"Hi from Ellemford" original artwork by Jenny Shaw
A card which it is understood was uncovered in 2021 by an Innerleithen seller of rare books whose uncle lived at Ellemford.
As you can see the Ellemford Estate farmhouse, foreground wall and field are very well depicted.
And the cat lives on!
A card which it is understood was uncovered in 2021 by an Innerleithen seller of rare books whose uncle lived at Ellemford.
As you can see the Ellemford Estate farmhouse, foreground wall and field are very well depicted.
And the cat lives on!
James Denham came by here when researching the history of Ellemford for his book DUNS Burgh on the Merse.
Sadly the tree was uprooted during the severe storm of November 2021.
Sadly the tree was uprooted during the severe storm of November 2021.
Above interesting early history of the Ellem family can be found by following this LINK to the
Lammermuir Life webpages where you will find the above paragraphs and download option.
Lammermuir Life webpages where you will find the above paragraphs and download option.
The picture below from Joyce Richardson, and perhaps the one above, is a Post Card by photographer R. Milliken of Kirkcaldy.
The following Betty Mack reference by writer Jim Crosbie once appeared on a Grantshouse Inn website.
Less well-documented are the illicit whisky stills which were set up in remote parts of the countryside. Betty Mack (nee Douglas) kept a still at Ellemford and she was 'busted' by the Customs and Excise. Although she was charged with the offence, she was acquitted on a technicality, the custom's official having paid for his drink without having received any request for payment from Betty. Cheers!
In 1903 it is recorded in Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland that Janet Mack (Mrs) was a shopkeeper at Ellemford, presumably this is a continuance of the "grocer" reference in 1861 below.
The Census of 8th April 1861 has the following inhabitants at Rigfoot Cottage, presumably the name "Betty Mack's Cottage" came after the death of her husband John.
County Name Berwickshire
Parish Name Duns
Enumeration District 5
Enumeration Page 6
Schedule 27
Address Rigfoot Cottage
Rooms with Windows 2
Children at School 4
John Mack Head Married 38M Grocer & Ag. Labourer Birthplace: Berwick, Duns
Elizabeth Mack Wife Married 38F Birthplace: Selkirk, Selkirk
John Mack Son Unmarried 14M Scholar Birthplace: Berwick, Duns
Agnes Mack Daughter 10F Scholar Birthplace: Berwick, Duns
William Mack Son 7M Scholar Birthplace: Berwick, Duns
Alison Mack Daughter 5F Birthplace: Berwick, Duns
Alexander Mack Son 9mM Birthplace: Berwick, Duns
Ten years earlier, the Census of 31st March 1851 has the eldest son John living with his grandparents and his father's brother Alexander.
John Mack Head Married 76M Farmer of 100 acres Birthplace: Berwick, Bunkle
Margaret Mack Wife Married 64F Wife of Birthplace: Berwick, Longformacus
Alexander Mack Son Unmarried 22M Farmer's son Birthplace: Berwick, Longformacus
John Mack Grandson 4M Birthplace: Berwick Duns
Margaret Hall Granddaughter 12F House Servant Birthplace: Berwick, Oldhamstocks
Robert Dods Lodger 68M Cattle Dealer Birthplace: Berwick, Duns
John McAdam Servant 19M Farm Servant Birthplace: Ireland
Ten years earlier, the Census of 7th June 1841 is not so exact with the relationships.
John Mack 65M Farmer Birthplace: Berwickshire
Margaret Mack 50F Birthplace: Berwickshire
Margaret Mack 20F Birthplace: Berwickshire
John Mack 18M Birthplace: Berwickshire
Janet Mack 14F Birthplace: Berwickshire
Alexander Mack 11M Birthplace: Berwickshire
Robert Dodds 55M Cattle Dealer Birthplace: Berwickshire
The following Betty Mack reference by writer Jim Crosbie once appeared on a Grantshouse Inn website.
Less well-documented are the illicit whisky stills which were set up in remote parts of the countryside. Betty Mack (nee Douglas) kept a still at Ellemford and she was 'busted' by the Customs and Excise. Although she was charged with the offence, she was acquitted on a technicality, the custom's official having paid for his drink without having received any request for payment from Betty. Cheers!
In 1903 it is recorded in Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland that Janet Mack (Mrs) was a shopkeeper at Ellemford, presumably this is a continuance of the "grocer" reference in 1861 below.
