Following the Border Reiver Trail

The landscapes around Newcastleton tell the story of the Border Reivers - families who lived by raiding and rustling in the turbulent frontier between Scotland and England. Walk in their footsteps and discover this unique chapter of British history.

What Were the Border Reivers?

From the 13th to the early 17th century, the Anglo-Scottish border was one of the most lawless regions in Britain. Powerful families on both sides of the border - Armstrongs, Elliots, Grahams, Bells, and many others - engaged in raiding, cattle rustling, kidnapping, and feuding. These families became known as the Border Reivers, and they developed a culture unique in European history.

The word "reive" means to rob or plunder. The Reivers didn't see themselves as criminals but as people surviving in a frontier region where normal laws didn't apply. Both Scottish and English governments struggled to control the Borders, leaving a power vacuum filled by family loyalty and the sword.

The Debated Land

Newcastleton sits in the heart of what was called "The Debated Land" - a stretch of territory whose ownership was disputed between Scotland and England for centuries. Neither kingdom could effectively govern it, making it effectively stateless.

This unique status made the Debated Land attractive to outlaws and Reiver families. With no clear authority, they could raid into both kingdoms and retreat to land claimed by neither. The area remained in this limbo until after the Union of the Crowns in 1603, when James VI of Scotland (James I of England) finally asserted control.

Geography of Lawlessness

The Debated Land's terrain made it difficult to police. The mosses (boggy areas), forests, and hills provided perfect cover for raiders and their stolen cattle. The river valleys offered routes for quick incursions and escapes. This landscape, still largely intact around Newcastleton, shaped centuries of Border history.

Life as a Border Reiver

Reiver families lived in fortified farmhouses called peel towers - small stone strongholds that could withstand attack. When raids were expected, livestock would be driven inside fortified enclosures, valuables hidden, and families prepared for defense.

The Reiving Economy

Cattle and sheep were the currency of the Borders. A successful raid could provide meat, breeding stock, and animals to trade. "Blackmail" (from black rent - payment in cattle rather than silver) was protection money paid to powerful Reiver families to ensure safety from raids.

Reivers also engaged in "hot trod" - the legal right to pursue raiders across the border while the trail was still "hot" (within six days). A Scottish family could legally raid into England to recover stolen goods, provided they followed specific rules including carrying a burning turf on a spear as a signal of legitimate pursuit.

Reiver Culture

The Reivers developed a distinctive culture that influenced the English language and literature:

• "Bereaved": Originally meaning robbed of possessions
• "Red-handed": Caught with blood of stolen livestock
• "Blackmail": Protection money paid to Reiver families
• "To bulldoze": From the violence of Reiver raids
• "In the nick of time": From notches cut in tally sticks recording raids

Famous Reiver Families

The Armstrongs

Perhaps the most notorious Reiver family, the Armstrongs dominated Liddesdale (the valley where Newcastleton now stands). At their height, they could field 3,000 mounted men. Johnnie Armstrong was famously executed by James V of Scotland in 1530 despite arriving under safe conduct - an act that became legend in Border ballads.

The Elliots

Another major Liddesdale family, the Elliots were fierce rivals and sometimes allies of the Armstrongs. Their motto "Fortiter et Recte" (Bravely and Rightly) perhaps optimistically described their activities. The family produced notable warriors and later, distinguished soldiers and statesmen.

The Grahams

The Grahams controlled territory on both sides of the border and were considered by authorities to be among the most troublesome families. After the Union of the Crowns, many Grahams were forcibly transported to Ireland.

Exploring Reiver Country Today

Hermitage Castle

About 30 minutes from Newcastleton, Hermitage Castle is one of Scotland's most atmospheric fortresses. This forbidding stronghold guarded Liddesdale and witnessed centuries of Border violence. Mary Queen of Scots famously rode here to visit the wounded Earl of Bothwell in 1566, a journey of over 50 miles in a day.

The castle's dark reputation matches its grim appearance. It's associated with legends of cruelty and dark magic, adding to the mystique of the Reiver era.

Walking the Reiver Routes

The landscapes around Newcastleton remain much as they were in Reiver times:

• Liddesdale: The valley where the most powerful Reiver families held sway
• The mosses: Boggy areas that provided cover for raiders
• Hill routes: Paths Reivers used to move cattle and avoid detection
• River crossings: Strategic points in the raiding economy

Modern walking routes follow many of these ancient paths. As you walk, imagine mounted raiders moving through moonlight, driving stolen cattle before them, always alert for pursuit or ambush.

Visible Heritage

Look for remains of the Reiver era in the landscape:

• Foundations of peel towers on strategic hilltops
• Old drove roads used to move cattle
• River fords where raiders crossed
• Place names referring to battles, raids, or Reiver families

The End of Reiving

When James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne in 1603, the border became internal to one kingdom. James was determined to pacify what he renamed "The Middle Shires." His methods were brutal: mass hangings, forced transportation, burning of tower houses, and destruction of Reiver power.

Within a generation, the Reiving way of life had ended. Many Reiver families were destroyed or dispersed. Some survivors found legitimate outlets for their warrior skills in the armies of Europe or the new colonies of North America. The descendants of Border Reivers can be found worldwide, carrying names like Armstrong, Elliott, Graham, and Bell.

The Reiver Legacy

The Border Reivers left lasting marks on culture and language. Their ballads survived as folk songs. Their fighting style influenced cavalry tactics. Their fierce independence became part of Border identity.

Modern Border towns celebrate this heritage through Common Ridings - ceremonial patrols of town boundaries on horseback that echo the Reiver era. Newcastleton's own Copshaw Common Riding maintains this connection to a turbulent past.

Understanding the Reivers

It's easy to romanticize the Border Reivers, but their world was brutal. Raiding meant violence, death, and suffering for victims. Feuds lasted generations, with families trapped in cycles of revenge. Winter raids could leave families destitute.

Yet the Reivers developed their own code of honor. Certain acts were considered dishonorable even by Reiver standards. Families took pride in their fighting prowess and loyalty. Ballads celebrated brave warriors and lamented losses.

The Reivers were products of their time and place - a frontier region where neither kingdom could enforce law, creating a unique society that lived by its own rules until history moved on.

Exploring Further

To deepen your understanding of Border Reiver history:

• Visit Hermitage Castle and its interpretation center
• Read George MacDonald Fraser's "The Steel Bonnets" - the definitive popular history
• Explore Border ballads celebrating Reiver exploits
• Walk the landscapes where history unfolded
• Talk to locals - many are descended from Reiver families

Walk in the footsteps of history. Base yourself in Newcastleton to explore the landscapes where Border Reivers once rode. Find accommodation and discover activities in this historic Scottish Borders village.