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Southdean (Southdene, Southden) Church is associated with the
Battle of Otterburn in 1388; the leaders of the Scottish army are said to have met
at the church on the eve of the battle.
The parish of Southdean occupies about the middle of the English border
of Roxburghshire, and lies upon the north-western slopes of Carter Fell,
in Jed forest. The old church is situated near the river Jed, and close
to the west side of the road that leads from Hawick over the border into
Northumberland. The modern church is situated about a mile lower down.
The parish was in the diocese of Glasgow and the archdeaconry of
Teviotdale. Nothing seems to be known of the early history of the
church, and the dedication is at present unknown. The church is of
considerable historic interest for its association with the victory over
the English at Otteiburn in the summer of 1388, for it was within its
walls that the leaders of the Scottish army met on the eve of the
battle.
" Here were assembled in council all the chivalry of Scotland, including
the hero of Otterburn, the second
Earl of Douglas;
Archibald the Grim,
afterwards the third Earl of Douglas ; the Earl of Fife, better known as
the Duke of Albany ; Sir John Swinton, who died gallantly leading a
forlorn hope at Homildon; Sir Alexander Ramsay, and many other famous
Scottish knights. An English squire, greatly daring, ventured into the
church unnoticed, in their midst, discovered their plans, and, leaving
the church, had nearly escaped the Scottish lines but for his horse
having been stolen in the interval. He was observed, captured, and
brought back to the church, to be ' handled in such wise ' that he
revealed the disposition of the English forces. This valuable
information decided the Scottish leaders to invade England on both east
and west, and thus puzzle the enemy. The larger division went by
Carlisle, and a smaller army of picked men, under the Earl of Douglas,
swiftly invaded the country on the east, and to them fell the glory of
Otterburn."
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland; Volume 45 (1910-11) The remains
of the church, as shown in fig. 9, have been treated with great care.
The walls have been carefully pointed and covered with cement, so as to
prevent the rain sinking into them from above.
This cement cover has been hidden with stones for the sake of
appearance. The tower has been built up with the original stones just
far enough to enable a low fall-to roof to be placed upon it, so that it
can be used to protect the carved stones found in the course of the
work. These have been collected and placed within it, and an iron gate
with a lock has been fitted up in the doorway: Over the doorway has been
placed a tablet with the inscription :—
" Here, in the year 1388, James, Earl of Douglas, and the Scottish
leaders, assembled their forces, matured their plans, and began the
invasion of England, which culminated in the Battle of Otterburne."
" When the dead Douglas won the field."
" These walls repaired and this stone inserted, 1910."
There was a church of intermediate date, now in ruins, built in 1690, at
the village of Chesters; this was built to take the place of the old
church of Southdean, which was deserted after the roof, collapsed in
1688.
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