Longtown is the last English 'settlement' before Scotland, on the west coast route. It is a small place, and interesting for having been a planned town in the 18th century, when the Rev Dr Robert Graham, owner of the local great house and estate of Netherby, laid out a town of four streets and squares, and a tiny port at Sarkfoot to serve it.
The entire area is steeped in history from its past as the 'Debatable Land', a virtual buffer state between England and Scotland. While unrest dates back to the time of Hadrian's Wall, the 13th century saw the first major quarrels. People from both countries grazed stock here but pulled down any building the other side erected. In 1551both countries declared their intention to lay waste the area, giving citizens the right to rob, burn, and murder. In 1552 the land was divided between England and Scotland, but raiding, as to be expected, continued.
The name Longtown first appears in 1584. The village was far more important in the days of stage coaches when the main route to Edinburgh passed through the village. In those days there was a cattle market (charter 1306) which was a rival to Carlisle. The attractive five arch bridge built in the 1700's spans the River Esk, and is famous for salmon fishing.
On the left of the town at Esk Street stands the Moot Hall and Council rooms which once housed the old school. This was built as a school for 60 children of poor parents. Fauld Mill is a watermill which once ground corn for the parish, with equipment supplied by the Graham family.
Longtown is situated in the parish of Arthuret, and for centuries had laid claim to connections with the legendary King Arthur. In fact in 1669 the rector wrote 'Arthuret has its name from the famous King Arthur, King of the Ancient britons in whose time there was a battle fought here...probably on the moor of the same name' The battle to which he refers took place in the 6th century and according to legend 80,000 were slain. Another battle involving Arthur's mentor, Merlin, took place just north of Longtown...at Carwhinley. Arthurian expert Dr Norma Goodrich has actualy named Arthuret as the last resting place of the monarch.
The old parish church of St Michael is also at Arthuret. It was re-built in 1609. There is an interesting gravestone erected to one Archie Armstrong who was a jester to Charles I. Appropriately enough, he was buried here on the 1st April 1672. Just outside the walls of the church is St Michaels Well, a Holy spring dating back, it is believed, to 1609. It is really a spring trickling into a bowl below a sandstone arch. Worn sandstone steps lead down to it, testifying to long usage, including for baptisms from 1860 to 1951. It was probably a holy spring for many centuries prior to its current form, especially as the area is associated with the 6th century St Kentigern, which is often linked with water.
The first church here may have been founded by St kentigern in the 6th centuury, but the earliest records date from 1150 when it was connected with Jedbergh convent. It was destroyed twice in the 14th century. In the late 16th century, the church displayed a register of those paying blackmail money to one of the reivers, who would then refrain from raiding that person's land.
Beyond the Esk is the Solway Moss, possibly the site of a battle in 1542. The Moss is worked for peat, used in horticulture and industry, some once being sent to Japan for use in whisky-making. The Moss is rich in wildlife, including charcoal-grey roe deer and red grouse.
In town, at the foot of Esk Street, is the site of the old ford on the main road to Scotland, where tradition tells us that Bonnie Prince Charlie and his Highland army crossed on their way to carlisle in 1745. With the river in full spate, swollen by rain and high tides, the 200 pipers waded through the strong current up to their necks in water. Once safely on the other side, the pipers started to play, and the army danced reels until they were dry again. This incident is reputed to be the origin of the pipe tune 'Wi a hundred pipers an 'a'.
It was Dr Graham who helped to bring the Carlisle-Edinburgh railway line through Longtown. From 1802 many people became weavers for the mills in Carlisle and many sheds were built behind the houses. One road called 'The Shades' was originally "The Sheds'.
Netherby Hall can be seen from the main road, and stands on the site of a Roman fort. It is not often open to the public. As the ancestral home of the Grahams, it featured in Sir Walter Scott's exciting poem "Young Lochivar'.
Across the Esk, and even nearer to the main highway, is Kirkandrews Tower a smaller Graham stronghold, is a typical sixteenth century Border pele.
