Selkirk
Encyclopedia
The Royal Burgh
of Selkirk is a town in the Borders
of Scotland. It lies on the Ettrick Water, a tributary of the River Tweed
. At the time of the 2001 census
, Selkirk's population was 5,839. The people of the town are known as Souters, meaning cobblers(shoe makers and menders).
Selkirk was formerly the county town
of Selkirkshire
. Selkirk is one of the oldest Royal Burgh
s in Scotland and is the site of the earliest settlements in what is now the Scottish Borders.
Selkirk is the site of the first Border Abbey, however the community of Tironensian
monks moved to Kelso
during the reign of King David I
.
William Wallace
, was declared guardian of Scotland in the town.
Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Marquess of Montrose and the Outlaw Murray all had connections with the town
The town's name originates from the Anglian Seleschirche, meaning 'Kirk
in the Forest'. In 1113, King David I
granted Selkirk large amounts of land.
Selkirk's population grew up because of its wool
len industry, although now that that industry has ceased leaving little in its wake, the town is best known for bannocks
, a dry fruit cake. It has a museum
and art gallery
, and associations with Mungo Park (explorer)
, James Hogg
"The Ettrick Shepherd" a local poet and writer and Walter Scott
, a writer of Romances, both of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. It is also home to Scotland's
oldest horse racing
track, the Gala Rig, on the outskirts of the town.
After the death of Alexander III
, the hopes of the people of Scotland rested with the Maid of Norway. Her 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 to bring the Kingdom of Scotland
under his control.
Balliol, as preceding kings before him paid homage
, in respect of his lands in England, to Edward and, in return, suffered many humiliations at the hands of the supposed English suzerain. Scottish nobles and gentry, many from the Borderland, were compelled to swear allegiance to the "proud usurper."
From the West of Scotland came William Wallace
, a Scots knight who led his countrymen in resistance to English domination. There are many places in the Scottish Borderland is associated with Wallace. It was in the church at Selkirk, supported by nobles and clergy, he was declared Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland
.
at Stirling Brig
and Falkirk
, and also with Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn
, but it is Selkirk's connection with The Battle of Flodden in 1513, her 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 and most maudlin memories, it being the celebration of a five hundred year old defeat. Only one returned from the battle, "Fletcher", bearing a blood-stained English flag belonging to the Macclesfield
regiment. On his return he cast the captured English standard around his head before falling to his death as the last returning fighting Souter.
, always held on the second Friday after the first Monday in June, when the town's boundaries or 'marches' are ridden. Usually in the region of 300-400 mounts, Selkirk boasts one of the largest cavalcade of horses and riders in Europe. The culmination of the day involves the town's Standard Bearer casting, or flying, the town's standard (A St Andrew's cross with the town seal placed in the centre) in the Market Square in memory of Fletcher's "O' Flodden Field", consolidating the ceremony's late-medieval/early-modern historical roots.
During the series of conflicts that would become known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
, Selkirk played host the Royalist army of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
, 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
army led by Sir David Leslie attacked the royalist forces camped at Philiphaugh, and a rout ensued. Montrose arrived to find his army in disarray and had to the flee the field, eventually leading to his exile.
The action at Philiphaugh is infamous, for the massacre of up to 500 surrendered Royalist troops and camp followers, by the covenanters. These included many women and children
The Sir Walter Scott Way
from Moffat
to Cockburnspath
passes through Selkirk.
and the nearby village of Falahill
.
Just to the south of the town is The Haining
, 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.
Today it is used on occasions such as Burns' Night.
Scots
:
English:
plays its role in Selkirk culture and society. Selkirk RFC
play in their home games at Philiphaugh
, and are now in Premiership Division Two and the Border League
(the oldest established rugby union league in the world).
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. Selkirk Cricket Club have won the Border League on 23 occasions and the club has produced a dozen Scottish internationalists.
The town also has a footballing tradition, having produced some player of note in the Scottish game including Bobby Johnstone
of Hibernian
, Bob Mercer
of Heart of Midlothian
, Sandy McMahon
of Celtic
Selkirk F.C.
are members of the East of Scotland Football League
and currently play in the Premier Division. Nicknamed The Souters (Cobblers) the club was founded in 1880 and is the oldest club in the Borders.
and Scotland, Selkirk experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. Despite this, the area appears to have one of the widest absolute temperature range's in the United Kingdom. The absolute minimum temperature of -26.6 C 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 32.9 °C (91.2 °F) was recorded at Greycook(St. Boswells) just 8 miles to the east.
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
of Selkirk is a town in the 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...
of Scotland. It lies on the Ettrick Water, a tributary of the River Tweed
River Tweed
The River Tweed, or Tweed Water, is long and flows primarily through the Borders region of Great Britain. It rises on Tweedsmuir at Tweed's Well near where the Clyde, draining northwest, and the Annan draining south also rise. "Annan, Tweed and Clyde rise oot the ae hillside" as the Border saying...
