Sound Frontiers

On the occasion of his first public progress to London, James I. of England attended service in Berwick church (March 27, 1603) "to return thanks for his peaceful entry into his new dominions." Anxious to blot out all memory of the bitter past, he forbade the use of the word "Borders," hoping that the designation "Middle Shires" might take its place. Frontier fortresses were also to be dismantled and their garrisons reduced to nominal strength. In course of time this policy had the desired effect, though the expression "Borders" proved too convenient geographically to be dropped, the king's proposed amendment being in point of fact merely sentimental and, in the relative positions then and now of England and Scotland, meaningless. Some English strongholds, such as Alnwick, Chillingham, Ford and Naworth, have been modernized; others, like Norham, Wark and Warkworth, are picturesque ruins; but most of the Scottish fortresses have been demolished and their sites built over, or are now represented by grass-grown mounds.

Border ballads occupy a distinctive place in English literature. Many of them were rescued from oblivion by Sir Walter Scott, who ransacked the district for materials for his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, which appeared in 1802 and 1803. Border traditions and folklore, and the picturesque, pathetic and stirring incidents of which the country was so often the scene, appealed strongly to James Hogg ("the Ettrick Shepherd"), John Wilson ("Christopher North"), and John Mackay Wilson (1804 - 1835), whose Tales of the Borders, published in 1835, long enjoyed popular favour.

No such frontiers realistically exist as far as I, a Scot, am concerned - and, as I am based very near to the latter for the time being, I can confirm that no one around these parts appears to consider that it has any meaningful existence either.

Of course, should Brexit proceed and Scotland then holds a second referendum following which a majority of voters in Scotland opt for its independence from UK with a view to preserving that country's status as an EU member state, some kind of border will indeed suddenly appear, though quite what form it might take and what significance it might have would remain to be seen.

There may be psychological reasons why I may not tune into Sound Frontiers: In Tune at 5pm this afternoon. Live from Southbank Centre in London, Sean Rafferty launches the festivities as Radio 3 celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Third Programme. In Tune begins in party mode with the very best of live music and chat from special guests including BBC Young Musician 2016 Sheku Kanneh-Mason, the Basin Street Brawlers, plus one of the BBC's favourite performing groups, the BBC Concert Orchestra performing music by Elgar, Albeniz, Mozart, Wagner and Lehar.

Southbank Centre - BBC Radio 3's In Tune: Live

As for the frontiers between England and Scotland, Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland, well, they too could be psychological, frontiers of the mind?