Selkirk and Melrose Through Time

Selkirk is one of the oldest burghs in Scotland: William Wallace was declared guardian of Scotland in the town, and Selkirk Abbey and Selkirk Castle, the frequent abode of Scottish kings, date back to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The town’s development was based around the woollen industry. Statues in the town celebrate its association with with Mungo Park , the explorer, James Hogg (“The Ettrick Shepherd”), a local poet and writer; and Sir Walter Scott, was appointed Sheriff Deputy of the County of Selkirk in 1799 and was based Selkirk’s courthouse in the town square. The Flodden Memorial in the town and the annual Common Riding commemorate Selkirk’s link with the bloody Battle of Flodden. The picturesque town of Melrose is the location of Melrose Abbey, one of the most beautiful monastic ruins in Britain. It is also the site of the burial of the heart of Scottish king Robert the Bruce. Sir Walter Scott also has close associations with the Melrose area and Abbotsford, his home, is a much visited tourist attraction.