#carruthersland

WILLIAM WALLACE ( CARRUTHERS ANCESTOR) – KING EDWARDS SECOND INVASION   Edward landed in the spring of 1298 and at once hurried north to join the army which he had ordered to assemble on the Scottish border.   At the head of a force composed largely of Welsh and Irish foot, he crossed the Tweed about midsummer and advanced slowly toward the Forth, burning and destroying everything that came in…

  POST CULLODEN   AFTER THE FORTY-FIVE AFTER THE REBELLION   In the days when he was a hunted man, expecting every moment to be taken, Charles confessed that all his thoughts were for his unfortunate followers.   The very moment the victory was won saw a beginning of those atrocities which have earned lasting infamy for Cumberland.     The soldiers were encouraged to refuse quarter; a hut into…

WILLIAM WALLACE AND THE BATTLE OF FALKIRK     Despite his injuries the King was in the saddle before dawn.   As morning was breaking the troops filed through the silent streets of Linlithgow and out into the open country beyond. From a hill not far away came the gleam of spears, but when the English vanguard came up they found that the spearmen had retreated.   Tents were pitched on the…

BORDER REIVERS WEST MARCH   In late medieval and early modern times, up to the Union of the Crowns of England and Scotland in 1603,the lands on each side of the Border were divided into six administrative districts; three on each side. These were known as the West, Middle and East Marches. This post is about the West Marches. Others will be about the Middle and East Marches.  Many people think…

THE STORY OF CAREY’S COWS   Sir Richard Carey, the Warden of the English West March, after many abortive attempts to subdue the Armstrongs, decided on a determined plan to rid Liddesdale, once and for all, of the reiving activities of this tiresome clan. He entered Liddesdale with a strong force, and, as expected. the reivers withdrew, with their families and belongings into Tarras Moss, a vast,…

THE BONES OF DRUMELZIER If you go north by road from Moffat and then turn on to the Peebles road, look out for a conical hill on your right, and if you look carefully, right on the summit, you will see the stones of a ruin. This was Tinnis Castle; a mighty stronghold in its time. On three sides was a steep drop to valley floor and the only approach was by way of a winding path exposed to the…

RAID ON CARLISLE CASTLE   Walter Scott was born in 1565. His ancestral home was Branxholme in Teviotdale. Today one of the four original towers of Branxholme still stands, the Nesby tower, about five miles south of Hawick in the Scottish Border country.     The-Nesby-Tower-Branxholme-Scottish-Borders – PINTEREST In 1590 he was knighted by James V1, king of Scotland, and appointed Keeper of…