The geography of the Borders between England and Scotland is dominated by the bleak rolling hills of the Cheviots. The immediate surrounding area is varied though often no less bleak in its appearance. Consisting of salt marshes, flowing rivers, such as the Tyne, and rocky outcrops, to the flat planes of Solway Moss.

It is a land that under normal circumstances would produce a hard resilient people. From the thirteenth through to the early seventeenth century, this geography may have hardened the people, but the politics of the two countries honed this toughness to a fine edge. By the late sixteenth century this edge had in every sense become dangerously sharp. History has christened this the country of the Border Reiver, a term peculiar to the area.

A reiver, putting it simply, was a thief, though this does little justice to the people nor their exploits. The prey of the reiver consisted mainly of livestock, though it could also include money, goods, and even people who would be held to ransom. By the sixteenth century, reiving, learnt through constant practical lessons, had been perfected to a fine art, by penniless farmer, fugitive outlaw, through to lords and even Wardens, reiving was a truly classless occupation.

The people who participated in reiving did have other trades, such as farming, or working as a soldier, but because of the poor economic conditions, caused by the constant fighting, they were often unable to support themselves. The practice of splitting the farmland between the sons of a farmer resulted in the land becoming too small to provide enough for the family to live off, which also contributed to the conditions.

As a result of the constant desolation, many were born into a land where reiving presented their only hope of survival. This world also presented many others the opportunity to gain power and influence, through professional cattle rustling, and as skilled fighting men. They were especially gifted as guerrilla fighters where ambush, tracking, theft and raid were second nature.

Reiving was to an extent, a seasonal occurrence, lasting from autumn to spring, of which the worst time was from Michalaelmas (September 29) to Martinmas (November 11). The ground was dry and the cattle and horses were strong enough for the drive, and by February oats were too expensive and the nights to short for significant raids.

The reiver was not just an accomplished thief, but also an excellent light horseman and would be armed with plate armour, mail, or more common to the Borders a ‘jak of plaite’. This was usually sleeveless and constructed of quilted cloth, twill or linen and had small overlapping iron plates stitched inside. Their heads were protected by a range of steel helmets and they would be armed with a sword, a lance (8 to 12 foot long), various knives, bows and crossbows.

Particular conditions had created this way of life, one of which was the history of Border turbulence between England and Scotland. Disputes and outbreaks of violence had been a feature ever since the Border between the two Kingdoms had existed, even in the Roman era when the Border was marked, for a time, by Hadrian’s Wall (built in AD 122-126) violence existed between the Britons and Picts

The problem that was to lead to the Border reivers can roughly be dated back to Edward I's attempt to conquer Scotland in 1296. Though it should be noted that this marked a dramatic decline within the state of the Border, some 38 years earlier sufficient disintegration had already taken place for the two countries to send representatives to meet and agree upon international Border laws. This saw the beginning of some 300 years of sporadic warfare, often resulting in a war of attrition, the bloody and cruel fighting was to leave the Borders deeply scarred, and the people suffered severely.