Border Town's of Scotland

THE BATTLE OF FLODDEN

Five hundred years ago the armies of James IV abd tbe Earl of Surrey  met on the 9th Septmber 1513.  The battle occured on the slopes of Branxton Hill abd reputed to have lasted sbout three hours when Scotland's peopke lost their king and most of their Nobles and as many as 10,000 countrymen (1,400 englishmen).

The battle marked unification of Scotland and England

THE COMMON RIDING

Hawick's Heritage 

the annual Border ridings are a stunning mounted spectacle packed with heart stirring music and song. the Hawick Common Riding extends the invitation to Border Scots throughout the world to return to their ridings and for the first time join a series of coordinated ancient festivals across the Scottish Border towns including: Hawick Selkirk Galashiels Peebles Kelso Jedburgh Duns Melrose Coldstream West Linton and Lauder.

Whilst every Common Riding Festival features the tradition of a spectacular riding out by hundreds of horses and riders to check the boundaries of Common Land each town has its own distinctive history and ceremony providing a unique Return to the Ridings experience.

The Hawick Common Ridding is both a symbolic riding of the towns boundaries, made in the past to safeguard Burgh rights and is also a commemoration of the callants, young lads of Hawick, who in 1514 after the battle of Flodden  raided a body of English troops at nearby Hornshole and captured their flag 'the banner blue'.

the Horse Monument at the east end of Hugh Street commemorates this victory.