A1-The Great North Road
Let us enter Scotland in 1901 with Harper:
"Seeing Scotland, Madam," said Dr. Johnson, "is only seeing a worse England, It is seeing the flower gradually fade away to the naked stalk." This bitter saying of the Doctor's comes vividly to mind when leaving Berwick on the way to Edinburgh. Passing the outskirts of the town at a point marked on the Ordnance map with the unexplained name of "Conundrum", the country grows bare and treeless on approaching the sea, and at Lamberton Toll, three miles north, where, "Berwick Bounds" are reached and Scotland entered, the scene is desolate in the extreme. The cottage to the left of the road at this point, formerly the toll-house of the turnpike-gate that stood here, is a famous place, rivaling Gretna Green for the runaway matches, legalised at the gate until 1856, when changes in the law rendered a part of the once-familiar notice in the window out-of-date. It ran, "Ginger-beer sold here, and marriages performed on the most reasonable terms"; an announcement which for combination of the trivial and the tremendous it would be difficult to beat.
The Scottish section of the A1 passes through the regions of Borders and Lothian. The border to Borders and Scotland is crossed as the road skirts the eastern flank of Halidan Hill, site of a battle in 1333, and passes to the east of the first Scottish village, Lamberton. At Burnmouth the road forked, the main route turning west for Ayton and the Eye Valley, while the north fork heads for Eyemouth and Coldingham and then by a route that takes the road, now the A1107, over the high ground of Coldingham Moor and Meikle Black Law, to rejoin the main road south of Cockburnspath. The A1 from Burnmouth now leaves Ayton to the south but the old road is preserved as a minor road leading through the centre of Ayton. The road has always left Reston aside but passes through Grantshouse. A little to the north of Grantshouse, a long distance footpath, the Southern Upland Way, crosses the A1 to wend its way through Lammermuir towards Lauder and Melrose.
"The village of Ayton is situated on the banks of the Eye, and is neatly built upon a sloping bank fronting the south. It contains nearly 600 inhabitants. On the hills are the remains of two camps, supposed to be Roman or Saxon. Urns and broken pieces of armour have been found here. In the low grounds on the N.W. are the vestiges of three encampments, similar to the former. Most of the names of places are derived from the Saxon. The great road from Edinburgh to London passes through the parish." from Gazetteer of Scotland published 1806, Edinburgh, thanks to GENUKI
The post road from Ayton to Cocksburnpath in the 18th century ran directly over Coldingham Moor. This is now a very minor road until it meets the A1109 a mile north-west of Press Castle but its demise can be deduced from this notice issued on 5 August 1816: "James Mitchell, having 4 years experience of the many Favors received from the Public at this place, begs leave to inform them that the NEW ROAD leading from Dunglas to Ayton is nearly complete and about to open soon: He has for their Accommodation taken that Elegant House of Renton, to be possessed by him as an Inn, upon the said New Road with Excellent Stabling and lockt up Coach House, all to be fitted up in the most elegant manner; with excellent Horses, good Post Chaises, and careful Drivers." The Mansion House at Renton was let out for about 16 years as an inn, forming a stage on the Great North Road after the section from Ayton Tower to Bridge superseded the old post road over Coldingham Moor. Thanks to Equofax and the good people of Grantshouse for this information.
Pease Sands is one of the few spots on the Great North Road that's any good for surfing.
Lincolnshire
©Biff Vernon 2002