Whithaugh Tower House

The power of the Armstrongs became a perceived threat to the monarch of Scotland and King James V (who reigned from 1513 to 1542) tricked John Armstrong of Kilnockie into meeting him at Hawick - and promptly hanged him. A few years later, however, the Armstrongs refused to support King James V's invasion of England. It is possible that this made a difference at the Battle of Solway Moss in 1542, which cost King James his life.

The Union of the Crowns was the accession of James VI, King of Scots, to the throne of England in March 1603, thus uniting Scotland and England under one monarch bringing an official end to the cross-border conflicts, but old habits died hard. In 1610 the Armstrong laird was hanged for a reiving (cattle rustling) raid on Penrith.