. At the time of the 2001 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Selkirk's population was 5,839. The people of the town are known as Souters, meaning cobblers(shoe makers and menders).
Selkirk was formerly the county town
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
of Selkirkshire
Selkirkshire
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...
. Selkirk is one of the oldest Royal Burgh
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
s in Scotland and is the site of the earliest settlements in what is now the Scottish Borders.
Selkirk is the site of the first Border Abbey, however the community of Tironensian
Tironensian
The Tironensian Order or the Order of Tiron was a Roman Catholic monastic order named after the location of the mother abbey in the woods of Tiron in Perche, some 35 miles west of Chartres in France)...
monks moved to Kelso
Kelso Abbey
Kelso Abbey is what remains of a Scottish abbey founded in the 12th century by a community of Tironensian monks first brought to Scotland in the reign of Alexander I. It occupies ground overlooking the confluence of the Tweed and Teviot waters, the site of what was once the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
during the reign of King David I
David I of Scotland
David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
.
William Wallace
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
, was declared guardian of Scotland in the town.
Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Marquess of Montrose and the Outlaw Murray all had connections with the town
The town's name originates from the Anglian Seleschirche, meaning 'Kirk
Kirk
Kirk can mean "church" in general or the Church of Scotland in particular. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it.-Basic meaning and etymology:...
in the Forest'. In 1113, King David I
David I of Scotland
David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
granted Selkirk large amounts of land.
Selkirk's population grew up because of its wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
len industry, although now that that industry has ceased leaving little in its wake, the town is best known for bannocks
Bannock (food)
Bannock is a variety of flat quick bread. The word can also be applied to any large, round article baked or cooked from grain. When a round bannock is cut into wedges, the wedges are often called scones. But in Scotland, the words bannock and scone are often used interchangeably.-Scottish:"Bannock"...
, a dry fruit cake. It has a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
and art gallery
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
, and associations with Mungo Park (explorer)
Mungo Park (explorer)
Mungo Park was a Scottish explorer of the African continent. He was credited as being the first Westerner to encounter the Niger River.-Early life:...
, James Hogg
James 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...
"The Ettrick Shepherd" a local poet and writer and Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
, a writer of Romances, both of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. It is also home to Scotland's
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...
oldest horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
track, the Gala Rig, on the outskirts of the town.
William Wallace
- "See approach proud Edwards power, Chains and slavery!"
After the death of Alexander III
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
, the hopes of the people of Scotland rested with the Maid of Norway. Her 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
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
prosecuted remorselessly his schemes to bring the Kingdom of Scotland
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
under his control.
Balliol, as preceding kings before him paid homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
, in respect of his lands in England, to Edward and, in return, suffered many humiliations at the hands of the supposed English suzerain. Scottish nobles and gentry, many from the Borderland, were compelled to swear allegiance to the "proud usurper."
From the West of Scotland came William Wallace
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
, a Scots knight who led his countrymen in resistance to English domination. There are many places in the Scottish Borderland is associated with Wallace. It was in the church at Selkirk, supported by nobles and clergy, he was declared Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
.
O' Floddenfield!
Selkirk men fought with William WallaceWilliam Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
at Stirling Brig
Battle of Stirling Bridge
The Battle of Stirling Bridge was a battle of the First War of Scottish Independence. On 11 September 1297, the forces of Andrew Moray and William Wallace defeated the combined English forces of John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey and Hugh de Cressingham near Stirling, on the River Forth.-The main...
and Falkirk
Battle of Falkirk (1298)
The Battle of Falkirk, which took place on 22 July 1298, was one of the major battles in the First War of Scottish Independence...
, and also with Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn
Battle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence...
, but it is Selkirk's connection with The Battle of Flodden in 1513, her 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 and most maudlin memories, it being the celebration of a five hundred year old defeat. Only one returned from the battle, "Fletcher", bearing a blood-stained English flag belonging to the Macclesfield
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
regiment. On his return he cast the captured English standard around his head before falling to his death as the last returning fighting Souter.
Selkirk Common Riding
Selkirk commemorates and celebrates her history at the annual Common RidingCommon Riding
Common Riding is an annual event celebrated in Scottish Border towns and in some other places, to commemorate the times of the past when local men risked their lives in order to protect their town and people.- Hawick :...
, always held on the second Friday after the first Monday in June, when the town's boundaries or 'marches' are ridden. Usually in the region of 300-400 mounts, Selkirk boasts one of the largest cavalcade of horses and riders in Europe. The culmination of the day involves the town's Standard Bearer casting, or flying, the town's standard (A St Andrew's cross with the town seal placed in the centre) in the Market Square in memory of Fletcher's "O' Flodden Field", consolidating the ceremony's late-medieval/early-modern historical roots.
