The parishes are centred around Ruberslaw, a conical hill, site of an iron age fort which dominates the countryside around and gives its name to the united charge of Ruberslaw Country Parishes.
The main settlement, DENHOLM, a village with a population of around 600 is situated to the north of Ruberslaw on the A698 between Hawick and Jedburgh. http://www.denholmvillage.co.uk Denholm Church and Hall are situated in the heart of the village, adjacent to the village green, as is the Manse. The village is well serviced with a village shop/post office, butchers, hairdresser, garage and a range of hospitality venues. There is a modern primary school and secondary pupils mainly attend the Grammar Campus in Jedburgh. It is a vibrant community with a variety of activities for all ages.
A mile from Denholm is the planned village of MINTO. Originally designed by W H Playfair in the 1830s. http://www.mintovillage.org It is a picturesque village with a number of new houses in addition to the row of cottages and houses within the Minto estate. A dominant feature of the village is Minto church (earmarked for closure), also designed by W H Playfair, in the Gothic style and situated close to the former village school. To the rear there is a very fine war memorial featuring a life-size statue of a British soldier sculpted by Thomas J Clapperton who was also responsible for several memorials in the area.
Sitting to the east, in the shadow of Ruberslaw is the hamlet of BEDRULE in the scenic farming community of the Rule Valley. At the end of a row of farm cottages stands Bedrule Church (earmarked for closure), the last of a long line of places of worship dating back to the 11th Century.
There is a long-standing association with the Turnbull family starting with Bishop Turnbull who established Glasgow University in the 15th Century. A current project in the area is The Twelve Towers of Rule exploring the Rule Valley's Towers devastation in 1545 with the aim to developing a visitor experience. As part of this project, Archaeology Scotland are carrying out an excavation on the site of the 13th Century Bedrule Castle.
Lying to the south is BONCHESTER BRIDGE, the main settlement in the ancient parish of Hobkirk, 6 miles south-east of Hawick. The community has a population of some 660 including outlying farms and hamlets. The church is situated at Hobkirk, about 3/4 of a mile to the west.
Further to the south and closer to the English border at Carter Bar lies the small hamlet of CHESTERS at the centre of the old parish of Southdean. Central to the community is Southdean Hall which provides a welcoming space for local residents. http://southdeanhall.org Southdean Church has been retained on a "care and maintenance" basis for a number of years but is scheduled for closure.