Kilham : Border Warfare

As a result of its proximity to the border, the township suffered repeatedly from Scottish incursions during the late medieval period and right up to the end of the 16th century. These are summarised in volume XI of the Northumberland County History (NCH XI (1922), 168-9). Thus, as the County History notes, no valuation of Kilham’s lands in the 15th century failed to reveal a state of waste and destruction. One such raid, in April 1597, evolved into virtually a full-scale pitched battle, as Sir Robert Carey, Warden of the March, related in a report to the Privy Council (CBP ii, 441):

On the 14th instant, at night, four Scotsmen broke up a poor man’s door at Kilham on this march, taking his cattle. The town followed, rescued the goods, sore hurt three of the Scots, and brought them back prisoners. The fourth Scot raised his country meanwhile, and at daybreak 40 horse and foot attacked Kilham, but being resisted by the town, who behaved themselves very honestly, they were driven off and two more were taken prisoners. Whereon the Scots raised Tyvidale (Teviotdale), being near at hand, and to the number of 160 horse and foot came back by seven in the morning, and not only rescued all the prisoners but slew a man, left seven for dead and hurt very sore a great many others.

The need to fortify Kilham to alleviate such chronic insecurity was explicitly stated to in the survey of the Northumberland’s border defences, conducted by Sir Robert Bowes and Sir Ralph Ellerker in the autumn of 1541 (see below Selected Sources and Surveys no.3; cf. Bates 1891, 31; Hodgson 1828, 183). It was expressly reiterated later in their report in an important passage which explains in clear terms why the fortified border townships and villages were so strategically significant (Cotton MS. Calig., B vii, fo. 636; cf. Bates 1891, 35-6; Hodgson 1828, 187-8):

This part of Glendale lying upon the west side of the river of Till is a very good, plenteous and fertile country and will bear and sustain a great number of men with living able to maintain horse and harness (a full set of military equipment) for the defence of the borders there. Every husband land a man if they be not too highly rented.

Albeit because there is not in this said part of Glendale towers and fortresses sufficient to relieve all the inhabitants thereof with their horses in time of war nor yet barmkins for the safeguard of their cattle, so (as) soon as there is any appearance or suspicion of war the most part of the inhabitants thereof do withdraw themselves with their goods inwards to other fortresses for their defence and leaves the said border by west the said river of Till almost desolate and waste and if war continues long those tenants provide them(selves) of other farms. And so it is a long season after the end of every such war before that frontier and border can again be peopled and replenished.

For the remedy whereof we think is most necessary, first, that the king’s majesty’s said castle of Wark (on Tweed) be repaired . . . .

Also that a new tower and barmkin be made at Kilham and that the townships be so assigned unto such fortresses and barmkins as they with their goods may be relieved in time of necessity and to be so apportioned and rated that at least forty persons or more be assigned to every fortress, for, as we think, the more men that be together in any fortress, so that it may conveniently contain them with their goods, the more stronger shall be the defence thereof.

Critical to border defence was the maintenance of a numerous and well-armed population along the frontier, its value demonstrated by the stout, though ultimately fruitless, communal defence mounted by the villagers of Kilham in 1596. The construction of towers, barmkins and other fortifications was primarily a means to achieve that by enabling the tenant farmers to remain in place and withstand assault during periodic Scottish incursions.