| Bargain hunters at
Scott’s mobile shop Ron came prepared with his bag! |
Lunch…. What a buffet
spread!!! Solway salmon, roast gigot of pork, roast beef, gammon and turkey. An assortment
of salads too long to mention, new boiled potatoes, rolls and butter. Many could not
resist going round a second time! However everyone seemed to have room for gateau and
cream, sherry trifle, lemon meringue pie and cheesecake
…and that’s all the thanks I get for
having the bar opened for you!! |
Ted about to do the food tasting!
Nice clean plates! Clockwise: Louise, Deborah, David, Jane,
Norman and Georgia
| This lot is a bit behind! They all
went up for seconds!
Georgia USA
meets Georgia UK along with Norman |
| Clockwise: Nick, James W, James M,
Ora, Pauline, |
| Ron, Phil and Ian |
After tea and coffee were
served it was time for the formal welcome from Ted, who greeted both old faces and new to
yet another Gathering since the Clan was revived in 1969. Ted made special mention of
Georgia his second great grandchild who was attending her first Gathering and wished Scott
well on his forthcoming trip to Russia following up some Armstrong links. (Sadly he’s
still waiting for the visa to come through!)
Well,
we’ve always said we have plenty of talent lurking among our members, and this was
more than proved by Tom, ably assisted by his wife Marjorie, who charmed and educated us
all by a variety of tales related to the Border Reivers that he has been extensively
researching for a number of years. Tom has now built up formidable web site with all his
research on it. www.borderreivers.co.uk is a practical guide to the history of the
Anglo-Scottish Borders during the time of the Border Reivers. It covers people – the
Good, the Bad and the Worst! It gives extensive information on places to visit, Castles,
towers, bastles and battle sites. How did they cope with crime, punishment, marriage and
deadly feuds? This site has a direct link from our web site and you will from time
to time see extracts from it in the NEWS.
Tom’s speech was
well received, and before we had time to draw breath Mary Thomson’s School of Dancing
was treating us to top quality traditional entertainment. Hopefully some of these dancers
will in the future be passing on their skills to the next generation.
The afternoon was racing away
and soon a number of members were eager to see Tom’s web site, the Clan’s web
site, the new Clan Armstrong Centre web site and the UK database all of which had been
downloaded onto Nick’s laptop.
Tea and biscuits were soon
being served and arrangements were being made for the visit to the Tower and the
‘Armstrong Tour’ which had been planned for the next day. All those who had
attended the Gathering had been given a souvenir booklet giving extensive details of a
circular tour, so those that couldn’t make it on the Sunday had ample opportunity to
do so on another occasion.
What me go on tour! Ted
escapes some of the party as they prepare to leave the Tower. |
After a conducted tour of the
Tower six carloads set off towards Newcastleton first stopping at Ettleton Cemetery where
many Armstrongs are buried including William of Sorbietrees who met his untimely death
from the pistol of the Minister of Walton Parsonage (see NEWS 52), then pausing at the
bottom of the road to examine the Milholm Cross, the resting place of Alexander the Second
Laird of Mangerton (see NEWS 51). Across the valley you could just make out the ruins of
Mangerton Tower which was to be our next stop, but owing to foot and mouth restrictions we
were unable to cross the farm to get to it.
After an abortive attempt in
Newcastleton to buy film for cameras (they seemed to sell EVERYTHING else) we made our way
to Castleton Cemetery which contains an obelisk to the memory of Drs George and John
Armstrong. George’s work in London lead to the founding of Great Ormond Street
Hospital for Children in London.
As we had to do a bit of
dodgy turning round on the crest of the hill Ron agreed to take the lead to the next stop
at Hermitage Castle, assuring the whole party that getting to the castle was no problem!
Well….Ron’s excuse was that the Heritage sign to Hermitage was covered up and
that fazed him…still it was nearly a mile further down the road that we managed by
flashing and honking to stop him driving off into oblivion! It was quite an operation
turning all those cars around on that narrow road. Hermitage, sadly, was closed due to the
restrictions, but there were a number of photographic opportunities that could be had from
the road. The five mile journey over the narrow fell road was uninterrupted by traffic
coming in the opposite direction – indeed some of the sheep looked as though they
hadn’t seen a car for weeks!
Our final stop was at
Carlenrig scene of the dastardly murder of Johnie Armstrong and his followers. A memorial
tablet in the kirkyard wall records the event, and a stone records the alleged place where
the victims were buried.
Sadly, this was the parting
of the ways for us all to many parts of the country and beyond. Talk was of the next
Gathering. Talk was also of a Gathering of the Clan in America in the future. Both were
looked forward to in great anticipation when again friends old and new would be reunited
under our great family and clan name.
It had been
suggested to those that were attending not to miss the culmination of the Common Riding
Week at Langholm on Friday. Sadly the normal bustle and spectacle of this event was
curtailed owing to foot and mouth restrictions with only three token riders allowed taking
part. However the fair and athletic events were still in full swing with the unfortunate
added event of the shoe disinfectant bath event in which everyone had to participate. The
sun shone sporadically throughout the day and the rain held off.