Explore The Borders

Your gateway to the brilliant borderlands

David Pike

International spotlight for Melrose rugby tournament

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Exactly when and where Ned Haig experienced his ‘eureka’ moment and came up with the idea of seven-a-side rugby seems forever destined to remain lost in the mists of time.

But one thing is certain, the flash of inspiration from the Borders lad working as a butcher’s apprentice in Melrose has earned him a seat at the top table of sporting history and a special place in local folklore.

It has also bequeathed a lasting legacy, to Melrose Rugby Football Club, the town and the region, of a magnitude that no one, least of all Ned and his pals, could have dared imagine.

Six years after its inception in 1877 the club found itself somewhat strapped for cash and in desperate need of a decent idea to raise funds. Players and members “for want of money racked their brains” – and, necessity being the mother of invention, along came Ned’s brainwave for a sevens rugby tournament.

Reflecting on the first 25 years of sevens success in an article entitled ‘An old Melrose Player’s Recollections,’ written a hundred years ago, Ned explained: “The idea struck me that a (rugby) football tournament might prove attractive but as it was hopeless to think of having several games on one afternoon with 15 players on each side the teams were reduced to seven.”

Simple but absolutely brilliant. Before long sevens rugby had spread far and wide, destined to become an essential and hugely popular part of the game.

The fact that sevens rugby today is played internationally and has its own world cup – teams compete for the Melrose Cup of course – puts Ned shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Charles Alcock, William Lynn and Geo Lefrevre whose efforts gave the world the sporting classics of the FA Cup, the Grand National and the Tour de France respectively.

Every April since 1883, with enforced exceptions brought about by war (and more recently Corona virus), the flags have fluttered enthusiastically at Melrose RFC’s Greenyards ground to celebrate the original and most respected sevens tournament in the world of rugby.

Exactly when and where Ned Haig experienced his ‘eureka’ moment and came up with the idea of seven-a-side rugby seems forever destined to remain lost in the mists of time.

But one thing is certain, the flash of inspiration from the Borders lad working as a butcher’s apprentice in Melrose has earned him a seat at the top table of sporting history and a special place in local folklore.

It has also bequeathed a lasting legacy, to Melrose Rugby Football Club, the town and the region, of a magnitude that no one, least of all Ned and his pals, could have dared imagine.

Six years after its inception in 1877 the club found itself somewhat strapped for cash and in desperate need of a decent idea to raise funds. Players and members “for want of money racked their brains” – and, necessity being the mother of invention, along came Ned’s brainwave for a sevens rugby tournament.

Reflecting on the first 25 years of sevens success in an article entitled ‘An old Melrose Player’s Recollections,’ written a hundred years ago, Ned explained: “The idea struck me that a (rugby) football tournament might prove attractive but as it was hopeless to think of having several games on one afternoon with 15 players on each side the teams were reduced to seven.”

Simple but absolutely brilliant. Before long sevens rugby had spread far and wide, destined to become an essential and hugely popular part of the game.

The fact that sevens rugby today is played internationally and has its own world cup – teams compete for the Melrose Cup of course – puts Ned shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Charles Alcock, William Lynn and Geo Lefrevre whose efforts gave the world the sporting classics of the FA Cup, the Grand National and the Tour de France respectively.

Every April since 1883, with enforced exceptions brought about by war (and more recently Corona virus), the flags have fluttered enthusiastically at Melrose RFC’s Greenyards ground to celebrate the original and most respected sevens tournament in the world of rugby.

Hermitage Castle – a study in belligerence

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Hermitage Castle in the Liddlesdale Valley was once described as the embodiment of ‘sod off’ in stone.

It’s a wonderful description. Take a walk around its walls, still standing four-square against all-comers amid wild and remote countryside, and it’s obvious this structure was built to defy.

What’s more it has a history to match.

Originally a wooden defence, first mentioned in 1242, it was replaced in the late 1300’s by the imposing stone fortification now standing; a response to ever more hostile exchanges along the English-Scottish border.

The unusual architecture, designed to allow wood fighting platforms to run the length of the tops of the wall added to its all round aggressive appearance.

Over the years its been a home for William de Soulis, so hated by the locals he was boiled alive, and a tomb for Alexander Ramsay who was starved to death by Sir William Douglas in protest to his royal appointment as Sheriff of Teviotdale.

King David ll, it seems, took the hint and awarded Sir William the post!

In 1566, Hermitage, then the seat of the fourth Earl of Bothwell became entangled in in the muddled love life of Mary Queen of Scots.

On hearing the earl had been injured in a clash with border reivers, she rode 25 miles from her residence in Jedburgh, to be at his side. If walls could whisper what secrets Hermitage could tell.

Hermitage Castle is now a Historic Scotland property and well worth a visit. But, it’s a castle with many steps and is not easily accessible to visitors using wheelchairs.

Please check Historic Scotland website for opening times.

Bamburgh – a castle to upstage them all

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If there was an Oscar for a best supporting role for castles in films, Bamburgh would surely be a superstar.

