"Rather than look at Scotland or England in isolation, A British Frontier? has eight comprehensive chapters that compare and contrast landed families on either side of this apparently transient frontier. Based upon extensive archival research, the main themes include the social structure of landed society in the Eastern Borders, lairds and their politics, the rise of the north Northumbrian gentry, the wealth of the lairds and gentlemen, education, literacy and culture, the effects of the Reformation, the nature of disorder, and cross-Border relations."--BOOK JACKET.