Old County of Selkirkshire

(Ettrick Forest)

A small former county, originally known as the Sheriffdom of Ettrick Forest, and an earldom extending over the valleys of the Ettrick, Yarrow and Tweed and the basin of St Mary's Loch, Selkirkshire extends to 257 sq. miles (665 sq. km) and was bounded to the N and W by Peeblesshire, to the N by Midlothian, to the E by Roxburghshire and the S and W by Dumfriesshire. Its county town was Selkirk and the only other settlement of any size was Galashiels. The principal industry was sheep-farming and the manufacture of woollen tweeds. The county formed a parliamentary constituency with neighbouring Roxburghshire. In 1974, it became part of the Ettrick and Lauderdale district of Borders Region, which became the Scottish Borders Council Area in 1996. The earldom is held by the Douglas-Hamilton family.


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