Debatable Lands

This article is about the lands contested between England and Scotland in the 13th–17th centuries. For the novel by Candia McWilliam, see Debatable Land. For the 2000 album, see Kathryn Tickell.
Map showing the location and eventual division of the Debatable Lands

The Debatable Lands, also known as debatable ground, batable ground or threip lands,[1] lay between Scotland and England.[2] It was formerly in question as to which it belonged to when they were distinct kingdoms.[3] For most of its existence, the area was a lawless zone controlled by clans of "border reivers" which terrorized the surrounding areas. It became the last part of Britain to be brought under state control in the middle of the 16th century by James V of Scotland, and was eventually divided between Scotland and England.

  1. ^ Maxwell 1897, p. 161.
  2. ^ The County Histories of Scotland, Volume 5. Scotland: W. Blackwood and Sons. 1896. pp. 160–162. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  3. ^ Henton, Kirsten (5 May 2020). "The tiny 'country' between England and Scotland". BBC Travel. Retrieved 6 May 2020.