create the town's unique historical tapestry.
Founded in the
6th Century , the settlement was named , meaning "
Kirk in the Forest." In
1113 King
David I granted Selkirk large amounts of land, referring to Selkirk as "mine old town"
The town grew on
Wool len industry, although now it is perhaps best known for its
Glass manufacturing and
Bannock s. It has a
Museum and
Art Gallery , and is associated with
Mungo Park and
Walter Scott .
In common with other Border towns, Selkirk town has an annual
Common Riding , at which the following
Scots song can be heard:
:
:It's up wi the Souters o Selkirk,
:An doun wi the Earl o Hume,
:An here's tae aw the braw laddies
:That weirs the single-soled shuin.
:It's up wi the Souters o Selkirk,
:For thay are baith trusty an leal,
:An up wi the lads o the Forest,
:An doun wi
The Merse tae the deil.
Souters are entitled to wear the town colours of "True Blue and Scarlett" on Common Riding day, as well as the colours chosen by the
Standard Bearer , which change annually and can be worn by anyone.
Selkirk men fought with
William Wallace at
Stirling Brig and
Falkirk , and also with
Robert The Bruce at
Bannockburn , but it is Selkirk's connection with
The Battle Of Flodden (
1513 ), her ready response to the call of the King, the brave bearing of her representatives on the fatal field, and the tragic return of the sole survivor, provide the Royal Burgh with its proudest memories.
The annual
Common Riding commemorates Selkirk's main link with a turbulent past every June, Up to 500 riders saddle their horses at daybreak to commemorate the age-old custom of riding the Burgh
Marches , the land of the town. The Casting of the Colours remembers the story of when over eighty men from the town marched to Flodden Field with their king,
James IV .
Only one returned, "Fletcher", bearing a blood-stained
English Flag , belonging to the
Macclesfield regiment. On his return he cast the captured
English standard around his head to describe that all others had perished in battle.
Selkirk's past also includes the legendary
Sir Walter Scott , and this is one connection that the town has put to great use.
'Scott's Selkirk' transforms the town into a bustling
Georgian Christmas market town, when all of the shops, pubs, restaurants and locals take on the atmosphere and appearance of the days of Scott.
With
Holly adorning shops and buildings, locals dressed in period costumes and horse and carriages travelling up and down, it is a special event worth taking in.
The two-day winter festival also features
Street Theatre and historical re-enactments from professional actors, stalls selling many local festive goods, musical performances and children's shows.
The , is a
Grace (prayer said before a meal) attributed to
Robert Burns :
Today it is mainly used on special occasions, such as
Burns' Night .
:Some hae meat and canna eat,
:And some wad eat that want it,
:But we hae meat and we can eat,
:Sae the Lord be thankit.
"See approach proud Edwards power, Chains and slavery!"
The words of
Robert Burns conjure up a vivid picture of the troubled times in which the forefathers of the
Borderland lived at the end of the
Thirteenth Century .
After the death of
Alexander III the hopes of the people of
Scotland rested with the
Maid Of Norway . Her untimely death in
1290 left the country at the mercy of the
English King . From that date until the crown was awarded to
John Balliol ,
King Edward prosecuted remorselessly his schemes against the
Independence of
Scotland .
The
Scottish King , as a
Vassal in respect of his lands in England, paid
Homage to Edward and, in return, suffered many humiliations at the hands of his overlords.
Scottish Nobles and gentry, many from the Borderland, were compelled to swear allegiance to the "proud usurper."
However, this reign of
Tyranny and oppression was destined to be overthrown by one of humble birth. From the West of
Scotland came
William Wallace , a
Scots knight who led his countrymen in resistance to English domination.
No part of Scottish Borderland, perhaps, is more definitely associated with Wallace than the Forest of Ettrick. It was in Selkirk, supported by nobles and clergy, he was declared Guardian of the
Kingdom Of Scotland .
Today in the 'forest kyrk' (the Kirk of the Forest), referred to in ancient times as the church of St Mary of the Forest, visitors can now visit this ancient site, which is also the final resting place to several relatives of
Franklin D. Roosevelt , the 32nd
President of the
United States Of America . Roosevelt, whose ancestors came from the area, named his famous dog
Fala , after the nearby village of
Falahill .
Annually, In March,
Hungarians from across Scotland gather in the town's County Hotel for their national day celebrations. It was from the balcony of The County in December
1856 , that Hungary's great patriot
Lajos Kossuth addressed a large massed meeting of Borders sympathisers. It was part of a grand tour of the UK in which Kossuth raised awareness and funds for his subjugated
Magyar people. Eight years earlier, he had led a Magyar revolution against the tyranny of
Hapsburg rule. A plaque now stands outside The County Hotel, commemorating this occasion, and a wreath is laid every year to commemorate the struggle of the
Magyar people
- Mungo Park ( September 10 , 1771 – 1806 ), explorer of the Africa n continent
- James Hogg ( 1770 – 1835 ), poet and author
- Bobby Johnstone ( 1921 – 2001 ), Scotland International Footballer
- Sandy McMahon ( 1871 – 1916 ), Scotland International Footballer and Celtic's eighth all time top goal scorer.
- Andrew Lang ( March 31 , 1844 – July 20 1806 ), poet, novelist, literary critic and contributor to anthropology
- James Marr Brydone , ( 1779 – 1866 ), surgeon who sighted the French fleet, signalling the beginning of the Battle Of Trafalgar
- James Brown (J.B. Selkirk) ( 1832 - 1904 ), poet and essayist
- Peter Blake b. December 8 1951 , Film and Television actor
- Rae Hendrie b. 1977 , Television actress
- Tom Scott , artist
Allan Massie Novelist, critic and journalist
