Langholm’s historic Common Riding made a memorable come back on Friday with thousands of people turning out in support.
First held in 1759, it is the highlight of the Muckle Toon’s annual calendar, maintaining the traditions of boundary checking and crying the fair.
It couldn’t go ahead with the usual crowds during the past two years because of Covid-19 but Langholm made up for it on Friday with the dawn to dusk Common Riding celebrations hailed a huge success.
Roger Maxwell, chairman of the Common Riding committee, said: “We’re certainly proud of our heritage in Langholm and we’re also keen to keep that going well into the future.”
The highlights were Langholm Cornet Ruairi Callum Hotson taking a gallop up the steep Kirk Wynd accompanied by his right-hand man Henry Jeffrey and left-hand man Iain Little, and the crossing of the water to the Castleholm.
Ruairi follows in the footsteps of his father Kevan who was cornet in 1990. Rae Elliot, the Langholm Fair Cryer, is the fourth generation of his family to perform the role on horseback, which set the scene for the day’s events with 139 riders and horses inspecting the common land boundaries.
It was also a welcome return of the children’s heather besom parade and procession of emblems – barley bannock, salted herring fastened by a large twal-penny nail to a wooden platter, giant thistle and a crown.
Langholm Flute Band and Langholm Town Band also played a major part in keeping the vast crowds entertained.
The early morning hound trail was also hailed a success, although one family had an anxious time when their hound, called Dozer, went missing. An appeal was launched on social media and after plenty of reported sightings he was soon back home with Duncan, Amy, Oliver, Liam and Eleanor on Saturday afternoon.
The streets once again filled in the evening with people gathering for the closing ceremony.
