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In the Debateable Land, near Canonbie, 1552
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While it existed, the Debateable Land from the rivers Esk and Liddel to
the Sark was a sort of “ no man’s land.” On its untllled fields,
subjects of both countries pastured their herds during the day, but were
required to remove them before sunset—or suffer the consequence.
For over three centuries before the Union of the Crowns the entire
frontier from Tweed to Solway was a battlefield. Incessant raiding went
on and Borderers were unable to lead a settled life. Scot pillaged Scot,
and Englishman robbed Englishman just as readily as both raided across
the Border. Local reiver families included the Armstrongs, Elliots,
Johnstones, Maxwells, Douglases, Scolls, Kerrs, Bells, Littles, Beatties,
Carlyles—and merging into England, the Grahams, Nixons and Charltons. On
occasion, towns like Langholm, Annan, Dumfries and Kirkcudbright were
sacked and burnt, and castles like Lochmaben, Caerilaverock and Threave
seized by the enemy.
The Devil’s Beef Tub near Moffat was used for hiding stolen cattle. In
those days of plunder and terror, the Border family chief dwelt in a “
peel ’’ or tower three or four storeys high; this, with its “ barnekln ”
provided a rallying point and defensive centre for his dependants and a
refuge for tbeir cattle.
To help maintain law and order, the Border territory of both countries
was divided into Marches, namely the East, the Middle and the West
March, each controlled by a “ warden.” Unruly Annandale and Liddesdale
had specially appointed “ keepers.”
On certain days of the year a truce was declared when Scot and Southron
could meet without fear of reprisal, and so that wardens could pass
judgement on any outstanding disputes. The ballad '
Kinmont Willie”, tells how Willie Armstrong was wrongfully
seized on such a day of truce and imprisoned in Carlisle Castle, and how
a daring rescue was effected, even across the flooded river Eden, by the
“ bold ” Buccleuch.
Robert Lord Maxwell, and two others, were appointed commissioners to
negotiate a division of this contested territory between the two
kingdoms. The result was that in September 1552
Sir James Douglas of Drumlanrig
and Richard Maitland of Lethington met the English representatives, Sir
Thomas Wharton and Sir Thomas Chaloner. Between them they managed to
settle once for all that venerable bone of contention, the Debatable
Land, by dividing it between the two countries—the more northerly parish
of Canonbie being annexed to Dumfriesshire, and the more southerly one
of Kirkandrews being added to Cumberland; and thus this long-contested
boundary remains to this day. This settlement was ratified on December
15 by Maxwell of Herries, the warden, and the laird of Johnstone on the
one side, and Sir Thomas Dacre and Sir Richard Musgrave on the other.
A trench and bank dug to mark the
boundary, is still called the “Scots Dyke". Canonbie parish to the north
was assigned to Scotland, and Klrkandrews parish to the south to
England. At last “ Dumfriesshire ” and “ Cumberland ” knew where they
stood.
Because they were a menace to national security, James V set out on a
royal punitive expedition against the Border reivers and in 1530 hanged
the notorious Johnnie Armstrong, Laird of Gilnockie and his entire
retinue.
It is thanks to Sir Walter Scott that many of the old ballads, in which
the deeds of the reivers are immortalised, survive to the present. He
collected as many of these old songs as he could and published them as
"The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.” This fine collection of ballad
poetry is probably the only good result of all the borders conflicts.
See also:
• The Border Marches
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Source
Sources for this article include:
Article by James Oliphant; Dumfries and Galloway, Our Story in
Pictures.Drawing by William R. Martin
Any contributions will be
gratefully accepted
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