The village of Elsrickle.

Welcome to the idyllic village of Elsrickle. You will find the village in South Lanarkshire, Scotland,sitting astride the A721 and within two miles of the boundary line of the Scottish Borders. 4 miles north east of Biggar, South Lanarkshire. Present day postcode is ML12 6QZ.

Elsrickle was formally known as Ellsrickle, or Ellsridgehill as it lies on the ridge of Blackmount hill which marks the end of the Pentland Hills.

Some years ago stone coffins were dug up at it's east end of the village.

The estate on which the village stands was in former days called Elgerith, the name Ellsrickle to Elsrickle being a corruption of the original name.

Elsrickle consists of 37 houses most being of the original stone structure used when the Edmunson estate (Elgerith Estate) created the out worker cottages and crofts some 250 years ago. At the last census the population numbered 110 persons.

Currently there are three new houses recently completed and are now occupied. These have been built on gap sites within the existing outline of the village .
Elsrickle lies under the shadow of Black Mount Hill which is at the extreme end of the Pentland range, and looking towards the south the panoramic view is of the ever folding layers of the Scottish Border hills.

Elsrickle is part of the Black Mount Council ward,which includes the settlements of Dolphinton, Dunsyre, Newbigging, Walston and Weston. The elected committee members of the Black Mount Community Council meet on the first Monday of each month. Minutes of the meetings are displayed to the public in the village post office and the village hall. Four times per year there is a community newsletter issued called "The Bugle" to which persons are encouraged to submit contributions.

There is a social sub committee of B.M.C.C. who organise an annual sports evening with events for ALL ages, a bonfire night, a sponsored walk/ramble and the major event being an annual Christmas dinner for all the senior members of the community.

The village hall is owned by South Lanarkshire Council which is the administrating body through whom bookings for use can be made.

There is an active social life maintained in the Village and residents and guests are encouraged to take an active interest.

At present the village enjoys a water supply from a spring whose source is found on Black Mount hill, controlled and filtered by Scottish Water.However, Scottish Water have laid pipes to provide a mains supply from the Edinburgh source of supply should this ever be required. There is only one problem if they increase the water pressure to raise it up hill from Dolphinton to Elsrickle, the increased pressure blows the taps of their fittings in the village of Dolphinton and so we still enjoy our spring water that has been the source of supply since the village came into being.

If you wish to make contact with the author of this site:- taylord@elsrickle.wanadoo.co.uk