Anglo-Scottish Borders & Reiving Families

Throughout the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the Scottish border country was ravaged by lawless Reiver families in a vicious cycle of raid, reprisal and blood feud. Their allegiance was first to the family, the surname, not the crown, whether English or Scottish. Many of these reiver families were married into both sides of the border. Divided up into three Marches on each side of the border, each with its own warden, the crown made some attempt to control the volatile region. Strongpoints were castles and Pele towers, hundreds are still to be found, some even in use today.

Anglo/Scottish Borders

• Ancestors of the Esk Grahams
• Electric Scotland has extensive border information.
• Story of the Grahams' arrival in the Borders.
• History of the Netherby Grahams
• The Steel Bonnets by George Donald Fraser has a good chapter entitled "Malefactors by the Name of Graham."
• The Cumbria history site has lots of information about landmarks. Graham information for Arthuret and Kirkandrews parishes.
• Story of Grahams in Longtown, Cumbria
• The Archbishop of Glasgow made a famous curse against the reivers.
• Certain accounts claim that blackmeale (or blackmail) was invented by Hutcheon Graham of Arthuret

Banishment to Ulster

• History of the Scots-Irish (or Ulster Scots)
• The Plantation of Ireland (BBC)

The Noble Grahams in Scotland

• James Graham, Marquis of Montrose is the most famous of the Scottish Grahams and is buried in St. Giles Cathedral Edinburgh

Ancestors
Patrick Graham	Tyrone, Ireland	1747-1844