Langholm's proud traditions and the generosity and warmth of its inhabitants are bound up with its history and its geography. From the middle ages until the reign of James I, the Borders were like Afghanistan, a wild and dangerous place where the state's authority was rarely imposed. Warlords and their clans were beyond the law, Cattle rustling, pillage, destruction and murder were the hallmark of the Border Reivers, the surrounding fells  and dales perfect for brigandage. 

The fells they terrorized are today areas of outstanding beauty. Their exploits find echoes in the customs of the Borders, the deep sense of community, identity and territory

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