Sir Walter Scott
Lochinvar
O, young Lochinvar is comeout of the west,
Through all the wide Border his steed was the best;
And save his good broad-sword he weapons had none,
He rods all unarmed, and he rode all alone.
So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war,
There never was knight like the young Lochinvar.

He stayed not for brake, and he stopped not for stone;
He swan the Eske river where ford there was none;
But, ere he alighted at Netherby gate,
The bride had consented, the gallant came late;
For a laggard in love, and a dastard in war,
Was to wed the fair Ellen of brave Lochinvar.

So boldly he entered the Netherby Hall,
Among bride's-men, and kinsmen, and brothers and all:
The spoke the bride's father, his hand on his sword,
(For the poor craven bridegroom said never a word,)
'O come ye in peace here, or come ye in war,
Or to dance at our bridal, young Lord Lochinvar?'

'I long wooed your daughter, my suit you denied-
Love swells like the Solway, but ebbs like its tide-
And now I am come, with this lost love of mine,
To lead but one measure, drink one cup of wine.
There are maidens in Scotland more lovely by far,
That would gladly be bride to the young Lochinvar.'

The bride kissed the goblet; the knight took it up,
He quaffed off the wine, and he through down his cup.
She looked down to blush, and she looked up to sigh,
With a smile on he lips, and a tear in her eye.
He took her soft hand, ere her mother could bar-
'Now tread we a measure!' said young Lochinvar.

So stately his form, and so lovely her face,
That never a hall such a galliard did grace;
Whlie her mother did fret, and her father did fume,
And the bridegroom stood dangling his bonnet and plume;
And the bride-maidens whispered, "Twere better by far
To have matched our fair cousin with young Lochinvar."

One touch to her hand, and one word in her ear,
When they reached the hall-door and the charger stood near;
So light to the croupe the fair lady he swung,
So light to the saddle before her he sprung!
'She is won! we are gone, over bank, bush, and scaur;
They'll have fleet steeds that follow,' quoth young Lochinvar.

There want mounting 'mong Graemes of the Netherby clan;
Forsters, Fenwicks, and Musgraves, they rode and they ran:
There was racing, and chasing, on Cannobie Lee,
But the lost bride of Netherby ne'er did they see.
So darling in love, and so dauntless in war, have ye e'er heard of gallant like young Lochinvar.

Netherby

A mile up-river is Netherby, known to the Romans as ‘Castra Exploratorum’ – ‘The Fort of the Scouts’ an important Outpost Fort of Hadrian’s Wall.

The Reverend Dr.Robert Graham, and his 19th century successors, changed the Netherby Estates "from a sterile and unprofitable tract to a rich, fertile and beautiful demesne". Netherby Hall was transformed from a former Roman fortress and Pele Tower, into one of the most elegant country mansions to be found either side of the Border.

As Robert Anderson, the Cumbrian poet put it.....
"we've Netherby tu, the gran' preyde o'the Bworder"!

It was while a guest at Netherby in 1808 that Sir Walter Scott immortalised the place in his romatic poem "Young Lochinvar". It tells how the dashing young Scotsman eloped with Lady Ellen Graham on the very day of her wedding to his rival!

Although there may have been a small Roman port at Netherby, after many centuries of silting, today Netherby lies several miles from the sea.

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