[MR] BBC: Border Reivers ride reenactment

[Garth Groff]

Noble friends,

BBC is offering a short piece on a reenacted ride of the 
Scottish/English Border Reivers to raise money for a charity: 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-14339844

The Border Reivers, or "riding families" as they called themselves, were 
Scottish and English criminal families who raided across the border from 
about 1500 to 1600 (their most organized and active time), stealing 
cattle and anything else they could take from the other side, and also 
from their own neighbors. They were brutal thugs, but often showed great 
courage and cleverness. Among the major riding families were the 
Elliots, Armstrongs, Kerrs, Maxwells, Scotts, and Nixons (yes, his 
ancestors).

To learn more about the Reivers, try this site: 
http://www.nwlink.com/~scotlass/border.htm . The late George MacDonald 
Fraser (author of the Flashman novels) wrote an outstanding account of 
their exploits, STEEL BONNETS, which is readily available from libraries 
and possibly some booksellers.

Kind regards,


Lord Mungo Napier (Whose Real Ancestor, Archibald Napier, Was Murdered 
by the Scotts)