It has undeniable screen presence, the perfect backdrop for historic blockbusters and has been a must for a host of award winning directors and actors over the years.

Hollywood giants Richard Burton and Peter O Toole filmed on the beach below the castle for Becket (1964), Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren walked the ramparts in El Cid (1961) while Elizabethan history has been represented here by Vanessa Redgrave as Mary Queen of Scots (1971) and Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I (1998).

Pioneering director Ken Russell selected Bamburgh as the backdrop for his controversial shocker The Devils in 1971, while Roman Polanski filmed a blood drenched Macbeth the same year.

More recently it has provided a dramatic backdrop for Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) and The BFG (2016).

Standing on the castle ramparts, glowering over the North Sea, it’s easy to see how this building has cast its spell over so many. The sense of history and dominance is intoxicating. Seeing it in all its glory as you drive into Bamburgh is a draw dropping experience.

For centuries the basalt outcrop on which Bamburgh Castle was built was a royal seat of power dating back to the native Britons. Records of a fortification on the site go back to 547AD when it was taken by the Anglo Saxon king Ida of Bernicia. His son Hussa and then grandson Æthelfrith established the powerful kingdom of Northumbria.

Æthelfrith, recognised by historians as the first Northumbrian king, passed the site, known then as Din Guiare, to his wife Bebba, from whom the early name Bebanburgh was derived

Vikings destroyed Bamburgh’s original fortification in 993 and not until the arrival of the Normans was a new castle constructed on the site; a structure which was to form the core of what we see today.

Bamburgh became the property of Henry II, who is thought to have built the impressive castle keep. In 1464 during the Wars of the Roses, it became the first castle in England to be defeated by artillery during a nine-month siege led by Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick.

The castle then entered a deserved period of peace with the Forster family of Northumberland in residence for over 400 years. The family retained ownership until Sir William Forster was posthumously declared bankrupt, and his estates, including the castle passed to Lord Crew, Bishop of Durham, under an Act of Parliament in 1700.

The castle deteriorated but was restored by various owners during the 18th and 19th centuries. However, it was Victorian industrialist William Armstrong who finished the job and left his own unmistakable stamp on the building.

As a tribute to Armstrong the castle now houses the fascinating Armstrong and Aviation Artefacts Museum.

Whether you are a tourist appreciating its beauty, a student reading its history or celebrating a wedding in its historic confines, Bamburgh Castle has something for everyone.

The credits are destined to roll for many centuries to come on this Northumbrian icon.

True grit – Northumbrian style

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Whatever elements you find yourself battling against when taking the coastal way to Dunstanburgh Castle one thing is for sure – getting there will be worth it.

Stepping through the kissing gate that sets you on your way from the fishing village of Craster – world famous for its kippers – the panorama that greets the visitor is testament to two things: the ever changing beauty of nature and the defiant permanence of history.

The coastal path runs parallel to the North Sea for about a mile from Craster to the castle which dominates the headland of Cullernose Point, an outcrop of Great Whin Sill (hard black basaltic rock) and itself a feature of great interest to geologists.

But it is Dunstanburgh Castle that steals the show.

There’s plenty of evidence to suggest that the area has historic roots going back to the Iron Age as the site of a promonotory fort and where Roman pottery finds have been made as evidence of later occupation.

No further significant footprint was made on the site until today’s building started life as a showpiece 14th century des-res for Thomas 2nd Earl of Lancaster: a stronghold that became a focal point for political intrigue, rebellion and plots against Edward II.

A cousin to Edward, Thomas was, through inheritance and marriage, second only to him in terms of land and wealth. Master of five earldoms he owned many key fortesses of which Pontefract Castle and Dunstanburgh Castle were the jewels.

At the start of King Edward’s reign Thomas was a loyal subject, but as the conflict between the king and nobles wore on, Lancaster’s allegiances changed. Following the King’s defeat at Bannockburn in 1314, a weakened Edward submitted to Lancaster, who in effect became ruler of England.

Lancaster was deposed four years later. In response a second rebellion led by Lancaster was launched but was met with complete annihilation at the battle of Boroughbridge. Thomas was taken prisoner on his way north, presumably to his northern stronghold, convicted of treason and executed near Pontefract Castle in 1322

The turbulance of the 14th century has prompted much debate about Dunstanburgh. History suggests it switched from an extravagant enclave to a formidable fortress on the back of Thomas’s ambitions. Vague remnants of a medieval dock below the support the theory that Dunstanburgh became a place of strategic retreat.

The fortress passed into the Royalist hands of John of Gaunt, ‘Lieutenant of the Marches towards Scotland’ where its defences were soon to be tested by fierce Scottish Border attacks in 1384. Following this period Dunstanburgh was held for the Lancastrians in the Wars of the Roses, before falling to the Earl of Warwick.

It was its strategic location that persuaded the Ministry of Defence to use Dunstanburgh as a top secret Battle of Britain radar station, protected by barbed wire and a minefield (now removed).

