Tour to explore the “Undiscovered Britain”—the Border Reiver Country of Scotland and England

The following announcement was written by the East Tennessee Historical Society:

KNOXVILLE, TN (November 20, 2006)  A tour sponsored by the East Tennessee Historical Society will explore the “Undiscovered Britain”—the Scottish Lowlands and northern England, May 9-22, 2007.  Largely untouristed, this scenic and historic land was also the home of the famous Border Reiver clans, who for centuries fought and foraged across the border.  The Ogles, Armstrongs, Scotts, Crosers, Kerrs, Forsters, Grahams, Maxwells, Johnstons, Bells, Robsons, Grays, Herons, Milburns, Ridleys, Elliots, Nixons, Olivers, Youngs, Rutherfords, and Douglasses are among the families from the border area whose  descendants eventually settled in East Tennessee.

The Border Reiver country is an area of picturesque hills, green river valleys, foreboding moors, walled towns, abbeys, battlegrounds, ancient churches, and an over abundance of castles. Among the sites the tour will explore are Hardrian’s Roman Wall, the seventh-century Holy Island, English-Scottish battlefields, Reiver houses, fortresses, castles, Sir Walter Scott’s mansion and grave, Alnwick Castle where Harry Potter was filmed, and a meal with the family on a local sheep farm.

Space on the tour is limited. For more information, contact Cherel Henderson at the East Tennessee Historical Society, 865-215-8823, or see www.east-tennessee-history.org.