Arms & Armor of the Border Reivers

[@A_Medieval_Shadow]

Good video, exactly what I am looking for at the moment. Keep up the videos, they are Awesome

[@A_Medieval_Shadow]

Just a little Nickpick: It is not a blood groove on the blade. It is called Fuller and stabilises the Blade to prevent it from bending. It also reduced a bit of weight.

[@wattyler9806]

Interesting video. I've been to Carlisle there's a list of riever families on the English side of the border. Very interesting history of the Scottish and English borders. It must have been a lawless and wild place.

[@hotelsierra86]

“The Armstrong and the Elliotts ride thieves all”. Thanks for the video,come from a “riding family “in the Borders,with relatives in Pennsylvania. “There’s more than birds on the hill tonight,and more than winds on the plane.The threat of the Scott’s has filled the moss. There will be moonlight again “ Thanks again, HS86.

[@saltychristianpatriot4011]

Thomson here! Nothin changed since then......see you in PA

[@C3qrT]

My father is a Thomson and my mother an Armstrong!

[@Lowest_Levels]

Good informative video on the border rievers and the weaponry they used. There isn't much detailed information on youtube or in general for that matter and your presentation opens up that door a little.

[@adventurewithacamera]

Thank you. Trying my best to get accurate information out to the public on an underreported but fascinating era of history.

[@hotspurschool]

Greetings from Alnwick, Northumberland! We have exported our "culture" far and wide!

[@leightonscott3242]

Well done on a great video, Scott! It's fascinating that there's so much history in such a relatively small place - the Borders! I believe our two families share some of this history when the 'Bold Buccleuch' Walter Scott broke out Kinmont Willie Armstrong from the English castle at Carlisle during a stormy night in 1596!

[@adventurewithacamera]

Thank you very much. The Armstrong’s and Scott’s do indeed share some history, ground and blood.

[@markscott9622]

Absolutely cuz!

[@TheMiniMaestroMan]

My clan is supposedly from a small area in Dumfries, they raided nearby villages and towns often. There were 30 families in just 40 acres of land, so there was a strong sense of community. They were known for their strength and fighting skills, gathering in the hundreds to fight against the English during the war of independence. After the clan chief died, they went their own ways and started to travel. My side ended up in Glasgow during the Industrial Revolution and worked in the factories. That's about as much as I know, Border Reiver heritage is quite unique and underrepresented in my view. This is a great video, thank you for showing this.

[@adventurewithacamera]

Thank you.

[@joeytodd795]

Clan Carruthers reporting in lol It's ridiculous how densely packed the West March was.

[@ianmedford4855]

Medford/Mitford Wardens of The March Our ancestors almost certainly tried to kill one another at some point. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@tj7283]

Excellent presentation! And wonderful collection of historic weapons and implements. Thank you for this informative video.

[@adventurewithacamera]

Thank you. A fascinating period of history. I've been collecting authentic arms and armor over the years and the opportunity to share some of that heritage has captured the interest of a lot of people.

[@ianmedford4855]

​@@adventurewithacamera You know that the "blood groove" thing is BS right? I had always thought the same thing... but after getting pretty seriously into swords, I found out that the groove was there to both save steel, and to reduce the weight of the blade. The "Blood Groove" thing is kinda like an urban myth or whatever.

[@adventurewithacamera]

@@ianmedford4855 Yes, this has been addressed many multiple of times in the comments.

[@peterlawrence3152]

Greetings from Edinburgh. Great collection of weapons and armour. Even the tunes were good.

[@adventurewithacamera]

Thank you for the kind words.

[@helpmehelp3009]

They are played on Northumberland pipes.

[@C3qrT]

Interesting to see the attire! I'm an Armstrong as well. William Armstrong born 1791 brought us over here as an Ulster Scot (born in Down, Ireland). I believe he was a border reiver before going to the plantation.

[@anvilbrunner.2013]

Very good impression. Quality kit.

[@robarmstrong322]

most of us serve in the military.. I served twice.. RAAF and the Australian Army..as my father, brother and forefathers

[@AThousandYoung]

10:14 That is NOT A BLOOD GROOVE it is a fuller to reduce weight

[@lukemcinerny8220]

True, but one could be more polite about it, it was the only thing I picked up on in a great video

[@jerryarm4160]

It struck me as well, but great job otherwise.

