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Raids over the Border, in both directions,
for livestock and valuables, continued from
1237 until King James VI
of Scotland became King of England as well in
1603.
With the two countries then under the same
ruler, King James put an end to the pillaging
and murdering along the Border by executing
those involved, also taking land off Families
or Clans involved.
These small raiding forces were known as
Border Reivers.
They not only crossed the border to raid and
kill, but often carried out raids and killings
on their own side, sometimes with their own
family, such as the Kerr's of Ferniehirst and
the Kerr's of Cessford who fought each other
for decades.
Most families along the border lived in
fortified houses, known as Tower Houses on the
Scots side, or Bastille Houses on the English
side.
Larger military conflicts between the two
countries took place as well, mainly with the
Percy family, Dukes of Northumberland, of the
mighty castles at Warkworth and Alnwick on the English side of
the border.
Henry Percy
(Hotspur) was the most famous in the late
1300s, working for English Kings to control the
Border.
The main rivals of the Percy family were the
mighty Douglas Clan
from southern Scotland, with their main castles
being Hermitage 9 miles north of the
border, and Tantallon 33 miles east of
Edinburgh. The Douglas Clan worked for the
Scottish Kings controlling the Border.
With Carter Bar being on the boundary line,
it was one of a number of places where Taxes
were collected from people and goods crossing
the Border.
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