Annan History
⏲ ANCIENT: From AD 83 – The Romans >> From AD 600 – Hoddom Monastery ~~~ ⏲ DEFENSIVE: 12th Century – The Bruce Family >> 14th Century – Stapleton Tower >> The Riding of The Marches ~~~ ⏲ ILLICIT: Rabbie Burns ~~~ ⏲ PROSPEROUS: 1757 – 1900 Influential People >> Industries over the years >> The coming of the railway ~~~ ⏲ WARTIME: From 1914 – HM Factory Gretna >> Teetotal Annan! >> War Memorial >> From 1942 – RAF Annan ~~~ ⏲ EXPANDING: From 1959 – Chapelcross ~~~ ⏲ ANNAN’S HISTORY TODAY: Annan Families >> Clubs & Organisations >> Ghosts of Annan’s Past
Defensive Annan
The Riding of The Marches
Annan’s annual tradition
Each year, in early July more than one hundred horsemen and horsewomen, led by the Cornet and his Lass, Ride the Marches to the inspect the boundaries of the Royal Burgh of Annan, ensuring that landmarks, cairns and other features have not been removed or tampered with since the previous check.
Rede Of The Mearcs
The term Riding of the Marches has been used to describe the boundary inspection since Annan was created a Royal Burgh more than 600 years ago. ‘Riding’ was likely to have originally come from the Scottish verb to ‘rede’, which means to clear or put in order, and Marches to have come from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘mearc’ meaning boundary. So in olden days when they ‘rede of the mearcs’ they were fixing a boundary around the town.
Although it may seem that the horses are having a breather at each stop, the stops do all have a tradition attached to them.
The ‘Hole in the Hedge’ at Landheads marks the ancient site of Willie Cron’s smithy. Two stories abound here – some claim a boy was pushed through the window to look out for marauders but others suggest in times of whipping posts the hedge marked the spot where the local boys were punished.
Each year a local boy is sent through the hole in the hedge to check the boundary and still receives a ‘skelp’ (smack) on his rear end. The town’s Snuff Box is also passed around here too. It was presented to Annan Town Council by Brigadier General Dirom of Mount Annan.
The Beltedstane, a granite boulder near Creca and the Cairn of Creca, where fairies are supposed to have danced, are other stops on the route.
On the Solway shore, if the tide allows, they ride around the Altar Stane found in the sand before heading to horse chases on the Everholm.
All the way round The Standard is displayed on the boundaries to help put marauders to flight and it is hoped that the day will prove to be “Safe Oot! Safe In”.
As well as the Rideout, there are sports and competitions at the sports field and a grand parade through the town with decorated floats, music and other entertainments and a spectacular closing ceremony with pipes and drums on the High Street.
The Riding of the Marches has only ever been cancelled 4 times: in 1952 and 2001 because of outbreaks of foot and mouth, and 2020 and 2021 because of Covid19.