Hawick and Hermitage

The electoral ward of Hawick and Hermitage sits in the western part of the Scottish Borders, centred on the market town of Hawick and stretching into surrounding rural hills and river valleys. Hawick lies on the River Teviot and has a long association with the textile and knitwear trades, while agriculture, forestry and small-scale tourism support the outlying communities.

The ward contains evocative historic sites such as Hermitage Castle, a dramatic ruined stronghold of the Borders, and the landscape still shows traces of the old Border Reiver era. Local life mixes strong cultural traditions - most famously Hawick’s Common Riding and a visible knitting heritage - with ongoing efforts to diversify the economy, giving the area a blend of rural tranquillity, history and a close-knit community spirit.