[@matthewarmstrong6575]

Thanks for all the knowledge

[@andynixon2820]

Greetings from Norfolk in England . Ironically good friends I've had over the years have been a Bell , a Wilson , a Moffat , a Storey and an Elliot . Even after hundreds of years we seem to find each other .

[@spudwrench82]

Robson decendant here. This is a great video! Thanks for making it.

[@CalebNixon1844]

Great video, thanks for making it!

[@adventurewithacamera]

Thank you, Caleb. Nixon is a fantastic legacy Reiver name!

[@michaelwhite8031]

Sorry the blood grove as you call it was never there so the sword could be released from the wound easily, it was only used to lighten the blade. I would advise you to watch the Scolargladatoria Channel.

[@adventurewithacamera]

Addressed multiple times throughout the thread of comments. Thanks for watching.

[@michaelwhite8031]

OK thanks, l didn't mean to be rude. All the best with your channel.

[@Evanmonster1]

That was really good! I am of Clan MacKay, myself. But I am related to border reiver families such as the Humes, Forsters, Dicksons, Douglas, Maxson, etc.. And I shared this video on the "I'm a Border Reiver and Proud of It!" facebook page. Had to! Ha ha :D

[@adventurewithacamera]

I appreciate the kind words and the post. I was an admin on the page for several years. I left it but remain friends with the founder. It was just a little too crass and personal towards some people. We had really made an effort to increase the history and heritage posts but the people that were there from the beginning seemed to want to treat it like a bar where insulting people was fine. It still has a lot of merit and good people, I needed a break from it for a while.

[@Evanmonster1]

Those groups can certainly be a breeding ground for know it alls and people with a smug demeanor. I'm sure you know what I mean, ha ha. I have two lines of Armstrongs that I have found in my family. The most recent one was the Armstrongs of Mangerton. And the other one that married directly into my grandmothers family. Funny thing is that those Armstrongs bobbled around England and Ireland in the 1400/1500's. Mercenaries, perhaps? Have you had any luck with tracing back your family to the old country? Btw, PLEASE make more videos like these. They're great! Ha ha :D

[@helentaylor1222]

bad days , nothing to be proud off, no glory in murder, arson, rape and starvation .

[@Evanmonster1]

@@helentaylor1222 I'm not glorifying anything..........

[@Pastoralists777]

@@helentaylor1222I disagree

[@charlesarmstrong5292]

Thanks for that edifying presentation Scott. So good to see our history being published from outside of Scotland itself.

[@adventurewithacamera]

Thank you very much. Doing my best to make sure us Borderers get our due. Can’t let those highlanders grab all the glory! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇸

[@CH-bo5ds]

The Armstrong's were English but

[@tireachan6178]

As a student of military history in Ireland & Britain I'm delighted to see this coverage of a much neglected episode of our history. The Reivers are surely the least covered warrior culture in relation to how far reaching their influence was in numerous military engagements on the Scots/English border and throughout Ireland and mainland Europe. Very well presented, great energy and passion for a subject that flows in your veins. Greetings from Ireland, Armstrong Abú!

[@markshepherd3632]

Come to Newcastle upon Tyne there's plenty of Armstrongs and other border reiver names still here

[@Scott.Elliott]

You have a good channel. Subbed. Fortiter et Recte!

[@adventurewithacamera]

Thank you.

[@moderntemplar3144]

Clan Elliott here greetings sir

[@knight16]

Great video, I was wondering why you didn't have a Dirk? Just curious, thanks!

[@adventurewithacamera]

Thank you! Dirks were more of a Highland implement later in history from the Reiving period. The Bollock Dagger was more geographically and time period appropriate.

[@knight16]

@@adventurewithacamera that is very interesting I did not know that! Thank you very much!

[@Jezza-m5k]

Armstrong... a good Northumbrian name. I'm a Robson and a Reiver, originally from Hexham - a Robson stronghold. I now live out in the "more rural than rural" Northumbrian wilds!

[@helentaylor1222]

Terrible violent days , thank goodness the killing stopped. Though many of our names are still in the area . I enjoyed your talk , thanks.

[@jelkel25]

Can't work out if my lot were Covenanters or Reivers as both were "asked" to leave Scotland for Northern Ireland at various times and the trail goes cold in Northern Ireland. My lot didn't take this too well and carried on to Virginia and Kentucky. One was a Captain in Washingtons army and I'm sure there were more than a few who rebelled from Covenanter and Reiver families.

