Whitsome’s Burning 480

Commemorating the Burning – 480 Years On

In October 2024, the Whitsome History Society gathered for one of its occasional meetings.  Talk turned to local lore, and once again the claim surfaced: Whitsome had been burned by Henry VIII.  Intrigued, one of our members, Andrew Lothian, set out to investigate—was the story true, and could the date be pinned down?

It’s well known that the Borders suffered during the Eight Years War (1543–1551), poetically dubbed the “Rough Wooing.”  But was Whitsome among the casualties?

The answer: Whitsome and the surrounding Merse were burned on 22 September 1545 by Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford.  Hertford, whose sister Jane Seymour married Henry VIII in 1536, was a rising figure in the Tudor court.  In today’s calendar, the burning translates to 2 October 1545, making 2025 the 480th anniversary of the event.

For those of a historical persuasion, more details of Andrew’s work to identify the date are at the bottom of this page.

Expert Validation

Once the date of Whitsome’s burning had been identified, Andrew sought scholarly confirmation.  His findings were reviewed by Dr Amy Blakeway of the University of St Andrews, a specialist in the period, who confirmed that the letters he had uncovered were generally reliable as they consisted of military reports.

With confidence in our research, we turned to the present.  To mark the 480th anniversary, we decided to invite none other than the present Duke of Somerset, direct descendant of Hertford, to attend a commemoration event held on 11 October 2025—480 years and 9 days after Hertford’s campaign scorched the Merse.

Swinton Primary Joins the Commemoration

We were delighted to involve the children of Swinton Primary School in our plans.  The initiative began when Dr Amy Blakeway expressed a keen interest in doing outreach work with the local school.

Given that Swinton was burned on the same day as Whitsome, it was especially fitting to include the children of the surrounding area in remembering this shared history.

Dr Blakeway’s outreach inspired a creative response: the pupils of Swinton Primary, ably assisted by Sally Clark produced a remarkable collection of artwork and written pieces, reflecting on the burning of the locality and the broader historical context.  Their work captured both the tragedy and the resilience of the Border communities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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To support the initiative, another member of the History Society, Neal Clark, led a special assembly at the school.  The involvement of Swinton Primary added a vibrant and thoughtful dimension to the commemoration, ensuring that the legacy of 1545 was not only remembered but reimagined through the eyes of a new generation.

And so to the commemoration day itself.

The Procession

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This began with a procession through the village, led in stirring fashion by Pipe Major Andrew Ainslie BEM.  In a rare and symbolic gesture, we were honoured to host two Officers of Arms—one Scottish, one English—present by special permission of the Lord Lyon King of Arms.

• March Pursuivant Extraordinary led the Lord Lieutenant of Berwickshire, representing His Majesty the King.
• Somerset Herald, whose historical predecessor was murdered in Scotland in the 1540s, led the Duke of Somerset himself.
• Also in attendance was the Deputy Lieutenant, adding further dignity to the occasion, together with the Lothian Levy, a troop of historic re-enactors of the period who marched solemnly with pikes and banners at the rear.

As the procession passed through Whitsome, the village turned out in support, lining the route and joining in the moment.  The formal welcome took place at the Whitsome Ark, where Master of Ceremonies Neal Clark greeted guests and participants alike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creative Displays and Living History

Following a warm (well, chilled) welcome drink, dignitaries and villagers mingled at the Whitsome Ark, taking time to admire the creative work of Swinton Primary School pupils and the research displays of the Whitsome History Society, the latter enhanced by elegant design support from Chris Este.

The children’s art and writing, inspired by the burning of Swinton and Whitsome in 1545, offered a poignant and imaginative reflection on the past—bringing history vividly to life through young eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

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While partaking of a suitably Tudor hog roast, guests also enjoyed a series of living history demonstrations by the Lothian Levy, showcasing the weaponry and implements of the 16th century.  Their hands-on displays gave visitors a tangible sense of the era’s daily life and conflict.

