Border Reivers
WILD COUNTRY – NORTHUMBERLAND’S BORDER REIVERS
Journey through Northumberland’s wild history, discover the lawless legacy of warring clans and trace your own Border Reiver ancestry.
Today, Northumberland is England’s least populated and most peaceful county – a tranquil landscape of open skies and rolling moorland. But centuries ago, it was a wild and lawless border land – ruled over by warring clans of Border Reivers.
The legacy of this turbulent past lives on in the landscape and the generations of families still bearing Reiver names. Nestled at the heart of the region and surrounded by history – our 5 star estate is the perfect place to discover the fascinating story of the Border Reivers and uncover your own ancestral roots with our expert and personalised genealogy service.
RIDERS OF THE MARCHES – THE HISTORY OF THE BORDERS
There are few places in the UK more disputed than the Anglo-Scottish borderlands. Time and time again Northumberland became a battleground as English and Scottish forces fought for dominance in the late Middle Ages.
Volatile and rebellious, the north was hard to control and many living here turned to castle rustling to survive. Clans of lawless Border Reivers grew, rustling, raiding and marauding the border valleys, living outside the law and loyal to their family name rather than English or Scottish crowns.
In 1249, the Laws of the Marches were established to manage the borderland. Lands from Cumberland in the west and the Northumbrian coast in the east were split into The East Marches, The Middle Marches and The West Marches.
In the Tudor and Elizabethan eras the Border Reivers ruled the border – riding the landscape, carrying out night raids and feuding with rival clans. The legacy of the Reivers has left us with terms such as ‘blackmail’ and ‘caught red-handed’.
The Reivers Way
Spanning nearly 150 miles and encircling the heart of rural Northumberland, The Reivers Way invites walkers to step back in time. Use our interactive map to choose your route, follow trails once ridden by wild Border Reivers, discover historic bastle houses and pele towers and breathe in the untamed beauty of our border region.
Walk One
CORBRIDGE TO ALLENDALE
Walk Distance: 14.2 miles
Clans from this area:
- Forster
- Woodrington
- Ridley
Walk Two
Allendale To Bardon Mill
Walk Distance: 11 miles
Clans from this area:
- Ridley
- Milburn
- Woodrington
Walk Three
Bardon Mill To Wark
Walk Distance: 13 miles
Clans from this area:
- Dodd
- Armstrong
- Shaftoe
Walk Four
Wark To Elsdon
Walk Distance: 18 miles
Clans from this area:
- Pile
- Storey
- Hedley
Walk Five
Elsdon To Rothbury
Walk Distance: 13.5 miles
Clans from this area:
- Hedley
- Collingwood
- Radcliffe
Walk Six
Rothbury To Uswayford
Walk Distance: 20 miles
Clans from this area:
- Forster
- Crisp
- Selby
Walk Seven
Uswayford To Wooler
Walk Distance: 15 miles
Clans from this area:
- Davison
- Young
- Sommerville
Walk Eight
Wooler To Belford
Walk Distance: 9 miles
Clans from this area:
- Sommerville
- Dunn
- Selby
Walk Nine
Belford To Bamburgh
Walk Distance: 7 miles
Clans from this area:
- Selby
- Heron
- Gray
Walk Ten
Bamburgh To Embleton
Walk Distance: 10 miles
Clans from this area:
- Watson
- Johnson
- Bell
Walk Eleven
Embleton To Alnmouth
Walk Distance: 9 miles
Clans from this area:
- Wilson
- Wake
- Taylor
Legacy & Landscape – Personalised ANCESTRY EXPERIENCE
Uncover your Northumbrian past and trace your Border Reiver roots with our Personalised Genealogy Experience.
Our local genealogy expert will work with you to trace your family’s unique ancestry, linking you to Border Reiver families and giving you the history of your Northumbrian clan. Step into your family history with a bespoke walking tour, personalised to the origins, locations and historical sites of your Border Reiver ancestors.
FIND YOUR CLAN
Fiercely loyal to their family, each clan held territory in the Northumbrian border where disputes and feuds often boiled over into retaliation and even kidnap. Border Reiver names live on around the world today – use our map to find your clan.
ROOTED IN HISTORY
With a history that dates back to the 1300s, Matfen Hall has its own Border Reiver legacy. West Matfen High Hall was purchased by Lancelot Fenwick in 1625 and later taken on by John Douglas in 1680. Both men are descendants of notorious Reiver families from either side of the border.
There are Border Reiver families with the Fenwick name across Northumberland, and their names arise in many histories of battles and uprisings including the Rising of the North in 1569.
Based in Lanarkshire in the Scottish lowlands, the powerful Douglas clan held considerable territory throughout the Northumbrian border region. In 1388 James Earl Douglas and his 4000-strong army invaded England, culminating in the Battle of Otterburn where he was killed by Harry Hotspur of the Percy family of Northumberland.
DISCOVER NORTHUMBERLAND IN STYLE
Set in the heart of the Northumbrian countryside and secluded in 300 acres of private parkland, our estate offers the perfect balance of history and luxury. The grade II listed Gothic manor hall has been lovingly restored, offering a graceful blend of authentic heritage charm and opulent modern comfort.
The region’s only AA 5 star hotel, it’s a sanctuary of calm luxury during your Border Reiver adventure. Relax and enjoy award-winning fine dining, soothing spa rituals and world-class golf facilities to experience the very best of Northumberland in style.