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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SELKIRK, prop. n. A county town on the Ettrick in the Border country, in combs.: 1. Selkirk bannock, — bannie, a kind of rich fruit loaf, made as a specialty by Selkirk bakers (Lth. and s.Sc. 1969); 2. Selkirk craw, a nickname for a young native of Selkirk. Cf. Souter; 3. Selkirk grace, a rhymed grace before meat ascribed to Burns by Allan Cunningham (see 1834 quot.) but known to have been taken by Cunningham from the Belfast Rushlight (9 Sept. 1825) in the form “There's fowk hae meat, That downa eat; There's fowk could eat — that want it; But we hae meat an' we can eat, And sae — the Lord be thankit.” See J. D. Ross Burns Handbook (1931) 320.1. Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xxvi.:
Car-cakes and sweet scones, Selkirk bannocks, cookies, and petticoat-tails.Slk. 1827 R. Chambers Picture Scot. I. 156:
It [Selkirk] is famous for the manufacture of a peculiarly light and agreeable species of bread, called “Selkirk Bannocks”. The loaves were originally made of barley-meal, but are now composed of the finest flour.m.Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick 107:
Chuffie cheeks, an' a roun' gawsy face, like a Selkirk bannie or a hairst müne.s.Sc. 1938 Border Mag. (July) 99:
Selkirk bannie; a gorgeous and indescribable cake composed of a rich core of fruitcake enveloped in a flaky crust of a totally different consistency.Slk. 1956 Sc. Daily Mail (5 Nov.):
The secret of the Selkirk Bannock's excellence, I am told lies in the good butter and special sultanas (from the Levant) on which its makers have always insisted. Basically the bannock is a loaf — flat on the bottom and rounded on the top — and half its weight is fruit.2. Slk. c.1840 Sc. N. & Q. (Ser. 1) IV. 54:
Heron-heron, hide eer head, The Selkirk craws will pike ee dead.3. Sc. 1834 Burns' Works (A. Cunningham) III. 311:
On a visit to St. Mary's Isle, the Earl of Selkirk asked Burns to say grace at dinner. These were the words he uttered — they were applauded then, and have since been known in Galloway by the name of “The Selkirk Grace”.Fif. 1894 J. W. M'Laren Tibbie and Tam 123:
After a grace, whilk I'm inclined to think was the Selkirk ane.