A tale of two (Scottish Borders) Cities 

*Don't get Angry, get Free* ...

Loving your work! I was a wee lad when I last lived in Galasheils and Hawick(happy days!) My family left in 1971 and I have only been back once since.Seeing all the places that I used to go to has brought back many memories for me,and has inspired me to go back there soon.Your history has brought it alive! Keep up the good work,Cheers!

Scott clan checking in from the boarders. “AMO” “The Scotts are out”

I really enjoy your work. It's so refreshing to hear about a large part of Scotland that is too often overlooked, in favor of the overly-romanticized Highlanders. Thanks for the work you do.

Great footage of an often overlooked part of Scotland.

Hello from Ireland really great videos, Irish and Scottish history so similar in many many ways .. Just subscribed to your Chanel !

Please do more Scottish history of are beautiful Borders I fine your video's really interesting.

I lived most of my life abroad,but came Back to Scotland about ten years ago,spent a couple of years in Shetalnd,now live in Fort Augustus on Loch Ness.Due for a visit to the borders soon though,I can't wait!

Thanks Mark for a most interesting and enlightening video. I can now say I have a good idea of the importance of these two forgotten Cities of the Borders. It`s great to know that the Borders has a passionate champion such as yourself to keep its history alive. Thank you.

Thank you, so interesting! Hugs & sunshine 🌞 N

A great recording 👍 thanks.

This is an absolutely fabulous video thank you for sharing it with us look forward to seeing some more from you I have subscribed to your channel X

As an English immigrant (with mixed Scots, Welsh and anglo heritage) to Scotland who is fascinated with the wars of independence i find your channel extremely informative. I only found your channel today and ive got to say im going to binge on your stuff. Thank you for the quality content.

Love your narrative well done you are a realstory teller.

Great video, and good to see Roxburgh castle 👍

Thank you for sharing such a great tribute to these once great cities.

This is so outstanding, I am going to re-post this to FB. Really would like to hear more about the Reivers when you have a chance. Perhaps Dumfries... I know that the Bell Peel Tower still exists. Area was sacked by Cromwell's army. Keep these coming lad!

Superb mate ,loved it , subbed 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Carlisle?! *Reivers?! ~It'd be nice to see an upload about this and how it played it part in the history of the UK... Apart from the Roman Wall, which to be honest has been a touch "Overdone"!! The Roxburgh remnants are a Fantastic place to visit!! It's hard to imagine people overlooking this beautiful place!! XxX. *edit - I see that you have done an upload about this!!

Wow, my family came from Roxburgh, some were Lords it’s amazing to see in the past! Can’t wait to visit! Great video!

I like your mini documentaries. Very informative and lots to see.

...and all the stone from the castle was used to build that railway trussle in the 19th century.

Superb 👌🏻 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

this is great I'm doing my family tree from my distant grandfather William de Rule (Bedrule)I hope to travel there one day

Excellent....🤗🙂☺️😎🤗🙂☺️😎

absolutely brilliant really enjoyed it

Great video and narration

I enjoy your films but am a bit saddened that you paint the Clan Scott with such a dark brush. As you are well aware, the Borders were always the first to feel the tips of English spears and the blades of English swords. They didn't spare my clan ancestors. Our blood watered the Middle Marshes and other battles sites throughout Scottish history. If we Scots ever had a character flaw it was that we never saw each other as Scots first. Clan loyalties and personal interests prevailed. That is why at our height, the Scott Clan and our septs could field a force of 3,000 + fighting light cavalry warriors. Even then, plenty of our blood was spilt time and again. Please remember that the Scotts weren't the only 'active' clan on the borders. All the best to you, and thank you for keeping border history alive!

Awesome thanks im sharing these thank you!

Dead on .Mark I love the history ✋👍👍👌👌

Interesting video mate, but slightly biased. Not a mention of Berwick and Roxburgh both been of Anglo Saxon origin. The Angle kingdom of Northumbria, stretched as far Edinburgh. So at some point, it was the Scots who’d gone and slaughtered the English to take the towns for themselves! There’s two sides to every coin!

I live in Kelso so found this to be extremely interesting.

Could I have some of your sources? Really informative video

Great video Mark, I'm surprised you never mentioned the death of the Scottish King James the second at Roxburgh in 1460 or showed the marker where it happened.

