In a dip in the course of Hadrian’s Wall between Housesteads
to the west and Sewingshields Crags to the east lies a tract of land known as
‘Busy Gap’. It may well refer in the present-day sense to the many thousands of
walkers who pass this way every year. But, in fact, the term has a much more
sinister connotation: for it was the common descriptive name for a thoroughfare
of those of ill-repute – and a place to be very much avoided by those of a more
peaceable nature.
Geographically, of course, the little col, or pass, provided
an easy means of passage through an otherwise awkward zone. For centuries after
the Romans left, the line of their wall provided nuisance value to the general
traveller, and, in time, ways, paths and drove roads wore their way through the
easy bits in the landscape. And, by the medieval era, the patch of low-lying
ground to the east of Broomlee Lough became rather well-trod.
Such spots attracted all sorts of attention, though, both
good and bad. And so it was that during the days of the Border Reivers (16th
& 17th centuries), this route through the wall became a way by
which ne’er-do-wells and the like could easily come and go on their evil ways.
Such was the severity of the problem that a new catchphrase came into use
across the region: the ‘Busy Gap Rogues’. Even as far as Newcastle – and well
into the 18th century – the expression was a by-word for anyone who
was suspected of being up to no good, and a downright term of abuse for those
who lived out in the sticks. Even the famous traveller, William Camden, writing
in his Britannia (1599), dared not
visit the troublesome place on account of the “rank robbers” thereabouts.
From the mid-17th century an extended family of
Armstrongs is known to have lived at what remained of Housesteads fort and the
immediate vicinity. The area around the ‘gap’ became the headquarters
for protection rackets and unruly horse thieves whose grasping fingers extended
as far north as Perth and south into Yorkshire. There are remains in the
landscape of Busy Gap today of old stock enclosures and the like, no doubt used
by the Armstrongs during the course of their nefarious dealings.
Around the turn of the 18th century things began
to change, and the area around Busy Gap – Roman remains and all – sank softly
back into tranquillity. Eventually, of course, society came to appreciate the
area for what it once was under the Romans and preservation, tourism and
leisure became the order of the day. Gone are the rogues … and here instead roam the ramblers.
18th century is definitely the era for change. A lot changed in those times.
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Absolutely fascinating read about the historical significance of the Busy Gap Rogues at NY799697! While delving into Northeast history, I couldn't help but draw parallels to the seamless travel experiences we enjoy today. Speaking of which, if you ever find yourself at Heathrow, make sure to check out the unparalleled convenience of Heathrow Meet And Greet Parking by Express Parking. It's a modern-day luxury that beautifully contrasts with the tales of the Busy Gap Rogues. Travel has come a long way, and the meet and greet service at Heathrow T3 is a testament to the evolution of convenience in our journeys!
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