In assessing the extent of the powers of Sir Robert Carey and his effectiveness as Warden of the Middle March, this work has taken a number of factors into account. The Introduction has focussed on looking at the history of the Border to give an idea of the general problems Carey faced, and why and […]
Synopsis
Only one period in history is immediately, indelibly and uniquely linked to the whole area of the Scottish and English Border country, and that is the time of the Reivers. Whenever anyone mentions ‘Reiver’, no-one hesitates to add ‘Border’. It is an inextricable association, […]
There are not many books that focus solely on the the History of the Borders and the Reievers in particular. However, there are some classic texts which any Reiever enthusiast or researchers should read. The books listed below are highly recommended.
Choose a review from the drop down menu
(select from the list below)The Reivers: The […]
The Steel Bonnets: Story of the Anglo-Scottish Border Reivers by George MacDonald Fraser
The definitive guide to the lives and times of the Border Reivers.
This book is highly entertaining. George MacDonald Fraser successfully relates the life and times of the Border Reivers in a way which had me laughing one minute and horrified the next. One […]
Solway Moss is possibly most notable for a staging ground of a remarkable victory for the English against the Scots. Leading up to the battle was an escalation of raids incited by the respective governments. There was an increase in reprisal raids most notably resulting in a raid by Robert Bowes the English East March […]
This is our cool new feature - the photo history tour. Take a pictorial tour of the borders and their history.
To see individual entries in this section chose an entry from the list below.(select from the list below)Solway MossHermitage Castle
Hermitage Castle resides in the small valley of the Hermitage Water in Liddesdale, that turbulent Reiver infested haunt. The name is said to derive from a holy man whom lived within the valley long before the castle was ever built. What that holy man would make of the ruin which stands even today is questionable. […]
In this chapter Sir Robert Carey’s Middle March Wardenship of 1598-1603 will be examined, in an attempt to assess the effectiveness of his rule. This will be achieved by looking at the main events which occurred during his time as Warden, and then relating Carey’s actions to the laws covered in the previous chapter.
When Carey […]
This chapter will now outline the laws by which Sir Robert Carey would rule, and then say something of the Commission of 1597.1 It is hoped that this chapter will provide an understanding of the laws of the Borders, and that the Commission of 1597 will show the problems the Border faced at the time […]
Part II - Sir Robert CareyBefore looking at the powers and effectiveness of Sir Robert Carey, his background and personality will be examined. The reason for looking at Carey’s character is that no matter what laws there were, the effectiveness of his rule cannot be examined without assessing whether he himself was capable of being […]