[@richardpierson2098]

I come from a line of Armstrongs. They made their way from Pennsylvania, to somewhere in Appalachia. then to Milwaukee during the industrial revolution.

[@petermcnaughton9393]

There were six Border Marches -- they vied with each other. Three in Scotland and three in England

[@lukemcinerny8220]

Did they ever use the lowland type greatsword? The fuller is just to reduce weight in the sword, isn't the blood groove an anachronism? Loved the video mate 👍

[@adventurewithacamera]

Thank you. Yes, you are correct about the fuller it was used to reduce weight and build strength along the length of the blade. The appropriately named “slaughter sword” was used in the 16th century in the lowlands and borders. Having a blade of 1.5 meters it was a giant imposing weapon and I would imagine difficult to wield by many as its total length was easily a man’s height. The Scottish Claymore was a uniquely Scottish weapon found in the highlands, but the Slaughter Sword was likely an import from German bladesmiths that returned with border mercenaries.

[@NevisYsbryd]

The extremely large ones comparable to German greatswords were more of an organized army thing for elite units, such as royal bodyguards, and is very unsuitable for horseback. There are lots of references to 'halflang swords' in the area in the form of clamshell swords in both the Lowlands and Eastern Highlands, although not _usually_ specifically in the context of reiving as I understand it. And yes, fullers are for weight/distribution. Arms and Armor hypothesizes that it may have also been sometimes used to produce a more durable edge by making the angle less acute.

[@scotmclean5124]

Thanks. Enjoyed it. 🙂

[@ohioman4646]

You had me until "blood groove." The groove is called a fuller and was used for weight saving and distribution.

[@adventurewithacamera]

You’re only about the 15th person to point that out. It’s been asked and answered a bunch of times already.

[@emceeunderdogrising]

Seems I found the perfect video. Hard to separate lowlands and highlands history. Did the Armstrong's ever use the left hand Scottish dirk and targe combo? Or was it primarily a main gauche dagger paired with a broadsword, claymore, or rapier? Was the dirk as important to us as it was for highlands clans? Did we swear oaths on iron and steel? I want to buy a high end quality custom dirk for ceremonial purposes and as a future heirloom to pass to my children. As a Armstrong is that not really reflective of our Clan's history? Thanks for the video and information. Invictus Maneo!

[@adventurewithacamera]

The classic dirk is more emblematic of the Jacobite era of the mid-18th century at which time the Armstrongs had been dispatched, de-landed and spread far and wide, primarily to Ulster, Ireland. Our last Clan Chief was Archibald Armstrong and he was hung in London in 1610. A more period-accurate sidearm would be a Bollacks Dagger or the parrying dagger (Main Gauche) as displayed.

[@emceeunderdogrising]

@@adventurewithacamera Thanks. That's what I figured. By the time the dirk was a ceremonial dagger we were already cast away. Wouldn't really be a emblematic item of our history. Apparently we never even wore kilts. It was the Armstrong Clan Association that saved Gilnockie Tower. How much of the history are you familiar with? I just started reading Chronicles of the Armstrongs and Steel Bonnets. After joining the ACA I found out my oldest ancestor was born in 1645 very far south of in England in Bolsover. I know Ulster was the gateway to America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Is there any way to find out how the Armstrongs made it all the way South to Bolsover? I wonder how my family avoided the rope by moving into England. Thanks Scott for carrying on the Armstrong name and traditions for future generations.

[@adventurewithacamera]

@@emceeunderdogrising I'm quite familiar with the Armstrong history. I invite you to find my page on Facebook at @ArmstrongClanHeritage. I think you will find numerous educational resources there. Enjoy your journey, ours is a fascinating history.

[@NevisYsbryd]

@@emceeunderdogrisingAdding a bit to this-the earliest evidence for what can be distinctly categorized as a dirk is in the first decade of the 16th century (I think ~1504?). They phased in gradually, though, and changed over time. The traditional image of one is usually late 17th and 18th century variants, and were predominantly a Highland thing. Bollock, quillon, and rondel daggers would have been the Lowland mainstays up until parrying daggers and main gauches phased in during the 16th century, whereupon they became really common. However, a descendent of bollock daggers named dudgeon daggers were distinctive to and popular among the Lowlanders, especially the reivers, from the 1560s until I think thereabouts 1620? As far as I know, they never carried the same widespread ritualistic significance that the Highland dirk did, though.