 

 

 

 

 

Talks, Reflections, and Cake!

Later in the afternoon, the Ark filled to capacity for a special presentation led by Master of Ceremonies Neal Clark.

Lynda Lothian, Secretary of the Whitsome Village Hall SCIO, shared exciting news about the forthcoming purchase of the land and amenity ground on which the village hall stands—made possible by a grant from the Scottish Land Fund.  As she noted, this was a development that the villagers of 1545 could scarcely have imagined.  Yet, 480 years on, Whitsome endures with a community as resilient and forward-looking as ever.

 

After Lynda’s news, the Duke of Somerset was presented with a cake, kindly supplied by Charles and Louise Inness.

Needless to say, an ancestral cutting implement was also supplied by Charles for the Duke’s use.

Once more, a Seymour wielded a sword in Whitsome, but this time with much good humour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was followed by a thought-provoking talk by Dr Amy Blakeway, who placed the burning of Whitsome and Swinton within its broader historical context.  We were privileged to have a special preview of some of her as yet unpublished research.

Dr Blakeway ended with a compelling call for historians to reconsider the term “Rough Wooing”, arguing that it was a romanticised label coined by 19th-century novelist Sir Walter Scott, and that the reality of the campaign was far more brutal and deserving of sober reflection.

Gifts and Symbolism

With the formal talks concluded, the commemoration took a warm and local turn.  Children from the area made presentations to the assembled dignitaries, offering gifts that reflected both the heritage and resilience of the Borderlands.

The principal offering was “Rough Wooing” gin, distilled just across the border in Cornhill—a site historically known as a mustering point for English armies heading north.  The gin, produced by Border Spirits & Botanicals, had been independently conceived and branded to honour the turbulent history of the region, making its presence at the event particularly special.

Accompanying the gin was Merse Honey, an artisan product expertly made in Whitsome by John Dow and Glenys Richardson, whose bees forage in the very fields Henry VIII once sought to destroy.  These gifts symbolised not only remembrance but regeneration—a landscape once burned now thriving.

The presentation to the Duke of Somerset was especially meaningful.  It was made by children who share descent from the Earl of Hertford himself.  The Duke received a bottle of “Rough Wooing” gin in a specially commissioned ceramic vessel by JuJo Ceramics of Cornhill, adorned with folk art depicting the burning of Whitsome and bearing the dates 1545–2025.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bonfire Ceremony

As the lute piece “Duke of Somerset’s Domp”, contemporary to the 1540s, played softly in the background, guests were invited to take a mug of mulled cider and a piece of cake before gathering at the amenity ground, where a bonfire had been prepared, guarded by the Lothian Levy.

In a moment of deep symbolism, the Duke of Somerset kindled the flames—the first time his family had wilfully raised a fire in Whitsome in nearly half a millennium.

 

The Duke commented later:  I was most nervous when lighting the bonfire as it flared up hugely and I could see the headlines in my head: “Somerset strikes again, setting fire to Scotland…!” All was fine.

As the flames took hold, the silhouettes of the Lothian Levy against the fire offered a haunting echo of how the village might have looked on the night of 2 October 1545 when Hertford’s men departed for Ladykirk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March Pursuivant Extraordinary captured the spirit of the day perfectly: “We are not just commemorating history—we are making it too”.

“I trust the villagers enjoyed not only their newly owned land but also the ceremonies so beautifully arranged”, added the Duke.

The Lord Lieutenant concluded:  “What an amazing day it was and everything ran like clockwork… there were so many facets…”! 

 

 

We hope Whitsome long remembers this extraordinary day— a tribute to its past, and a celebration of its future, marked also by the Scottish Land Fund grant that secures the village’s amenity ground for generations to come.

Huge thanks to the event team.  Their combined talent, imagination and sheer hard work illustrate beautifully why Whitsome is the place to be.

 

Historical research

The details which follow are intended for the diehard historians among our readers who would like to understand the research process by which we identified and corroborated the precise date of the burning of Whitsome.