Battle of Philiphaugh
During the series of conflicts that would become known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms formed an intertwined series of conflicts that took place in England, Ireland, and Scotland between 1639 and 1651 after these three countries had come under the "Personal Rule" of the same monarch...
, Selkirk played host the Royalist army of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose was a Scottish nobleman and soldier, who initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subsequently supported King Charles I as the English Civil War developed...
, 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
Covenanter
The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
army led by Sir David Leslie attacked the royalist forces camped at Philiphaugh, and a rout ensued. Montrose arrived to find his army in disarray and had to the flee the field, eventually leading to his exile.
The action at Philiphaugh is infamous, for the massacre of up to 500 surrendered Royalist troops and camp followers, by the covenanters. These included many women and children
Sir Walter Scott and Selkirk
Sir Walter Scott was appointed Sheriff-Deputy of the County of Selkirk in 1799, and was based in the Royal Burgh's Courthouse, which can be found in the town square.The Sir Walter Scott Way
Sir Walter Scott Way
The Sir Walter Scott Way is a long distance path in the Scottish Borders of Scotland, in memory of Sir Walter Scott, of one of Scotland's greatest writers.-The Way:...
from Moffat
Moffat
Moffat is a former burgh and spa town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, lying on the River Annan, with a population of around 2,500. The most notable building in the town is the Moffat House Hotel, designed by John Adam...
to Cockburnspath
Cockburnspath
Cockburnspath is a village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It lies near the North Sea coast between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Edinburgh. It is at the eastern extremity of the Southern Upland Way, a long-distance footpath from the west to east coast of Scotland, and it is also the terminus...
passes through Selkirk.
Landmarks
The remains of the 'forest kyrk' (the Kirk (church) of the Forest), referred to in ancient times as the church of St Mary of the Forest, still stand in the old churchyard. William Wallace became Guardian of Scotland here, and it 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 FalaFala, Midlothian
Fala, is a parish and hamlet in the south-eastern corner of Midlothian, Scotland, and about 15 miles from Edinburgh.-Location:The parish is about five miles long from east to west, and one mile broad from north to south, and contains about...
and the nearby village of Falahill
Falahill
Falahill is a village in the Scottish Borders, in the Moorfoot Hills, at , in the Parish of Heriot, and close to the border with Midlothian.Nearby are Gilston, the Heriot Water, Oxton, Scottish Borders, Soutra Hill, and Torquhan.-External links:****...
.
Just to the south of the town is The Haining
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...
, 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, originating as it does, from the west of Scotland. Although attributed to Robert Burns, 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.Today it is used on occasions such as Burns' Night.
Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
:
- 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.
English:
- Some have food and cannot eat,
- And some would eat that lack it,
- But we have food and we can eat,
- So let God be thanked.
Sport
Rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
plays its role in Selkirk culture and society. Selkirk RFC
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 are now in Premiership Division Two and the Border League ....
play in their home games at Philiphaugh
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....
, and are now in Premiership Division Two and the Border League
Border League
For the defunct baseball league, see Border League The Border League, is the oldest established rugby union league in the World, having been formed in 1901...
(the oldest established rugby union league in the world).
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. Selkirk Cricket Club have won the Border League on 23 occasions and the club has produced a dozen Scottish internationalists.
The town also has a footballing tradition, having produced some player of note in the Scottish game including Bobby Johnstone
Bobby Johnstone
Robert "Bobby" Johnstone was a Scottish association football player, mainly remembered as one of the Famous Five forward line of Hibernian....
of Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
, Bob Mercer
Bob Mercer
Bob Mercer is a British screen actor. Recent roles include John Reynolds in the movie The Red Kebaya. Other movie work includes Emotional Backgammon , Inside Out and Sorted....
of Heart of Midlothian
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
, Sandy McMahon
Sandy McMahon
Alexander "Sandy" McMahon was a Scottish footballer who spent most of his career with Celtic.Born in Selkirk, McMahon started his career with Woodburn F.C. then Darlington St Augustines before relocating to Edinburgh. There he played with Leith Harp and Hibernian before a first venture to the...
of Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
Selkirk F.C.
Selkirk F.C.
Selkirk Football Club are a Scottish football club based in the town of Selkirk. They are members of the East of Scotland Football League and currently play in the Premier Division.Their ground is Yarrow Park, Selkirk TD7 5AZ- History :...
are members of the East of Scotland Football League
East of Scotland Football League
The East of Scotland Football League is a league of football teams from south-east Scotland formed in 1923. It is one of Scotland's three "senior" non-leagues which sit below the Scottish Football League , the other two being the Highland Football League and the South of Scotland Football League...
and currently play in the Premier Division. Nicknamed The Souters (Cobblers) the club was founded in 1880 and is the oldest club in the Borders.
