Ballads, Ridings and Truces

Summer time in Scotland marks the celebration of the Common Ridings during which some towns – particularly in the Borders – organise ceremonies to confirm the boundaries of the town and other lands. In former centuries the local landowners were often asked to inspect boundaries which were in dispute or follow the course of parish or town boundaries to ensure that no one was encroaching upon them who shouldn’t. The boundary inspection was also carried out at national level between England and Scotland with sets of commissioners appointed by each country’s king. Indeed, a section of territory, which included Gretna and Langholm on the western frontier, was disputed between England and Scotland and known as the ‘Debateable Land’ and a partition was not finally agreed between the countries until 1552. Such diplomatic activity on the Borders led to the writing of the earliest diplomatic act in the Scots language (see below). Today these old perambulations, known as Common Ridings of the Marches, are still enacted as public ceremonies. In Hawick and Selkirk, for example, the Common Riding takes place on the first Friday and Saturday after the second Monday in June. At Galashiels Scots names such as ‘The Braw Lad’ and ‘The Braw Lass’ are given to principal riders. In Selkirk flags are cast during the procession as a reminder of the single townsman who returned home from the battle of Flodden in 1513: the ‘Flowers of the Forest’ is also sung at this point.

For an example of a modern Common Riding ballad please follow this link to hear Iain Scott leading others in singing ‘Up wi’ auld Hawick’ which also includes shots of the riders:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lgcmJtBou0&feature=related

There is also a link to the Lauder Common Riding which includes ballads and photos:

http://www.laudercommonriding.co.uk/historysongsphotographs.html