Happy is the country that has no history

wrote someone, sometime about somewhere. It might have been about Hutton as our local wannabee Historian has apparently not yet put pen to paper despite amassing a box file or two of material about this ancient village. Our new home-to-be, Duns is better documented and even has its own website( http://www.duns.bordernet.co.uk/) -and the following brief history is taken from it:

The first written mention of Duns is when a 'Hugo de Duns' signed as a witness to a charter before 1214. Thereafter, Duns appears throughout the history of the Borders. Sited on the slopes of Duns Law, and close to the original Duns Castle, which was built in 1320, by the Earl of Moray, nephew of Robert the Bruce, the town was frequently attacked by the English as they headed North to lay waste to the Lothians. Sir Archibald Douglas, in 1333, mustered an army to march on Berwick, which was under siege by the English, but they were defeated at the Battle of Halidon Hill. Burned to the ground thrice within 14 years, in 1544,1545 and 1558, the town of Duns survived these repeated attacks to be a mustering point for General Leslie and his covenanting armies of 1640. Cromwell put a garrison in the town after the Battle of Dunbar in 1650, to keep the locals under control, and, no doubt, these soldiers ate and drank the locals into even greater hardship, as they did elsewhere in the Borders. An uneasy peace reigned in Duns, after the '45, and it grew rapidly in size.

History appears to have ended in 1745-or least of the bloodier sort and there is no mention of the (tenous) Burns connection. More surprisingly Duns Scotus gets no mention (*nor does the brand new Co-op)

Hutton Think Tank (Historical Research section) are working on a brief history of the village for a new History of Berwickshire website :


www.reiversrebelsredcoats.com

It present it states:Hutton. Wee wee village of obscure origins. Possibly English. Edward First's army may or may not have camped near before raising a siege or beseiging Berwick. May or may not have been burnt down by the English/Reivers/Scots from time to time. Used to have trades, school, pub, pumps. No known connection with the Holy Grail. Jim Clark Rally through village twice. Unlike Paxton has no historical link to Slavery. Unlike Paxton has a post office. On 32 Bus route.

* Blogg-ed (Retail)

The image is of Hutton last May -old pub in the background. Not very much happening.
But still, history in the making.

Labels: Duns, Hutton, Hutton Think Tank

  ¶ 12:40 PM