WHY DO PEOPLE RIDE THE MARCHES?

In days of old, it was vital for a community to make sure that it`s boundaries were
intact. Within a set area, the rules and privileges of a settlement held sway.
Within carefully delineated bounds a burgh could collect taxes and customs duties,
make its own by-laws, hold weekly markets, lease out mills and insist on
standards of behaviour and craft-control.

Like many other royal burghs in Scotland, Linlithgow jealously guarded the patch
which it governed and which gave it wealth and advantage. Unlike most other
Scottish communities, Linlithgow still annually patrols its boundaries or Marches.
On that duly appointed day, the whole community comes together to celebrate
and perpetuate those sentiments which bind a township together: camaraderie,
fellowship, esprit de corps, fraternity and a shared sense of history and local pride.

WHEN IS THE RIDING OF THE MARCHES

The Riding of the Marches of the Ancient and Royal Burgh of Linlithgow takes place
every year on the first Tuesday after the second Thursday in June. Why this
particular day should be fixed for the town`s official`s celebration is not certain
It may be connected to the date of certain Medieval religious festivals or fast
days and the Church traditionally did play an active part in the ceremonies of
marking and blessing the boundary stones. Indeed, the Book of Deuteronomy,
Chapter 19, verse 14, exhorts that `Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour`s
landmark which they of old time have set in thine inheritance.

WHAT IS THE CRYING OF THE MARCHES?

On the Friday before the Marches Day itself, the Town Crier, Davie Duncan,
parades the High Street from the Low Port to the West Port (the ancient
gateways into the burgh) and every so often stops to duly inform the
townsfolk that their presence is required the following Tuesday to
participate in the Riding of the Town`s Marches. In his mock-Mediaeval garb,
the herald also stresses the importance of the occasion by announcing that
everyone must attend in their best "carriage and equipage, apparel
and array" - under a non-attendance penalty of one hundred pounds Scots!

WHAT ARE THE DEACONS NIGHTS?

As Linlithgow developed into an important 16th century trading town, one of the
principal functions of the Marches Day was to make sure that everyone knew who
the important craft and guild officials were. Each of the local trades (shoemakers;
tanners; curriers, bakers, wrights, cloth dyers, blacksmiths etc) appointed a
deacon to represent the interests of their work force and to chair the meetings
where trade standards and craft regulations were laid down. On the two Saturdays
before the Marches Day, these important officials were paraded along the town so
that everyone knew who they were. Linlithgow`s continuation of this centuries old
tradition is now unique in Britain, although only one genuine trade deacon now
remains: the Deacon of the Dyers, the last remaining craft fraternity. The other
"deacons" are elected by participating town organisations such as the Round Table,
the Forty One Club, the Canal Society, Lithca Lore and the Fire Brigade.
Any organisation can take part just let the Clerk of the Deacons' Court know
and it will be included on one of the two Deacons Nights