The castle is now owned by the National Trust and in the care of English Heritage. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and lies within the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which is home to a wide variety of local flora and fauna.

And along the path from Craster there’s the endless joy of rockpooling (children optional!) amongst the numerous boulders and coves.

This wonderful stretch of the fabled Northumbrian coastline was a favourite of the artist Turner who painted Dunstanburgh many times.

Once the prized possession of a mediaeval aristocracy, Dunstanburgh Castle now belongs us all and is an outstanding part of Northumberland’s rich history and heritage.

A joy to visit – whatever the weather.

Photographs: Lisa Beale

Borders exceptional explorer

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As young Borders’ student Mungo Park started his medical studies at Edinburgh in the late 1780’s the big news of the day was all about France where revolution had ushered in an era of turmoil and savagery.  

But if these were the worst of times, when Britain faced a protracted war with France that would spread over 25 years, they were also an age of enlightenment and discovery, and Mungo was destined to make his mark on history.

The seventh child of a well to do farmer from Foulshiels, just outside Selkirk, Mungo had his sights set far beyond the Scottish Borders to make his way in the world. When he got the chance of joining an East India Company expedition to Sumatra in 1793 he jumped at the chance.

While in the Far East he indulged an interest in botany and discovered and recorded several new species of flora, studies that would open doors to influential new contacts in London on his return to Britain.  

They included Sir Joseph Banks, himself a famous botanist and explorer who had circumnavigated the world with Capt James Cook, and a leading light in the Africa Association that supported initiatives to open up the ‘dark’ continent.

In 1795 Mungo accepted a commission from Sir Joseph to travel to Gambia and from there to take charge of an ambitious expedition to discover the course of the River Niger.

It was a trip that ended in disappointment and considerable personal suffering as he fell foul of local chiefs and Moorish tribesmen. The fact that he managed to travel hundreds of miles inland to Segou in modern day Mali, and live to tell the tale was an achievement in itself.

It was a trip that ended in disappointment and considerable personal suffering as he fell foul of local chiefs and Moorish tribesmen. The fact that he managed to travel hundreds of miles inland to Segou in modern day Mali, and live to tell the tale was an achievement in itself.

Eventually running out of resources he was forced to make his way back to the coast and then to Britain. The observations he brought with him were published and became an overnight sensation but Mungo’s ambitions to return to complete the assignment had to wait until 1805.

In the interim he married and ran a successful surgery in Peebles.

When the opportunity to make a second trip was offered, again by Sir Joseph, he jumped at the chance. This time he was to head a party that included 40 men from the Royal Africa Corps and builders to construct a boat when the source of the Niger was reached.

Against all advice and logic, he set off in the rainy season from Gambia and before long his party was severely reduced as men died of dysentery. Reaching Segou the depleted party converted a canoe and traveled over 1,000 miles along the river, through country that was often openly hostile and always intimidating.  

The remaining party of Park and handful of men were killed by natives at Boussa rapids, in Nigeria, in 1806. His body was never found but Mungo Park is remembered as a courageous explorer who opened the way for those that followed.

Letters to his wife and friends in the Borders, sent while he was on expedition in Africa, can be seen on display at the Sir Walter Scott courtroom in Selkirk.

In his memory, the Mungo Park Medal is presented annually by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.

The statue in High Street, Selkirk has four cast corner pieces of African natives by the internationally famous sculptor Thomas Clapperton who was born and brought up in nearby Galashiels.

An American tale and a Selkirk connection

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It is estimated that upwards of 25m people around the world can trace their roots back to Scotland.

From the early 1700’s on, thousands looked to new horizons and a better life overseas, sailing for destinations in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other parts of the British Empire.

Many booked a one-way passage to the brave new world that was the USA and some, like James Murray from Selkirkshire, would set in train a fate line that would leave an indelible mark on history.

James embarked for Charleston in 1735, when America was a burgeoning British colony, and became a successful businessman. He made one trip home to the Borders – to marry his cousin Barbara Bennett.

The couple’s eldest daughter, Elizabeth, later married Edward Hutchinson Robbins in 1785 and they raised a family of three girls. 

By this time living in the New York area, the eldest, Anne Jean Robbins married Joseph Lyman, a lawyer who went on to become a judge.

Their daughter, Catherine Robbins Lyman, married a wealthy New Yorker, Warren Delano, which gives a clue as to where this family tree is going. 

Another daughter, Sara Delano wed James Roosevelt and their son Franklin Delano Roosevelt was to grow up to become one of America’s best loved and respected presidents.

FDR served a record four terms, from 1933 to 1945, and was the architect of the New Deal to provide relief for the unemployed. He also brought America into the Second World War in 1941.

He is rumoured to have visited the graves of his maternal forebears, buried in the Kirk of the Forest, Kirk Wynd in Selkirk, while in Britain during the war.

Today a notice board makes proud reference to the Murray – Roosevelt connection, underneath another historic link for the Kirk of the Forest – the place where William Wallace was proclaimed Guardian of Scotland in 1298…but that’s another story.