The Census of 8th April 1861 has the following inhabitants at Rigfoot Cottage, presumably the name "Betty Mack's Cottage" came after the death of her husband John.
County Name Berwickshire
Parish Name Duns
Enumeration District 5
Enumeration Page 6
Schedule 27
Address Rigfoot Cottage
Rooms with Windows 2
Children at School 4
John Mack Head Married 38M Grocer & Ag. Labourer Birthplace: Berwick, Duns
Elizabeth Mack Wife Married 38F Birthplace: Selkirk, Selkirk
John Mack Son Unmarried 14M Scholar Birthplace: Berwick, Duns
Agnes Mack Daughter 10F Scholar Birthplace: Berwick, Duns
William Mack Son 7M Scholar Birthplace: Berwick, Duns
Alison Mack Daughter 5F Birthplace: Berwick, Duns
Alexander Mack Son 9mM Birthplace: Berwick, Duns
Ten years earlier, the Census of 31st March 1851 has the eldest son John living with his grandparents and his father's brother Alexander.
John Mack Head Married 76M Farmer of 100 acres Birthplace: Berwick, Bunkle
Margaret Mack Wife Married 64F Wife of Birthplace: Berwick, Longformacus
Alexander Mack Son Unmarried 22M Farmer's son Birthplace: Berwick, Longformacus
John Mack Grandson 4M Birthplace: Berwick Duns
Margaret Hall Granddaughter 12F House Servant Birthplace: Berwick, Oldhamstocks
Robert Dods Lodger 68M Cattle Dealer Birthplace: Berwick, Duns
John McAdam Servant 19M Farm Servant Birthplace: Ireland
Ten years earlier, the Census of 7th June 1841 is not so exact with the relationships.
John Mack 65M Farmer Birthplace: Berwickshire
Margaret Mack 50F Birthplace: Berwickshire
Margaret Mack 20F Birthplace: Berwickshire
John Mack 18M Birthplace: Berwickshire
Janet Mack 14F Birthplace: Berwickshire
Alexander Mack 11M Birthplace: Berwickshire
Robert Dodds 55M Cattle Dealer Birthplace: Berwickshire
map from 1862 showing Cottage, roads and Kidcleuch Burn.
although this was an abandoned croft house in the Scottish Highlands, I imagine Betty Mack's Cottage would not have been dissimilar inside but perhaps any Famous Grouse bottle will have been a disguise.
looking toward the Whiteadder from above the cottage, Ellem Old Inn and Ellem Lodge. The old road from Edinburgh can clearly be seen above the B6355 and below in the field leading to the river although what is recorded in Scotland's Places as a Ellem Ford, across the Whiteadder water where there were stepping stones for foot passengers, appears to be closer to the present bridge on the feint old 1862 map (Berwickshire, Sheet IX). The old road appears to run between Ellem Cottage (now Ellem Lodge ) and the river.
Ellem Old Inn and Ellem Lodge, the road up to Longformacus once took a route to the side of the inn.
Ellem Old Inn is mentioned in The Border Angler : A Guide-Book to the Tweed and it's Tributaries and the Other Streams Commanded by the North British Railway Published in 1858 but available for free download in various formats from LINK.
Here is an extract from pages 165-170 "Ellemford Inn - Geordie Hamilton"
Geordie Hamilton, who as an angler had few equals, and as an innkeeper was beyond all praise. He died in 1856 ; but none of the fishing frequenters of the Whitadder who had the luck to visit Ellemford in the days of Geordie's glory can ever forget him. Rather more than six feet in height, with the aspect of an angling patriarch, coat and waistcoat of voluminous dimensions, corduroy knee-breeches, grey " rig-and-fur" stockings, and fishing creel of the largest size, Geordie was a sight to startle a cockney ; while the heartiness of his laugh and language with those of whatever degree whom he admitted among his familiars, his shrewd border-wit, his remarkable capacity for toddy, and his wonderful fishing-stories, of themselves tempted anglers to his lonely inn on the skirts of the Lammermoors, were it but to spend a night in his company. At the waterside he was an invaluable companion. Bred as a salmon-fisher on Tweedside, he had studied the conditions of air and water as affecting angling from his boyhood ; and he knew the habits and temperaments of the salmonidae as if he had been brought up amongst them — as indeed might partly be affirmed. As a minnow-fisher he was probably unequalled on the borders — as a worm-fisher he could only be compared with the masters. . . . . . . .