[@caireengraham]

Graham in the house! 😀

[@adventurewithacamera]

Welcome!

[@Lord_Warden_of_the_Marches]

Holla!

[@ledingdong1492]

The groove was not to make suction less but to lighten the blade it's a misconception

[@adventurewithacamera]

That’s been addressed multiple times in this thread.

[@CountBeetle]

Any info on the logan clan? Heard they reived

[@tomjones7593]

Very interesting-thanks. My dear old mother had cousins who farmed at Norham-right on the river Tweed and almost in the shadow of Norham castle which was the 'half-way line' so far as there was any clear division in the lawless Borders. Wish I'd asked more as a child. I think however that the 'Reiving times' were more after the fashion of Indian raids on white settlers in the US- descending in force, often at night, on isolated targets and carrying off whatever they could. I'm sure you know that the word 'bereaved' comes from the results of their murderous outings. Likewise, subsistence farmers in the North Tyne/ Rede valleys would leave out 'black meal' in the hope that the (usually Scots) reivers would take that as sufficient and carry on to raid elsewhere-hence 'blackmail'. I'd love someone to contrast the Scots 'tower houses' for defence with the English 'bastles'-poor men's castles- into which they went every night and pulled up the ladder against Scots raids. The door had a 'spout' above it to allow the occupants to pour water down when the reivers tried to burn their way in. Hard times.

[@Alienshark]

Awesome

[@jerryarm4160]

Nice job

[@martinbuckley6400]

Greetings from South East Wales, and another U.K. boarder that was in hot dispute at around the same period. Super video, and very informative. The period you’ve discussed gets a tremendous amount of coverage in the t.v. and literary world but the boarder reavers seem to be an unrepresented part of that period. One minor thing from the video of you’ll permit me. The fuller on a blade was a feature designed to reduce mass from a blade rather than the reason you suggested. Great work though.

[@craigthescott5074]

Scott clan here checking in from the border. “AMO” the Scotts are out!!!

[@PathosAres]

As a fellow border reiver I thank you for your passion and time to make this video. As a blade enthusiast myself however I must inside that you please to somemore research on the so called "blood groove" . That was not it's intended purpose nor function. It is in actuality, called a fuller and helps to reduce the weight of the blade also it allows for a better point of balance ( thus a faster and deadlier strike) . Anyway I thank you for your video and helping me to better understand my ancestors and heritage. God bless sir!

[@adventurewithacamera]

I'm well aware of the blood groove/fuller discrepancy. The fuller was also a way to reduce blade weight. A clarification for another day, glad you enjoyed the presentation.

[@bryantcapley4803]

What did the Armstrong who raided the Moon get?

[@adventurewithacamera]

@@bryantcapley4803 Eternal glory.

[@lukemcinerny8220]

Great video mate 👍 Do you think a thrust from a lance delivered from horseback would get through the breastplate ?

[@NevisYsbryd]

Against a very bad, thin, iron breastplate, potentially. Against a thicker steel one, let alone a bullet-proof one, no. Regardless of penetrating it, however, the sheer force alone could still be deadly.

[@corneliuswowbagger]

I am interested in that list of Borders Clans who were border Reivers I am both about equally a Forster and a McCulloch and I suspect both were involved. Also I am writing a Clan McCulloch history focusing on their North American history, but anything be fore the 1750s or so would be useful. A snippet from my research: Western author Zane Grey’s great great grandmother was a McCulloch.

[@adventurewithacamera]

Please email me at [e-mail] and I'm happy to provide a list.

[@corneliuswowbagger]

Thanks Scott!

[@adventurewithacamera]

@@corneliuswowbagger Happy to help. I received your email, I'll be going through the details tonight and providing what I can.

[@corneliuswowbagger]

I thought it would be good to let you know where I am coming from and as a geologist I have always been a detail guy. Not a rush as I had to learn a new open source GIS system to do some decent cartography for the web and having mastered, I think, the software I need to digitize some old maps. I have the background, but open source software is notorious in that nobody wants to write documentation, so you often have to figure it out yourself.

[@butcharmstrong8275]

Thank you Butch.....Armstrong of Gilnockie.

[@adventurewithacamera]

I hope to get to your neighborhood someday.

[@CountBeetle]

Also, where did they get these armor and arms?

