No, because they've handed it back. But it would have done in the days of the border reivers, says Alan Sykes, settling back in his inglenook to spin you an olde Cumbrian yarn. Have a nice weekend.
While David Cameron and Alex Salmond were in Edinburgh arguing about the possible breakup of the United Kingdom, a more practical illustration of the division between the kingdoms took place at Kershopefoot, on the border between Cumbria and Roxburghshire, where the Scots made off with an English letterbox. The incident took place when the Kershopefoot village postmaster retired, and his letterbox was removed to the Royal Mail depot across the border in Hawick.
Today's Cumberland News quotes local county councillor Val Tarbitt as saying:
Kershopefoot had a long and bloody history in the annals of cross-border conflict before the union of the crowns of England and Scotland in 1603. It was in the spring of 1596 that that one of the most notorious incident in reiving history took place, when William Armstrong of Kinmont was illegally taken prisoner.The Hawick depot has got our letterbox. It has been captured by Scotland and we want it back. It's like something from the days of the Border Reivers.
It was the custom of the Wardens of the western Marches from England and Scotland to hold regular Truce Days at Kershopefoot and other places along the border, to exchange prisoners, hold trials and hear complaints. In theory every man present had immunity from arrest until the following morning's sunrise. However, somehow Armstrong was captured returning from the truce, and Lord Scrope, the Warden of the Western March, imprisoned him in Carlisle Castle.
William Armstrong, better known as Kinmont Willie, was one of the most notorious of the reivers, helping give the world the word "bereaved" – in one incident in 1584 he, along with "Nebless" Clem Croser and 300 riders raided the Middle March, killing 10 men, burning 60 houses and stealing 1300 cattle, 60 horses over £2000-worth of goods.
His capture, in flagrant violation of Border Law, enraged the Scots in general and the Scottish Warden of the Western March, Walter Scott of Buccleuch – "the Bold Buccleuch" - in particular. A later Walter Scott, in the Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, has him raging
Buccleuch got together 80 men – including Kinmont Willie's four sons – and, with a little inside help, pulled off one of the most daring jail breaks in British history, lifting Kinmont Willie from one of the strongest castles in Europe and getting him back to Scotland without losing a single man, when, according to the ballad, BuccleuchAnd have they e'en ta'en him, Kinmont Willie,
Against the truce of the border tide?
And forgotten that the bauld Buccleuch
Is keeper here on the Scottish side?
With the pursuing Scrope standing powerless on the English side of the river, bemoaning that BuccleuchHe turned him on the other side
And at Lord Scrope his glove flung he –
"If you like na my visit in merry England
In fair Scotland come visit me!"
Fortunately the latest potential cross-border flashpoint at Kershopefoot has been calmed and is unlikely to be the subject of ballads remembered in 300 years time, as the Scottish postal authorities have agreed to restore their letterbox to the English, saving the locals a three mile trek up wild lovely Liddlesdale to Newcastleton to post their letters.He is either himsell a devil frae hell
Or else his mother a witch mun be
I wudna hae ridden that wun water
For a' the gowd in Christentie.