Property details by Savills said of Ellem Old Inn that it dates back to around 1816 and is thought to have been the first registered fishing inn in Scotland. Walter Scott (1771-1832) is understood to have visited Ellem Old Inn whilst fishing the nearby Whiteadder Water. Older history also suggests that James IV camped at Ellemford and held his Council of War by the river before the Battle of Flodden.
Here is an extract from pages 165-170 "Ellemford Inn - Geordie Hamilton"
Geordie Hamilton, who as an angler had few equals, and as an innkeeper was beyond all praise. He died in 1856 ; but none of the fishing frequenters of the Whitadder who had the luck to visit Ellemford in the days of Geordie's glory can ever forget him. Rather more than six feet in height, with the aspect of an angling patriarch, coat and waistcoat of voluminous dimensions, corduroy knee-breeches, grey " rig-and-fur" stockings, and fishing creel of the largest size, Geordie was a sight to startle a cockney ; while the heartiness of his laugh and language with those of whatever degree whom he admitted among his familiars, his shrewd border-wit, his remarkable capacity for toddy, and his wonderful fishing-stories, of themselves tempted anglers to his lonely inn on the skirts of the Lammermoors, were it but to spend a night in his company. At the waterside he was an invaluable companion. Bred as a salmon-fisher on Tweedside, he had studied the conditions of air and water as affecting angling from his boyhood ; and he knew the habits and temperaments of the salmonidae as if he had been brought up amongst them — as indeed might partly be affirmed. As a minnow-fisher he was probably unequalled on the borders — as a worm-fisher he could only be compared with the masters. . . . . . . .
Property details by Savills said of Ellem Old Inn that it dates back to around 1816 and is thought to have been the first registered fishing inn in Scotland. Walter Scott (1771-1832) is understood to have visited Ellem Old Inn whilst fishing the nearby Whiteadder Water. Older history also suggests that James IV camped at Ellemford and held his Council of War by the river before the Battle of Flodden.
I know why our pheasants perch together on the garden rails or fly as though their life depends on it. But why he sits for hours in the rain is beyond me.
Feb/March 2023: we're now feeding four hens having survived their season of bad will. Sadly the chicks don't usually mature here due to the stoat but it's nice to have their mother bring them down to us from the wood.
The River Whiteadder
Perhaps not such a great distance downstream from Ellemford for a tetrapod, evidence of these earliest of vertebrates with four limbs on land was uncovered at the river near Chirnside (later to become home for Jim Clark who came all the way from Fife).
The late Stan Wood, a self-taught Scottish field palaeontologist, was convinced that fossil evidence of tetrapod life 360 million years ago during Romer’s Gap could be found in Scotland, and spent 20 years searching for it. Finally, in 2011, he uncovered never-before-seen fossil evidence of early tetrapod life on land - fossil animal skeletons, along with millipedes, scorpions and plants- at the Whiteadder River, near Chirnside. Read this interesting LINK.
The late Stan Wood, a self-taught Scottish field palaeontologist, was convinced that fossil evidence of tetrapod life 360 million years ago during Romer’s Gap could be found in Scotland, and spent 20 years searching for it. Finally, in 2011, he uncovered never-before-seen fossil evidence of early tetrapod life on land - fossil animal skeletons, along with millipedes, scorpions and plants- at the Whiteadder River, near Chirnside. Read this interesting LINK.
what goes up must come down
These succesful makeshift siskin window alerts hang all summer long but without oozing clear liquids. At the other end was this deft slug hanging just inches from its destination - quite a feat to discharge itself safely for almost four feet down its own mucus which just disappeared a little while later.
old photograph on east side of Ellemford Bridge
quite a number of excavations took place on the above riverside haugh during the October 2014 archaeological fieldwork for the Flodden 1513 Ecomuseum project, follow this fully illustrated LINK for the Archaeological Fieldwork at Ellem and Windy Windshiel.
quite a number of excavations took place on the above riverside haugh during the October 2014 archaeological fieldwork for the Flodden 1513 Ecomuseum project, follow this fully illustrated LINK for the Archaeological Fieldwork at Ellem and Windy Windshiel.
