Answer: Burnswark Hill
Dryfe Sands
A Novel of Scotland’s Bitterest Clan Feud
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In the novel Dryfe Sands, Robert Johnstone of Raecleuch sees a huge flat-topped hill in the distance as he rides to Dryfe Sands. This hill is called Burnswark and is a prominent geographic feature near Lockerbie.
Recent excavation has shed new light on the role of Burnswark in the Roman occupation of southern Scotland. It used to be thought that the Romans used Burnswark for artillery training. Now it is believed that Roman troops laid siege to and conquered the hillfort at the summit of Burnswark where the native British Selgovae or Novantae were established.
Burnswark is also the possible location of the Battle of Brunanburh fought 937 between Æthelstan, King of England and an alliance of Olaf Guthfrithson, King of Dublin; Constantine II, King of Scots, and Owain, King of Strathclyde. The Battle Brunanburh was one of the bloodiest battles in British history and largely defined the eventual borders of the countries that we know today as England, Scotland and Wales.
Besides being a strategic place, Burnswark was always a spiritual and mysterious place, a place where the barrier between our world and the supernatural world is thin and easily penetrated. It was said to be the residence of evil fairies who lured, captured and enslaved children and young men and women.
According to Robert Johnstone of Raecleuch’s mother, Raecleuch itself was inhabited by a different kind of fairy folk, the brownie.
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Tremontium Trust Burnswark Project
Scotland during the Roman Empire
Battle of Brunanburh - Historic U.K.
Fairy Superstitions of the West of Scotland
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