17-723: Liddesdale , the valley of the Liddel Water , in the County of Roxburgh , southern Scotland , extends in a south-westerly direction from the vicinity of Peel Fell to the River Esk , a distance of 21 miles (34 km). The Waverley route of the North British Railway ran down the dale, and the Catrail , or Picts' Dyke, crosses its head. Liddesdale was also a historic district of Scotland, bordering Teviotdale to
34-513: A river in Scotland is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie (c. 1290–1342) (sometimes spelt: Dalwolsey ) was a Scottish nobleman and knight who fought for David II, King of Scots in the south of Scotland in the Second War of Scottish Independence . He is remembered especially for his actions during
51-604: Is beneath Peel Fell in Roxburghshire , in the Scottish Borders , where it is formed by the confluence of Caddroun Burn , Wormscleuch Burn and Peel Burn (burn is the Scots term for a stream). Soon afterwards, the nascent Liddel Water is fed by Dawston Burn near the village of Saughtree . The river continues to pick up tributaries (listed below) as it follows its southwesterly course, which takes it through
68-558: The English at around dawn on 30 March 1342 by means of a night escalade . The titular constable of the Castle, Sir William Douglas , had several times tried unsuccessfully to retake it. In reward, King David II appointed Sir Alexander constable of Roxburgh and Sheriff of Teviotdale , which outraged Douglas. On 20 June 1342, Ramsay held court at Hawick, in accordance with his duty as sheriff. Douglas came with an armed retinue and entered
85-532: The March Wardens. The best known was Walter Scott, 1st Lord Scott of Buccleuch , known as "the bold Buccleuch". The chief point of interest in the valley, however, is Hermitage Castle , a massive H-shaped fortress of enormous strength, one of the oldest surviving castles in Scotland. It stands on a hill overlooking Hermitage Water , a tributary of the Liddel. It was built in 1244 by Nicholas de Soulis, and
102-679: The United Kingdom ) Liddesdale is sometimes considered to form the northern end of the Maiden Way Roman road . At one time the points of vantage on the river and its affluents were occupied by freebooters' peel towers , but many of them have disappeared and the remainder are in decay. Larriston Tower belonged to the Elliots , Mangerton , now little more than a site, to the Armstrongs and Park to " Little Jock Elliot ",
119-481: The church where Ramsay was holding court. Douglas and his men attacked Ramsay, dragging him bleeding and in chains to Hermitage Castle . Ramsay was imprisoned in a dungeon at Hermitage Castle , where he died. Legend has it that he survived for seventeen days by eating small quantities of grain that fell through the cracks in the floor of the castle granary above the dungeon. His brother, Sir William Ramsay of Inverleith, succeeded Sir Alexander at Dalhousie in 1342 and
136-707: The east, Annandale to the west and Tweeddale to the north, with the English county of Cumberland across the border to the south. The area was in the Sheriffdom of Roxburgh and later became part of the County of Roxburgh , one of the counties of Scotland . The main reorganisation took place during the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 , this Act established a uniform system of county councils and town councils in Scotland and restructured many of Scotland's counties. (See: History of local government in
153-476: The lairds of Liddesdale stood near the junction of Hermitage Water and the Liddel, and around it grew up the village of Newcastleton . Liddel Water Liddel Water is a river running through southern Scotland and northern England , for much of its course forming the border between the two countries , and was formerly one of the boundaries of the Debatable Lands . Liddel Water's source
170-568: The local leaders, "the best of the surname men", Moray burned the farmsteads in Liddesdale, and did not leave one house standing. He stayed at Mangerton, then had the house blown up with gunpowder and returned to Jedburgh. Liddesdale was a bloody cockpit during the days of the Border reivers, with order supposedly kept by the Keeper of Liddesdale, an important post regarded as almost equivalent to
187-550: The outlaw who nearly killed Bothwell in an encounter in 1566. Hollows Tower , Johnnie Armstrong's peel, is in good condition; it is on the A7 , about 4 mi (6 km) south of Langholm . In March 1569 Regent Moray came from Kelso to Liddesdale to punish the border people. He spoke to the English border warden, Sir John Forster . Moray was accompanied by Lord Home , Ker of Cessford , Ker of Ferniehirst , and Scot of Buccleuch and 4000 men. After holding unsatisfactory talks with
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#1732775524994204-586: The siege of Roxburgh Castle . Alexander was the eldest of two sons born to Sir William Ramsay of Dalhousie (c. 1235–1320). Alexander's sibling was Sir William Ramsay of Inverleith. Alexander fought with Sir Andrew Murray , Guardian of the Realm, at the Battle of Culblean in the Scottish victory over the English force on 30 November 1335 and later at Boroughmuir , where Guy de Namur , a Flemish ally of England,
221-503: The village of Newcastleton (also known as Copshaw Holm ) to that of Kershopefoot , where the burn begins to mark the Anglo-Scottish border . Liddel Water then flows into the River Esk at Willow Pool, overlooked by the earthworks of the former castle of Liddel Strength near Carwinley, Cumbria . 55°03′N 2°57′W / 55.050°N 2.950°W / 55.050; -2.950 This article related to
238-421: Was (in 1320) boiled by his vassals in a copper cauldron, which was supported on two of the nine stones which composed the "Druidical" circle that gave the ridge its name. Only five of the stones remain. James Telfer (1802–1862), the writer of ballads, who was born in the parish of Southdean (pronounced Soudan), was for several years schoolmaster of Saughtree , near the head of the valley . The castle of
255-576: Was captured by the English in David II 's reign. It was retaken by Sir William Douglas , who received a grant of it from the king. In 1492 Archibald Douglas , 5th Earl of Angus , exchanged it for Bothwell Castle on the Clyde with Patrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of Bothwell . It finally passed to the Duke of Buccleuch , under whose care further ruin was arrested. It was here that Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie
272-446: Was defeated and captured. He was present at the capture of Leuchars Castle , at St Andrews in 1335. In June 1338 he smuggled supplies to Agnes Randolph, Countess of Dunbar allowing her to defend the castle against the siege by William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury of England. During a brief truce that same year, he took part in a tournament against English knights at Berwick. Ramsay and his men recaptured Roxburgh Castle from
289-405: Was starved to death by Sir William Douglas in 1342, and that James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell , was visited by Mary, Queen of Scots , after the assault referred to previously. To the east of the castle is Ninestane Rig , a hill 943 ft (287 m) high, 4 mi (6 km) long and 1.6 mi (3 km) broad. Here it is said that William de Soulis , hated for oppression and cruelty,
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