Annual Show and Open Trial (Scottish National Sheep Dog) takes place on the last Saturday every September
Duns Summer Festival 2019 - Riding The Bounds at Ellemford on 13th July
Ellemford Bridge and Ellem Lodge
It does not feel almost 20 years now but in the summer of 2000 the BBC made Ellem Lodge a case for investigation by the House Detectives. Juliet Morris and the team visited the owners who wanted to find out if the round building at the heart of Ellem Lodge was visited by King James IV of Scotland shortly before his death at the battle of Flodden in 1513. Please feel free to email for more information on the programme.
500 years later, to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Flodden, a dramatised walk took place on Saturday 24th August 2013 along part of the route the army marched. At the end of the walk they came to Ellemford where the army of King James IV camped while awaiting the Earls of Home and Angus and their men that completed the muster.
The organisers produced a DVD "In The Footsteps Of Flodden" from which these images were captured.
Follow this LINK for more history of the area.
The organisers produced a DVD "In The Footsteps Of Flodden" from which these images were captured.
Follow this LINK for more history of the area.
looking toward Ellemhaugh Smithy (below) from Ellemford Bridge
the 2012 flood
In the corner of a room at Paxton House there is a museum dedicated to Ellem Fishing Club which is the oldest existing and continuous trout-angling club in the world. The Club was founded in 1829 during the reign of George IV in the Ellem Fishing Tavern at Ellemford, nowadays known as the residential Ellem Old Inn just over the small bridge opposite the telephone box.
As part of the 2008 Castle in the Country television programme from Flooors Castle in Kelso, John Craven visited the museum at Paxton House and tried his hand at fly fishing for trout. John is seen below at the confluence of the Whiteadder and Dye Water upstream of Ellemhaugh Smithy. Please feel free to email for more information on this Series 4 Episode 1 programme.
Dr. J.H. Mitchell who wrote the 2006 Ellem Fishing Club book "The First 175 Years" died in December 2021.
His lifelong love of angling led to him becoming president of the Berwick and District Angling Association for over 30 years and chairman of the Ellem Fishing Club.
His lifelong love of angling led to him becoming president of the Berwick and District Angling Association for over 30 years and chairman of the Ellem Fishing Club.
it may be a solitary sport but you can be certain that your company is just as fly
Ellem Church said to have been used for spiritual rites during the reign of Charles I (1625-1649)
Just below the site of Ellem Church slightly set back on the roadside (see above) you can find evidence of an abandoned and partially back-filled copper mine. Ellemford Mine was purportedly operated in the late 18th century as discussed on page 37 of the following download from the British Geological Survey "Gold Exploration in the Duns area, Southern Uplands" LINK.
Ringlet butterfly without markings at Ellemford Bridge
the Avro Vulcan XH558 flying on day 1 of a UK Tour 27th June 2015 at 13.02
low flying training over Ellemford bridge and cottages 24th June 2013
Historically perhaps the only manned flight ever from Dungavel near Roberton to Ellemford.
Interestingly Robert could have (at this time) easily dropped in on the Engineer best known for his leading role in developing the 'black box' flight recorder, which has contributed immensely to the safety of air travel.
Interestingly Robert could have (at this time) easily dropped in on the Engineer best known for his leading role in developing the 'black box' flight recorder, which has contributed immensely to the safety of air travel.
The 7th Flying Scotsman 2015: a 1934 Aston Martin MK11 Competition
Tour of Britain 2017
Tour of Britain 2019 Stage 2 : reverse direction at Ellem Old Inn
Head of the Race on Stage 7 of the 2021 Tour of Britain approaching our next village Cranshaws 59.2km from the finish in Edinburgh.
There was little anticipation of a challenge from the peloton, seen here with the backdrop of Cranshaws Church.
There was little anticipation of a challenge from the peloton, seen here with the backdrop of Cranshaws Church.
Tour of Britain 2022 Day 2 Hawick to Duns : six leading the peleton to the "tyre-depth" photo finish in Newtown Street, Duns.
Berwick Classic Rally 2018
Andrew Cowan on the 2009 Reivers Rally returning from the Bothwell stage
The most evocative sound and sight on the 2012 Reivers Rally was David Bogie in his 6R4
THE JIM CLARK RALLY IN DUNS
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