Greetings Bretheren,
I live in Hartlepool,County Durham,England,with family in Carlisle which is just to the south of Liddesdale in Scotland.
I visit the area very often in search of our family heritage.The peculiar thing is that we are not known there by any of the present incumbents(mainly the Elliots and the Armstrongs)nor do we feature in any of the cemetaries of Newcasleton or Cannonbie which are the two small towns of that valley.Local historians have been unhelpful also.so you can imagine the sense of disappointment felt when you arrive,thinking that you are treading the ground of our ancestors!
However,It is well known colloquially that our family have been active in the area for centuries,and formed one of the infamous Clans of Reivers who terrorised the Border Country of Scotland and England and which was known as 'The Debatable Lands'.This to the extent that my daughter,who travelled by train to work in Newcastle each day struck up a platonic relationship with a fellow traveller and who turned out to be an amatuer poet.On learning of her name,wrote a charming poem which later I found to be historically correct in it's references to our family.It went on to win an award in a national competition.
The main concentration of the Liddell family(and all the derivative spellings of the name) are on the East coast of Northumberland and Durham,with a large contingent further North in Scoland.
Liddesdale is on the West coast,but only 90 miles away.
It seems likely that our family were displaced at some time by more powerful Clans,and we dispersed.
I have some archive material and of course the poem which I will post soon.
In the meanwhile Live in Love and Light .
Derek Liddell.
PS.It seems that a favourite given name for the males here is John Willam......Liddell.