Climate
As with the rest of the British IslesBritish Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
and Scotland, Selkirk experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. Despite this, the area appears to have one of the widest absolute temperature range's in the United Kingdom. The absolute minimum temperature of -26.6 C 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 32.9 °C (91.2 °F) was recorded at Greycook(St. Boswells) just 8 miles to the east.
Notable people
- Mungo ParkMungo Park (explorer)Mungo Park was a Scottish explorer of the African continent. He was credited as being the first Westerner to encounter the Niger River.-Early life:...
(1771–1806), explorer of the African continent - James HoggJames HoggJames 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), poet and author - Gideon LangGideon LangGideon Scott Lang was a Scottish born Australian pastoralist who was a key figure in the pioneer settlement of Victoria, the Riverina and the Darling Downs regions....
, Australian pastoralist and parliamentarian - Bobby JohnstoneBobby JohnstoneRobert "Bobby" Johnstone was a Scottish association football player, mainly remembered as one of the Famous Five forward line of Hibernian....
(1921–2001), Scotland international footballer and a member of the HibernianHibernian F.C.Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
Famous FiveThe Famous Five (football)The Famous Five is the collective term for Hibernian's forward line of Gordon Smith, Bobby Johnstone, Lawrie Reilly, Eddie Turnbull and Willie Ormond. The north stand at Easter Road was named in their honour when it was rebuilt in 1995...
forward line - Sandy McMahonSandy McMahonAlexander "Sandy" McMahon was a Scottish footballer who spent most of his career with Celtic.Born in Selkirk, McMahon started his career with Woodburn F.C. then Darlington St Augustines before relocating to Edinburgh. There he played with Leith Harp and Hibernian before a first venture to the...
(1871–1916), Scotland international footballer and Celtic'sCeltic F.C.Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
eighth highest all-time top goal scorer - Andrew LangAndrew LangAndrew Lang was a Scots 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 of St Andrews are named after him.- Biography :Lang was born in Selkirk...
(1844–1912), poet, novelist, literary critic and contributor to anthropology - James Marr BrydoneJames Marr BrydoneJames Marr Brydone , born in Selkirk, Scotland, 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 did so without the use of a glass...
(1779–1866), surgeon who sighted the FrenchFirst French EmpireThe First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
fleet, signalling the beginning of the Battle of TrafalgarBattle of TrafalgarThe Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars .... - James Brown (J.B. Selkirk) (1832–1904), poet and essayist
- Peter BlakePeter Blake (actor)Peter Blake is a British actor. He was trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. First professional appearance at the Edinburgh Festival in Frank Dunlop's production of The Winter's Tale in 1966...
(b. 1951), film and television actor - Rae HendrieRae HendrieRae Hendrie is a Scottish actress most famous for her role as Jess Mackenzie in BBC TV series Monarch of the Glen. Rae was a London classroom assistant when she got her role in Monarch of the Glen...
(b. 1977), television actress - Tom Scott, artist
- John Rutherford (b. 1955), Scotland international rugby player and British and Irish Lion, won 42 caps at fly-half for his country, at the time a record in that position
- Tibbie TamsonTibbie TamsonTibbie Tamson was a Scottish woman, who lived in Selkirk, in the Scottish Borders, in the 18th century. Her grave is located on a hillside, around 1.5 miles north of Selkirk, at . While Tamson certainly did exist, and is recorded as dying in 1790, few facts are known about her. Historic Scotland...
, alleged to be, either, a victim of the Scottish witch trials, a suicide victim, a plague victim or a murder victim - Frightened RabbitFrightened RabbitFrightened Rabbit are a Scottish indie rock band from Selkirk, formed in 2003. The lineup consists of lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and lyricist Scott Hutchison, guitarist and bassist Billy Kennedy, guitarist Andy Monaghan, drummer Grant Hutchison and guitarist and keyboardist Gordon Skene...
, indie rock band
See also
- List of places in the Scottish Borders
- List of places in Scotland
- Selkirk Rugby ClubSelkirk RFCSelkirk Rugby Football Club are a rugby union side based in Selkirk in the Borders, Scotland.They play in their home games at Philiphaugh, and are now in Premiership Division Two and the Border League ....
- Selkirk Football ClubSelkirk F.C.Selkirk Football Club are a Scottish football club based in the town of Selkirk. They are members of the East of Scotland Football League and currently play in the Premier Division.Their ground is Yarrow Park, Selkirk TD7 5AZ- History :...
- Earl of SelkirkEarl of SelkirkEarl of Selkirk is a title in the Peerage of Scotland.It was created on 4 August 1646 for Lord William Douglas, third son of William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas, along with the title Lord Daer and Shortcleuch...