Famous People

 
 
Chirnside's famous sons include the Philosopher David Hume of Ninewells, Henry, Ralph and Ebeneezer Erskine, who contributed greatly to the religious history of Scotland, and, much more recently, Jim Clark, World Champion Racing Driver, who farmed at nearby Edington Mains.   Site Menu

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drawing of the doocot. David Hume of Ninewells (1711 - 1776), the world renowned moral philosopher and historian, went to school in Chirnside until he was twelve, before going to study law at Edinburgh University. His family home was Ninewells estate, to which he would often return in later years.

His first and most important philosophical work, 'Treatise of Human Nature', was published when he was only 28 years of age. Through his many writings, his influence became widespread, and he is still regarded as the greatest philosopher that Britain has ever produced.

A search for 'David Hume' in Google produces over 100,000 results but the Philosophy Pages website is a good place to start.		 David Hume.
David Hume - 1711-1776.
The Erskine Family was prominent in the history of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland. The highly regarded Henry was parish minister of Chirnside in the 17th Century, during which time he was imprisoned for his covenanting beliefs.

On a national level, his son Ebenezer broke away from the established Church of Scotland in 1733, forming the Secession Church which stood out against the power of patronage in a parish. Both Ebenezer and his brother Ralph are regarded as among the best preachers ever to have been heard in Scotland.

For more information on Ebenezer visit the Significant Scots, Ebenezer Erskine website.		 Chirnside Church.
Henry Erskine, father of Ebenezer, was minister at Chirnside Church.
drawing of the mill, now used by Ahlstrom. Jim Clark OBE, whose family farmed locally at Edington Mains, won the F1 World Championship on two separate occasions, and in 1965 he became the first Briton to win the Indianapolis 500 in the United States. Sadly, Clark was tragically killed in an accident in 1968 on the Hockenheim Circuit in Germany at the age of 32.

The clock which you can see in the centre of the village stands as a memorial to his achievements, and his grave, in the local churchyard, is frequently visited. The Jim Clark Room in Duns, which is dedicated to his short but successful career, is home to many of his trophies and awards. Each summer, the Jim Clark Rally, the only 'closed roads' race on mainland Britain, takes place, using many of the minor roads around the village as special stages.

For more information on Jim Clark visit www.grandprix.com.

For details of the Jim Clark Rally visit the official rally website. 		The plaque on the Jim Clark memorial clock.
The plaque on the Jim Clark memorial clock.
The carved stone marking the entrance to Chirnside.
The name stones on the roads into Chirnside acknowledge Jim Clark's importance to the village.
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