© 2007-2011 Clan Thompson

• Society History • Q & A Thompsons • Chiefs • News • DNA • Thompson History • Stone and the Curse • Thom(p)son Armigers • Origins

• Tartans • Gallery • Kids • Scottish Links • Sash • Kilt• Arisaid • Genealogy • Join • US games • Canada Games • Contact

The Monarchs (of Scotland and England) helped to develop the concept of a Borderland, as each attempted to set up an area to act as a bulwark against intrusions from the other. It was also in their interests to foment discontent in the border region of each other's country. It was not, however, in their own interests to have lawlessness inside their own kingdoms. In 1249, in an attempt to produce a semblance of order in this extraordinary Borderland region, the governments of the two countries came to an agreement whereby special laws would be developed, on both sides of the Border. These laws, known as the Leges Marchiarum, the Laws of the Marches, would be peculiar to the Border and would not be enforced in other parts of the country. To enable the administration of these laws the Borderland was to be split into six regions, known as Marches, three on each side of the Border.

 

The Marches were arranged along geographical lines - an English West,  Middle and East March and its

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Middle Marches were dominated by the wild, hilly country of the Cheviot and North Pennine Hills. This land gave the Reiver free rein to ride, through its passes and mosses and over its fells, on raids against targets on either side of the border and so the Middle Marches tended to see the worst of the lawlessness.  

 

The Scottish East March consisted of Berwick (until, after a lot of to-ing and fro-ing this was subsumed into England in 1482) and the fertile area known as "The Merse" i.e. the Eastern portion of Berwickshire. The Scottish Middle March was made up of the county of Roxburghshire and the remaining part of Berwickshire.

corresponding equivalent on the Scottish side, with its own West, Middle and East Marches. The Marches were  not of the same size, the East Marches of both countries being smaller than the others. Like the East Marches, the West Marches were better farmland than the Middle Marches and, given that they lay astride the main route taken by invading armies as they entered each other's country, they were better defended in terms of large, powerful castles such as Carlisle in the English West March, Caerlaverock and Lochmaben in the Scottish West March and Berwick in the English East March.