Fantastic video very informative being an Elliott from Tynedale always had a big interest in border history and still think that Berwick should be Scottish, it just looks to be part of Scotland on a map

Dam imagine Roxburgh being the Capital, in a parallel world, major city in the southern uplands.

Do you have any videos of other border cities like Langholm or other places like Liddesdale?

There is another story to the death of the Scottish King, James the 4th. During the battle of Flodden there were 3 others dressed exactly the same as the king . This was to confuse the English and prevent the King being targeted. It is said that king James survived the battle but on the retreat, which the English army did not harrie due to exhaustion, was struck a blow by a member of the border clan Home, after James accused them of cowardice, due to their refusal to fight on foot instead of the horsemen they were. This blow allegedly left king James in a vegative state. It was more honourable to have people believe James died in battle than was left physically and mentally disabled by his own side . The English believed king James had died on the field of Flodden and intended to give king James a fitting resting place but they never did. It is assumed that when the dust had settled not even the English believed they had the real King James . King James the 4th was known to have , as part of his daily dress , a gold chain that he wore around his waist, no gold chain was found on the died lookalike kings at Flodden. It is alleged Oliver Cromwell over a 100 years later had a body exhumed from Dumfermline abbey, the skeletal remains was said to wear a gold chain around the waist. It is alleged that King James lived for around 6 years after the battle before succumbing to the life changing blow he suffered from his own side.

Hi there Mark, im doing a project on Berwick upon Tweed as part of my St Andrews undergrad. I couldn't find any sign of a memorial or a plaque for Berwick 1296...did you see one or do you know of anything of that nature? Thank you, your videos were great for background knowledge for my understanding of Berwick.

Very well what were the goods and services exported from Roxbury castle to Burwick that was so valuable in your narration I cannot follow what you’re saying nor do I follow where these two locations are I had to look it up on the map and make my own inferences which I was able to do so there’s a lot of drama in your voice and your gestures but I have no idea of the time circumstance and motivation to make this place is valuable

Hello. I'm a Riddle/Riddell and know my families clan were in the Boarders. Any video on them would be appreciated

Great video, Mark. I'm an American with Borders roots... Hogue (Hogg/Hog), Hume, and Kerr. I had the chance to visit in October and saw Melrose Abbey, Dryburgh, and Bemersyde and loved it. Can't wait to get back. Do you have any knowledge of any large Hogg families in the Borders? I don't think they were a powerful clan or even a centralized family, they seemed to be spread all over the Borders and Lothians. Related to this video I did read of a Thomas Hog who led an assault of Berwick Castle in 1379.

it seems as if my mother's descendants were from roxburgshire. the landells, which, from what i understand, were part of the lauderdale/home clans. if anyone knows more of these families, please put a comment on the thread. thanks....

Brilliant Mark.....get on TV

EXACTLY...My mom was a Douglas and my father a Scroggs which is Gaelic for a Small Tree and I just get Annoyed by People who say there Scottish and there NOT because my Ancestry can be Traced Way Way BACK...Anyway...Love ALL Your Videos!

Roxburgh castle was destroyed in 1460 by Mary of Guelders the Dutch queen of James 2. No mention of the even more savage murder of the Flemish and other foreign merchants in Berwick. Berwick was ceded in the treaty of Northampton-Edinburgh 1320 and had nothing to do with Flodden 1513. The sacking of Berwick and Roxburgh was economically motivated. Less kings, castles and battles and more economics please. The grass, the hills and the sheep were not destroyed. What killed the Scottish wool industry? Did the loss of Berwick mean the loss of access to the the Netherlandic export markets. Why did no other Scottish port substitute for Berwick. Did an interruption of trade caused by the prolonged war of independence (which we won) cause the loss of European markets to England. Don't make the Scots sound like passive victims. Which we never were. I suppose you are a great fan of Mary Queen of Scots and Bonny Prince Charlie. Poor wee Scotland, too feeble and useless to be an independent country. Whinging victimhood is not an inspiring characteristic.

you do realize that Berwick was completely neutral and was never Scottish or English. It had its own parliament and government and technically is still at war with russia. Berwick was NEVER Scotland's in its entire history.

I enjoy this guys vids but y does he always sounds out of breath