 

 

The first step was to consult Marcus Merriman’s authoritative book on the period.  A copy was swiftly found, in Neal Clark’s collection, although the book offered only a brief mention—just a couple of lines—about the likely raid.  More digging was clearly needed.

The breakthrough came via the Calendar of State Papers of Henry VIII, a chronological transcription of letters and documents from his reign.  Searching an online version using various archaic spellings of “Whitsome”  finally yielded results.  Extract available here in pdf with our date proofs.

The Calendar includes several reports from the September 1545 campaign, two of which list the places burned.  Whitsome appears near the end of Hertford’s route, just before his return via Ladykirk, Norham, and Newcastle.

The backdrop: King James V of Scotland had died, leaving the throne to the infant Mary Queen of Scots.  Henry VIII of England saw a chance to unite the kingdoms by marrying his son Edward to Mary.  A treaty was signed in 1543, but later rejected by the Scots, who turned to France.  Henry was enraged.  In January 1544, his Council reported that he marvels at the disloyal and untrue dealing… for the just revenge whereof he means, with God’s help, to make their punishment known to all the world.  He ordered that Scottish lands be harried with fire and sword, and all that cannot be brought away destroyed; and so raid upon raid, as time shall serve.

In March 1544, Hertford was appointed lieutenant-general of the north and tasked with punishing the Scots.  He landed at Leith on 3 May, sacked Edinburgh, and burned his way back south.  In May 1545, he was reappointed to avenge the Scottish victory at Ancrum Moor.  His September campaign targeted the Merse, aiming to destroy the freshly harvested oats and barley (“haver and bygge”) and starve the Scots into submission.  The strategy: force the Borderers to go north—perhaps as far as Fife—for food.

Letters in the State Papers, including some from Hertford himself, detail the campaign.

On 23 September 1545, the day after Whitsome’s burning, Hertford wrote to Henry VIII [image of the letter here] from his camp at Horton.  He reported that on Saturday 19 September, he had surveyed Hume Castle but deemed it too strong to attack.  Instead, it was resolved to make no enterprise there but to waste and burn the Mershe.  He added, the weather is waxen very cold for lying in the fields besides that the obtaining of victuals from Berwik is uncertain because of the sudden rising of the water of Twede.  Those of us who live here understand his complaint about the autumn chill—and while we now cross the Tweed in the other direction for our own ‘victuals’ from Tesco or Morrisons, we still see the river rise, sometimes flooding near to the English side of the bridge at Norham.

Hertford’s letter continues: on Sunday 20 September, he camped near Red Braes; on Monday 21, near Wedderburn Castle; and on Tuesday 22, beside Norham, on Scottish ground (Ladykirk).  He wrote, Have thus gone through the heart of the Mershe, and by means of the horsemen, the Irishmen and others, the country, which was full of corn, is wasted.

Whitsome, lying between Wedderburn and Norham, was clearly burned on Tuesday 22 September.  Hertford also inspected Duns for fortification potential but found it unsuitable, noting that he therefore razed and burnt it, which was a very simple and peevish town.

On 27 September, Hertford wrote again from Newcastle, enclosing a book declaring what towns, abbeys, peels and castles have been burnt and cast down in this last journey.  He remarked, Little thought to find so fair a country in Scotland as the Merrshe and Tyvydale.  His list ends with: Whitelawe, Eastlawes, Westlawes, Swynton and Whitson.

This account is corroborated by a letter from William Hamerton to Robert Olyver and Thomas Hillarye, also dated 27 September.  [image of the letter here]  Hamerton wrote: Went through the Merssheland, which is very plentiful of wheat, barley and oats, for 20 miles in length and 8 or 9 in breadth, destroying houses, towers, corn, cattle, turf and fuel till nothing remains but the towers of the lairds of Langton, Fernyhurst and 2 or 3 others who are sworn English […] Returned without any skirmish or alarm.  […] The weather has been fair and their proceedings prosperous.

