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BRITAIN'S SAVAGE BORDERS |
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Brothers in Arms Both men had been brothers in arms in numerous campaigns, and were regarded as the two most brilliant and valiant knights in King David’s court. Sir Alexander Ramsay earned the reputation of being a great leader, a wily tactician and a fearless fighter. He was honoured for his many military campaigns including many daring guerrilla raids against the English. Possession of the strong fortress of Roxburgh was bitterly contested by England and Scotland and for long periods it was in the hands of the English much to the distress of Scotland. This stronghold, being near the Border was of prime importance to both sides. In a night attack, in 1342, Ramsay stormed the stronghold and, although stoutly repulsed by a substantial English force, he succeeded in taking it. For the great service Sir Alexander Ramsay had rendered by its capture, he was rewarded by being appointed governor of the castle, by King David. He was also awarded the position of Sheriff of Teviotdale, a post based at Hermitage Castle, which had been previously held by Sir William Douglas, the Knight of Liddesdale. When the news reached Douglas of Ramsay’s appointed by the young King as Sheriff of Teviotdale he was furious and he directed his wrath not at the King who made the appointment, but at Ramsay himself.
Deeply offended, Douglas vowed vengeance against the new One day as Ramsay was carrying out his official duties holding court in the church at Hawick, Douglas burst in. Ramsay rose to greet his old friend and comrade, but instead of a friendly handshake he was seized by Douglas’ men and taken away to Hermitage Castle in Liddesdale. There he was hurled into a lower dungeon and was given neither food nor water and left there to die an agonizing death. It is said that this brave knight prolonged his life for seventeen days by eating the remains of grains of corn which had filtered through from the store above. Ramsay’s cruel death excited widespread indignation and sorrow among all classes of his contemporaries. King David was appalled when he was told of the dreadful crime but his authority was so weak that he was unable to take any action against Douglas. What caused the so-called Flower of Chivalry to act so has been a great puzzle many. Some four hundred years later a mason employed to make repairs within the castle came upon a vault about eight feet square, in which were found some human bones, along with remnants of a saddle, some pieces of cloth, and an ancient sword together with other assorted accoutrements. These relics in all probability had belonged the gallant but unfortunate Alexander Ramsay.
Later the King assigned to Douglas the office of Sheriff of After such appalling behaviour Douglas’ name was abhorred by Scots everywhere, and not long after he was ambushed by his own nephew and slain. So ended the lives of two of the brightest hopes for Scotland’s fight for freedom. This is one of the stories from the book: Hermitage Castle, the Wickedest Place on the Border by Tom Armstrong. This book may be purchased from this website. Click HERE.
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Extract from R B Armstrong's The History
of Liddesdale. TO-NAMES (Forenames-Tarras) Living, as the borderers did, in communities or clans, the members of which, for the most part, bore the same surname as the chief, it became necessary to distinguish in some special manner those of the clan bearing the same Christian names. Thus, as the following selection shows, the " to-names " by which the borderers were commonly known, frequently point to their descent., as " Sandies Rinyons Archie,(Rinyon was the son of Sandie and Archie was the son of Rinyon) Gibbs Geordies Francie, Paties Geordies Johnie, Dicks Davies Davie, Martins Gibbs Andrew, Johns Christe, Martins Archie, Symes Torn, Rowyes Rynyon, Mungoes Arthure, The laird's Jock, The lady's Hob, Nanse Archie, Agnes Cristie, Bessies Andrew, Peggies Wattie, Nellies Johne." Places of residence, as " Sandy of Rowaneburne, Jok of the Hare well, Tom of the Cavis, Alexander Whitleyside, Andrew Kirkton, John of the Park, Niniane Tueidane, Larry Whisgills, Jock of the Side, Garvie of the Hill, Cuddie of the Brankhous, Dand of Baghead, Adye of the Shiell, Jockie of the Kill," etc.
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Willie of Westburnflat Willie Armstrong of Westburnflat in Liddesdale, came from generation after generation of reiving stock whose skill and fame had placed his family high in status as professional reivers. It was a reputation of which he was immensely proud and he steadfastly nurtured it by energetically pursuing the calling of his forebears. But times were hard for honest reivers. Scotland had joined with the auld enemy, England, and King James made war on the riding families. Such was the strength of his forces that they were hounded and harassed from their homes and forced to flee for their very lives to distant parts. Some even settled down, where they could, to the peaceful life of farming. Not so Willie, who did his best to maintain old ways. He became feared and hated by all those people who resented having their kye ‘lifted,’ and so they sought the aid of the Law to redress their grievances. Forced to curtail his activities Willie, at length gave way to his inborn urges and so it fell about that a dozen or so cows raided one night from Teviotdale, were traced to Westburnflat. Later, in the dead of night, when Willie was peacefully asleep, no doubt soothed by the feeling of a deed well done, the men of Teviotdale arrived, and, bursting in, before Willie could gather his scattered wits or realised what was happening, he was overpowered and bound securely hand and foot. Willie’s trial, along with nine friends, was held at Selkirk. The stolen cattle had not been found in his possession and the evidence against him for this particular theft was in no way conclusive. However, because of the prisoners’ past record, the lack of evidence did not deter the jury from finding all the prisoners guilty. When sentence of death was pronounced Willie arose in fury, seized the heavy oak chair on which he had been seated and with a mighty blow dashed it to the ground, breaking it into pieces. Selecting one strong leg for himself, he passed the remainder to his condemned comrades, called to them to stand by him and together they would fight their way out of Selkirk. There is little doubt that they would have succeeded had Willie been properly backed up. But his friends poor "fushionless," spiritless creatures, seized his hands and cried to him to “let us die like Christians." Maybe it was a way of turning King's Evidence expected to be treated lightly. They might have been better to have died fighting. They were all duly hanged. |
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Items previously shown on Cresswell Tower and Manor-house John Wilson. His Tales of the Borders
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Correcting some popular misconceptions Hadrian's Wall is NOT the Anglo-Scottish border. Most of Northumberland and North Cumbria lies between Hadrian's Wall and the Border with Scotland. Hadrian's Wall was not built to keep out the Border reivers. The reivers did not appear until about 800 years after the Romans had left Britain. Not all reivers were Scottish. The farming communities of east Northumberland probably suffered more from the activities of the reiving families of the North Tyne valley and Redesdale. The Border is often referred to as the Scottish Border. It is in fact the Anglo-Scottish Border. As much of the Border is English as it is Scottish. |