[@adventurewithacamera]

They have been collected and commissioned from various sources in the United States, Scotland and England since 2008.

[@miketaylor5212]

you lost me when you called a fuller a blood grove that grove was meant to lighten the blade without comprimising the strength of the blade. if your blade got stuck that is what your foot was for

[@adventurewithacamera]

Something that has been addressed multiple times in comments and an admitted mistake that I have not yet had time to re-cut. This was unscripted and my first “stab” at such a video. I stand by the effort as a whole.

[@memofromessex]

Johnston and Noble reporting!

[@reynardthefox]

The land of many of my ancestors

[@aikidragonpiper71]

I’m an Armstrong in Arkansas.

[@jackstod]

Only strong cause of Norman blood in veins, clan Hall or haul or something... Stoddart.

[@YewrinePish]

Yah bahd, mine were reivers, too; knighted border bastards lmfao Won't doxx myself but my name is directly related to some old myths and legends from reiver times and before.

[@scott236]

My mom is Thompson though they spelled it without the p when they came to colonial America.

[@C3qrT]

Same here. They change it in America, but mind you that the included p has still been in Scotland for centuries going far back. Same with Ireland.

[@scott236]

@@C3qrT I'm starting to think my mom's Thompson line came from northern Ireland and would have been in the borders before that.

[@gothabilly5]

Aryshire is were I traced my line prior to Northern Ireland

[@C3qrT]

@@scott236 You could be right. We traced our Thom(p)son name to Down, Ireland where they were Ulster Scots. They moved to Appalachia Pennsylvania from the Ulster Plantation. The origin of Thom(p)son is both Scottish and Northern English. The Scottish names derive from the MacTavish and MacThomas clans. The Northern English names were influenced by the Norse/Danish practice of patronymic naming.

[@Gguy061]

Clan Douglas, here! Jamais arriere!

[@ianelliott66]

Clan Elliott here 'wha daur meddle wi me'

[@nathanarmstrong7636]

Invictus maneo.

[@willinnewhaven3285]

Such a good review of the weapons and armor but then you come up with the "blood groove" nonsense. We put a _fuller_ in a blade so that it will be lighter but retain the dimensions we want.

[@adventurewithacamera]

You’re very late to that party. It’s been covered 20+ times in the comments already.

[@thatonethisone5904]

My mum is an Armstrong, family from northern England/ Scotland border area.

[@chuckitup78]

Blood groove? How about fuller.

[@adventurewithacamera]

Well aware. It’s been addressed multiple times in this thread.

[@Lord_Warden_of_the_Marches]

0:14 thru 0:20 The Grahams would argue the validity of that claim, lol.

[@corydallas5178]

I am an Armstrong :)

[@timarmstrong6257]

Invictus Maneo 💪🏻

[@scottfoster2087]

Descendant of the Littles

[@ledingdong1492]

The same as the johntons and elliots all sent to Ulster by force and now hated for living there

[@justincross4843]

Yet another inference to the mythical "blood groove" it's a fuller, and is designed to make the sword lighter and stronger, has nothing to do with blood *sigh*

[@adventurewithacamera]

Yet another criticism of a mistake I made and have acknowledged in putting this video together. You’re only about the 157th person to point it out.

[@ARMOCROW_]

Invictus Maneo 💪 Chester le street 💪

[@johndenholm7702]

Im black douglas denholm..and proud

[@kb7.62]

IN OLD ENGLISH BOLLOCK MEANS A PAIR OF ROUND THINGS. NOT EXCLUSIVELY MENS BALLSACKS

[@johndenholm7702]

Loyal just to the familys..our familys were sent to ulster..the making of ulster scots..slaved to ireland by king edward the first..

[@fionnmcnessa]

Poor old Ireland getting the scum of the earth dumped on it some things neber change

[@sararyan1255]

🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪💔💔💔

[@patrickcosgrove2623]

Pish !!

[@nathandurbin9260]

It’s not a blood groove lol it’s a fuller and it’s reason for being there is nothing to do with suction

[@adventurewithacamera]

Congrats, you're only about 167th person to mention it.

[@nathandurbin9260]

@@adventurewithacamera sorry mate great video apart from that

[@adventurewithacamera]

@@nathandurbin9260 Thank you. I filmed this, unscripted, in the wee hours of the morning during COVID lockdown. I knew better and made one mistake about the damn fuller. I'm sure I have an updated and more polished version in the future.