The Border Reivers

by Godfrey Watson

Dust jacket worn, spine leaning a little, page edges tanned. Orders received by 3pm Sent from the UK that weekday.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Richard]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Watson doesn't set out to give a chronological or comprehensive account of the Border Reivers. Rather, he helpfully focuses in on some of the features of Reiver life. So, there are chapters on Days of Truce, The Hot Trod, Deadly Feud and To-Names to mention a few. For me this approach worked really well.

The book is well written, although perhaps now becoming a little dated, with a dry sense of humour that feels in keeping with the black humour of Reiver reality. It is clearly a book written by someone with a sense of connection with his subject rather than just a comprehensive knowledge.

I will long remember the quotation attributed to King James 1/V1. Having travelled South to assume the English throne it was reported to him that his favourite cow had broken out and made it's way back to Scotland. A courtier expressed amazement at how, being unable to speak either Scots or English, the animal had made it home. To which James replied that it "did not excite his wonder so much as how she could get across the Debatable Ground without being stolen". Wonderful!!
Even the King was fully conversant with the antics of the Border Reivers.

[Joseph Sellors]

a good, solid, unbiased attempt at delving into the complex mavericks that were the border reiver's. Only fails to gain 5 stars as there are better books on this topic, namely Steel Bonnets by George Macdonald Fraser. Watson simply fails to go into quite the same detail.

[Robert Spencer]

Obviously fascinating as it refers to the history of my own local area.