Ashkirk

Ashkirk
Houses at Ashkirk
Ashkirk Location within the Scottish Borders
Population	139 (2011 census) [1]
OS grid reference	NT4722
Community council	Lilliesleaf, Ashkirk and Midlem
Council area	Scottish Borders
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SELKIRK
Postcode district	TD7
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Scottish Parliament	Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire
List of places UK Scotland 55°29′N2°50′W / 55.48°N 02.84°W / 55.48; -02.84

Ashkirk is a small village on the Ale Water, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It is located just off the A7 road, approximately 6 miles (10 kilometres) each way between Selkirk to the north and Hawick to the south.

Other places nearby include the Alemoor Loch, Appletreehall, Belses, Essenside Loch, the Ettrick Water, Ettrickbridge, Philiphaugh, Salenside and Woll.

The village is home to the Woll golf course, Ashkirk Village Hall, and the Smiddy Bar & Restaurant

History

Formerly, two thirds of the parish of Ashkirk lay in Roxburghshire and one third in Selkirkshire, ^[2] including an enclave of Selkirkshire just east of the village ^[3] around Synton. In 1891 a Boundary Commission moved the whole parish into Selkirkshire and added to Ashkirk a detached portion of the parish of Selkirk just west of the village, which was already in Selkirkshire (Todrig). ^[4]

Notable persons

• Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (the Western Isles), grew up in Ashkirk. ^[5]
• Conservative MP James Cran spent the latter part of his life in Ashkirk and died there in 2023.
• Doug Davies, Scottish rugby player, was born in Ashkirk. ^[6]
• Scottish-Australian poet and bush balladeer Will H. Ogilvie (1869–1963) was born near Kelso, Scottish Borders, and from 1918 to his death he first leased then bought the Presbyterian church manse 'Kirklea' on the northside of Ashkirk. ^[7] After returning from Australia (1889–1901), Ogilvie became known as the Border poet, including penning Galloping shoes, Over the grass, Handful of leather, and The road to Roberton . His wife Madge is buried with her parents in nearby Ettrickbridge.

Gallery

• 
  A7 major road turn-off
• 
  Surrounding farming area
• 
  Road west of village with stone wall
• 
  Stone bridge over the Ale Water, west of village
• 
  Ashkirk Church yard
• 
  Ashkirk Church front (2018)
• 
  Inside the church
• 
  Ogilvie family area at church

See also

• List of places in the Scottish Borders
• List of places in Scotland

References

1. "2011 Census Settlement Populations". Scottish Borders Council. 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
2. New Statistical Account of Scotland, Vol III Roxburgh, Peebles, Selkirk, publ.William Blackwood, 1845 p. 268
3. Ordnance Survey One-inch to the mile maps of Scotland, 1st Edition, Jedburgh, pul. 1864
4. Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland 2nd edition, by Francis Groome, publ. 1896; articles on Ashkirk and Selkirk
5. Alasdair Allan
6. "Douglas S. Davies". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
7. OGILVIE, George Thomas Anderson (July 1994). Balladist of Borders & Bush. G.T. Ogilvie. ISBN   0952463407.

External links

• Scotland's Places
• Standing Stones and Circles
• Vision of Britain
• Ashkirk Website