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Carter Bar is a
pass in the
Cheviot Hills, on the
Anglo-Scottish border. It lies east of Carter Fell at the head of
Redesdale, and is crossed by the
A68 road as it runs north towards
Teviotdale.
The name "Carter Bar" is relatively modern, and refers to a
toll-gate
A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road (almost always a controlled-access highway in the present day) for which a fee (or ''toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented ...
that once stood here. Historically, Carter Bar was known as the Redeswire, from the Scots word ''swire'' meaning "col" or "pass". The
Redeswire Fray, fought here in 1575, was the last significant battle between England and Scotland.
History
Carter Bar was the location of the "truce days", at which the
wardens
A warden is a custodian, defender, or guardian. Warden is often used in the sense of a watchman or guardian, as in a prison warden. It can also refer to a chief or head official, as in the Warden of the Mint.
''Warden'' is etymologically ident ...
of the English and Scottish marches would meet to dispense cross-border justice. Truce days were also held at
Carlisle
Carlisle ( , ; from xcb, Caer Luel) is a city that lies within the Northern England, Northern English county of Cumbria, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, Scottish border at the confluence of the rivers River Eden, Cumbria, Eden, River C ...
and
Berwick-upon-Tweed.
In 1575, Carter Bar was the scene of the Raid of the Redeswire, one of the last large-scale battles between the English and the Scots.
In the 19th century a toll road was constructed from Carter Bar to the market town of
Hawick, necessitating the building of the
Bonchester Bridge over
Rule Water.
Tourism
Carter Bar forms a popular point for tourists to stop and take photographs on the Anglo-Scottish border. There are two marker stones on either side of the A68 for this purpose, the original stone created by local Borders stonemason, Eddie Laub.
Upper Redesdale, the
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders ( sco, the Mairches, 'the Marches'; gd, Crìochan na h-Alba) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Midlothian, South Lanarkshire, West Lothi ...
(including
Tweeddale), and the Cheviot Hills are all visible from Carter Bar. However, its altitude means snow is possible even in late spring and early autumn, and the Carter Bar pass can be subject to frequent snow-related closures during the winter.
See also
*
List of places in the Scottish Borders
*
List of places in Northumberland
External links
RCAHMS: Martinlee SikeScottish Borders Council, windfarm proposal
References
{{Reflist
Anglo-Scottish border
Mountain passes of England
Mountain passes of Scotland
Cheviot Hills
Rochester, Northumberland