Day 2. Ancrum - Kirk Yetholm (Morebattle) Lunch at Cessford Castle

Battle of Ancrum Moor and Lilliard’s stone
English army raiding in the area.
Met by the Scottish army under Earl of Angus and Scott of Buccleuch.
Resounding victory to the Scots. 800 killed and 1,000 prisoners. Among the English army was a group of mercenaries, who when they saw how the battle was going changed sides – hence “free-lance.”

Bridge over the river Teviot, rebuilt by Aberdeen University Officer Training Corps in 1992. Damaged by floods in 1997

Leave Dere Street to take the road to Crailinghall.
Roman fort at Cappuck. Roman remains such as coins found there in 1885.
Site fully excavated in 1912. Granary, commandant’s house and soldiers’ quarters. Signs of fire damage, suggests attacks by local tribes.

Cessford Castle
Attacked four times by the English between 1519 – 1544.
Earl of Surrey described it as the third strongest castle in Scotland.
Owned by the Kerr family, many of whom were left handed.
Local dialect “kerry-pawed.”
As well as invasion by English, local feuds to be dealt with.
Rustling, stealing property and people “and other manly pursuits.”
If came home to find cattle stolen, gather a group to go after thieves.
Those whop had been wronged allowed to take immediate and often bloody revenge. Hence the raiding party were caught “red handed.” Now being renovated by heritage UK.

Cessford.
Now just a large farm and group of cottages. Used to be a considerable settlement. Census in 1841 listed 258 people, including blacksmith, joiner, builder, mason and teacher. After the Enclosure Acts large farmers did not have to renew leases. Many small houses demolished.
Statistical Account of 1834 reports an increase in the number of paupers.
Land came into the ownership of the MacDougall family, cleared all the scattered cottages and replaced them with one neat row, built in 1870’s

Yetholm
was for 400 years, the gypsy base in Scotland First reference 1506
Battle in France Captain Bennett saved by a gypsy. Gave cottages in Yetholm to gypsies. Youth Hostel built as a school for the gypsies. For many years gathered in Yetholm to elect a King and Queen. Tradition kept alive by the voting of a young man and woman to be the Bari Gadgi and Bari Manushi. Window in the church donated by Andrew Blyth, a former elder of gypsy descent. Those excluded in society. Those seeking asylum.