"Northumberland" a Northumberland Travel Page by geordiebutcher

Heatherland and bent land
Black land and white
God bring me to Northumberland
The land of my delight

Land of singing waters
And words from off the sea
God bring me to Northumberland
The land where I would be

Heatherland and bent land
And valley rich with corn
God bring me to Northumberland
The land where I was born
Wilfred Gibson 1878 - 1962

Norham Castle stands on the South (English) side of the river Tweed,which at this point is the border betweem England and Scotland. The castle guards the lowest natural ford on the river. Built by the Prince Bishops of Durham in the 11th and 12th century it has a long and violent history being captured by the Scots and retaken by the English many times. Perhaps the most famous occupant was Sir William Marmion who was sent to "The Most Dangerous place in the Kindom". There are many battle sites around the area the most famous of which is the battle of Flodden Field (1513) in which the English defeated the Scots. It is believed 10,000 Scots were killed, including the head of almost every Scottish Clan. A monument to the fallen has been erected overlooking the battle field. Many of the dead were buried in the in the church yard at nearby Branxton and the Scottish king James IV, s body was laid to rest here before being taken to London

From Flodden ridge,
The Scots beheld the English host
Leave Barmoor Wood, their evening post
And headful watched them as they crossed
The Till by Twizell Bridge.
High sight it is, and haughty, while
They dive into the deep defile;
Beneath the cavern'd cliff they fall,
Beneath the castle's airy wall.
By rock, by oak, by Hawthorn tree,
Troop after troop are disappearing;
Troop after troop their banners rearing
Upon the eastern bank you see.
Still pouring down the rocky glen,
Where flows the sullen Till,
And rising from the dim-wood glen,
Standards on standards, men on men,
In slow procession still,
And sweeping o'er the Gothic arch,
And pressing on in ceaseless march,
To gain the opposing hill.
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By Sir Walter Scott