The most detailed account comes from John Elder, known as “Redshank,” a Highlander and tutor to Lord Darnley [image of first and last page of his letter here].  Writing from Newcastle on 6 October 1545 to William Paget, Henry VIII’s Secretary of State, Elder offers a day-by-day chronicle of Hertford’s campaign.  He even references a Scottish prophecy that a “hart” would come from the south to make the Tweed’s abbeys tremble and burn the Merse—interpreting this “hart” as Hertford himself.

Elder’s entry for 22 September reads: The Lord Lieutenant sent the army towards Norram and took 1,000 horsemen with him to burn these 19 places in Edram parish, viz.:— The castle of Wedirburne, Mongouse tower, Pele Rigge, Kemergeyme maynes, Rede Hughe, Redes Howsse, the East Mylne, the Kell Law, Edrame, the Newtowne, Blakater castle, Blakater town, Whitelawe, Est Lawes, Weast Lawes, Swyneton, Whitesome, East Nesbett castle and Goddis Malyson.  That done, his lordship rejoined the army, being camped at Ladie Kirke alias Setlingtowne, and on Wednesday, 23 Sept., after making 13 knights in token of his triumph, departed to Norram.

Elder’s report seems to be broadly in geographic order, allowing us to plot the movements of the army that fateful day on a slightly later map of the area.

Finally, we are able to corroborate the entries in the State Papers via a contemporary account of the campaign said to be by York Herald, who accompanied the English Army.  This account was discovered in the library of Trinity College, Dublin.  The relevant part of York’s account reads: and a Monday [21 September 1545] Downes [Duns] towre and towne owaretrown and birnd, and all the pares which is L. [50] towns and willaiges by longeyng to the said Downs; and the nexht day to West Nysbed, which was birnd, and owaier trown the castell, and many mor, as hit shall apier in a notheir place of theis bowke, the names of all the townes, and thowres, and abbeys, and fryers, and nonerys, and a charter howse ; and theis down wy campe theis tywseday att or Lady church [Ladykirk] within Scotteland …

A lease found in the papers of Sir David Home of Wedderburn, Knight, 1547 – 1574, suggests that Whitsome was restored and productive by at least 1 August 1552, seven years after the burning. The Church let the teinds (tithes) and its lands to David Hume of Wedderburn in return for £100 Scots per year (about £4,000 today). The rent guaranteed the Church an income while leaving the risk with Hume and may therefore have been discounted. As his men were already ‘on the ground’ collecting other rents, Hume could recoup the teinds more efficiently. The lease provides for further war – “heriit” means ravaged, despoiled, or devastated.

Tack by William, Bishop of Dumblane, as factor for William Cheisholme, parson of Quhitsum within the diocese of St. Andrews, to David Hume of Wedderburn, of the parsonage and vicarage teinds of Quhitsum, with the glebe, kirklands and pertinents thereof for five years after the feast of Ad Vincula St. Peter 1552* for payment of the yearly rent of £100 Scots. It is provided that should there be plain and open war between Scotland and England whereby the parish of Quhitsum is “heriit” so that the tacksman is unable to get his rents the duty to be paid shall in that case be modified at the sight of the Official of Lothian, the Dean of Restalrig, the Lairds of Touch and Donypace and Mr. David Boithuile, or the most part of them Andrew Johnstoun of Elphinstoun and George Touris of Innerleith are cautioners for David Hume and all are enacted in the books of the Official of Lothian to fulfil this contract under the pain of cursing Dated at Edinburgh . . . 1552,

Signed. WILLIAM, BISCHOP of DUNBLANE.

* If you’ve read this far, you may be interested to note that this lease commences at the feast of St Peter in Chains (St Peter ad Vincula).  The Earl of Hertford, later Duke of Somerset, who burned Whitsome in 1545, didn’t survive for long.  In early 1552, he was executed for treason…and is interred at the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London.