Ettrick, Scotland
Encyclopedia
Ettrick is a small village and civil parish
in the Scottish Borders
area of Scotland
, located around 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) south-west of the town of Selkirk.
. It is the second fastest rising river in Scotland, and it runs through the village of Ettrickbridge
some dozen miles downstream, and the old town of Selkirk.
Ettrick Forest
was a large Royal forest
that is much depleted due to sheep farming and industrial forestry, though at some places by the banks of the Water, and in the ravines of its tributaries, places difficult for sheep and of small interest to loggers, the remnants of the fauna which composed the ancient forest can still be seen and enjoyed.
Traditionally, hill farming
of sheep and cattle farming have been important. In recent years,tourism and alpaca
farming have become increasingly important.
(1770–1835), known as the "Ettrick Shepherd", was born at a farm in Ettrick, by Ettrick Hall, and is buried in Ettrick Kirkyard. "Laverlaw", the fictional estate of Sandy Arbuthnot, Lord Clanroyden, in the works of John Buchan, is set near Ettrick. Robert Louis Stevenson
's hero David Balfour in Kidnapped
hails from the fictitious village of "Essendean" in Ettrick Forest. Most recently, the Ettrick valley was used as the setting for the story "No Advantages", from Alice Munro
's 2006 short story collection, The View from Castle Rock
.
Ettrick was also home to one of Scotland's most enduring pastor-theolgians, Thomas Boston
(1676–1732), minister from 1707. His seminal work, Human Nature in its Fourfold State, was widely read throughout Scotland by people of all classes and is still in print today.
Civil parishes in Scotland
In Scotland, parishes, as units of local government, were abolished by the Local Government Act 1929. The geographical area is sometimes still referred to, however, for statistical purposes....
in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
area of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, located around 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) south-west of the town of Selkirk.
Local area
Ettrick Water is the river which flows through the Ettrick Valley, and across its flood plain, the Ettrick Marshes, within SelkirkshireSelkirkshire
Selkirkshire or the County of Selkirk is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Peeblesshire to the west, Midlothian to the north, Berwickshire to the north-east, Roxburghshire to the east, and Dumfriesshire to the south...
. It is the second fastest rising river in Scotland, and it runs through the village of Ettrickbridge
Ettrickbridge
Ettrickbridge is a village situated in Ettrickdale in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, near the village of Ettrick, and the town of Selkirk, away....
some dozen miles downstream, and the old town of Selkirk.
Ettrick Forest
Ettrick Forest
Ettrick Forest is a former royal forest in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland.It is a large area of moorland, south of Peebles, stretching from Dollar Law to Selkirk.-See also:*James Hogg*Craik Forest*Wauchope Forest...
was a large Royal forest
Royal forest
A royal forest is an area of land with different meanings in England, Wales and Scotland; the term forest does not mean forest as it is understood today, as an area of densely wooded land...
that is much depleted due to sheep farming and industrial forestry, though at some places by the banks of the Water, and in the ravines of its tributaries, places difficult for sheep and of small interest to loggers, the remnants of the fauna which composed the ancient forest can still be seen and enjoyed.
Traditionally, hill farming
Hill farming
Hill farming is extensive farming in upland areas, primarily rearing sheep, although historically cattle was often reared more intensively.Cattle farming is usually restricted by a scarcity of winter fodder, and sheep stocks, grazing at about 2 hectares per head, are often taken to lowland areas...
of sheep and cattle farming have been important. In recent years,tourism and alpaca
Alpaca
An alpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance.Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile at an altitude of to above sea level, throughout the year...
farming have become increasingly important.
Literary connections
The area around Ettrick has several literary connections. The poet James HoggJames Hogg
James Hogg was a Scottish poet and novelist who wrote in both Scots and English.-Early life:James Hogg was born in a small farm near Ettrick, Scotland in 1770 and was baptized there on 9 December, his actual date of birth having never been recorded...
(1770–1835), known as the "Ettrick Shepherd", was born at a farm in Ettrick, by Ettrick Hall, and is buried in Ettrick Kirkyard. "Laverlaw", the fictional estate of Sandy Arbuthnot, Lord Clanroyden, in the works of John Buchan, is set near Ettrick. Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
's hero David Balfour in Kidnapped
Kidnapped (novel)
Kidnapped is a historical fiction adventure novel by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. Written as a "boys' novel" and first published in the magazine Young Folks from May to July 1886, the novel has attracted the praise and admiration of writers as diverse as Henry James, Jorge Luis...
hails from the fictitious village of "Essendean" in Ettrick Forest. Most recently, the Ettrick valley was used as the setting for the story "No Advantages", from Alice Munro
Alice Munro
Alice Ann Munro is a Canadian short-story writer, the winner of the 2009 Man Booker International Prize for her lifetime body of work, a three-time winner of Canada's Governor General's Award for fiction, and a perennial contender for the Nobel Prize...
's 2006 short story collection, The View from Castle Rock
The View from Castle Rock
The View from Castle Rock is a book of short stories by Canadian author Alice Munro, published in 2006 by McClelland and Stewart.It is a collection of historical and autobiographical stories. The first part of the book narrates the lives of members of the Laidlaw branch of the family tree of the...
.
Ettrick was also home to one of Scotland's most enduring pastor-theolgians, Thomas Boston
Thomas Boston
Thomas Boston was a Scottish church leader.He was born at Duns. His father, John Boston, and his mother, Alison Trotter, were both Covenanters. He was educated at Edinburgh, and licensed in 1697 by the presbytery of Chirnside...
(1676–1732), minister from 1707. His seminal work, Human Nature in its Fourfold State, was widely read throughout Scotland by people of all classes and is still in print today.