The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-09
GRETNA GREEN HAS
BECOME MODERN
Where Many EIoping Couples
Have Been Married
COACHES NOW OUT OF USE
Historic Resort of Fleeing Couples In
Love Can Now Be Reached BY
Rallway-History of a
Romantic Spot.
COACHES NOW OUT OF USE
From the Waghington Star.

Railway carries one comfortably; though
in case of pursuit by angry parents a
special train may be hired to whirl one
to the Green. Instead of the old inn at
Carlisle. where 1t was the custom for
runaway couples fearing capture to hire
for the day every available steed and
COACH the start is made from the COM
modious citadel railway station.
The train whirls northward, crossing the
Eden and Esk rivers and eventually PEN
etrating into Scotland by way of the
new bridge over the Lark. Out of the
carriage windows one may catch a glimpse
of the old Lark toll bridge by which the
border was crossed in prerailroading days,
writes a correspondent of the Washing
ton Star. Fancy depicts a coach with its
smoking horses standing at the toll gate,
while another vehicle comes down the hill
in chase of the clipping couple.
"Gr-retna Greenl" roared the porter at
the neat little station, with its beds of
Scottish bluebells. Over the station wall
L saw the Village--a single street, long
and clean, with whitewashed cottages,
and a church by no means in good re-
pair. The Green itself was an irregular
patch of grassy sod in front of the
church. Near by is the more modern set
tlement of Springtield-a sort of Newer
Gretna.
Beyond the village stretches the dreary
expanse of Solway moss; where so many
sanguinary fights took place in the days
of border warfare. Looking toward the
south one sees the mountains of Cumber-
land, blue against the fieecy sky.
First Place of Interest.
The old hall Is, of course, the first place
fo.nr rd xuhI trax in
Green. Here more than half the Gretna
weddings were solemnized, though the
direct line of 'lay parsons" has for some
time abandoned the place. This 1 discov-
cred in conversation with the proprietress
of the old hall.
Yes" she admitted, Lang claims to
be the heir of the old lay parsons now,
but he lives over In Springfield My late
husband married many people, however,
after the Langs left the old hall"
The general belief is that Gretna Green
marriages are things of the past. This Is
not SO. Hardly week goes by that one
or two weddings do not occur. | wilt
messed one nyself-the contracting par
ties being wealthy merchants daughter
of Carlisle and stalwart young tenant
of the estate of Eden Hall.
Lord Brougham's act of 1856 merely pro-
vdes that, for FORMS sake, one of the
contracting parties to a Scottish border
marriage shall have resided in Scotland
for the space of seven days. My young
Romeo from Eden Hall stayed at the inn
in Springfield for the requisite length of
time, when he was Joined by his lady
fair.
The lay parson went through the cere-
mony of matrlmony in the inn parlor. He
simply asked each party If he or she took
the other for husband or wife, and then
filled out the following certificate:
Kingdom of Scotland, county of Dunn
fries, parish of Gretna. These are to
certify that Ann Graham of the town of
Carlisle county of Cumberland, spinster,
and John Wilson of the parish of Ain
stable, same county, bachelor, being both
of full age and both now here present,
having declared to me that they are
single persons, have now been married
after the manner of the laws of Scot
land. As witness our hands at Gretna
Green, this day Of"
The parent of the really pretty little
bride arrived on the 1926 p. m. train
from Carlisle; but unfortunately for his
wishes the lay parson had made the
clipping couple one about noon. Eventual
ly the stern parent relented, and they
all went back to "Merrie Carlisle to-
gether.
Perhaps few words on Gretna Green
and its marriages may not be amiss.
When the Ubiquitous Fleet marriages were
finally suppressed In 1888 the idea Of
availing themselves of the Scottish mar
rage law began to suggest itself to those
whose road to welded bliss was blocked
by real or imaginary obstacles.
Was Ideal Place.
Gretna Green, right over the tiny Lark
river, which forms the dividing line be-
tween England and Scotland, was an ideal
place for runaway brides and BRIDE
grooms. From a wretched hamlet Gretna
soon blossomed out into fourishing
little town, This sprang up as II by
magic, and In or about 1740 an old school
masted named Coldthard abandoned birch
and hornbook to devote his life to mar
rying clippers. Old Coldthard's house stood
where the Gretna village school has since
been built. A man named Scott succeed
ed as high priest, and was accustomed
marrying people In the open air at the
Rigg, In Gretna parish.
Scott bequeathed his mantle to George
Gordon, retired soldier. who married his
patrons arrayed in the splendor of red
coat grenadier's helmet and long sword.
A portrait of this military LAY parson"
may be seen at the old hall. rudely done,
probably by some local genius.
Gordons dignity descended to his
nephew, Joseph Paisley. the most re-
nowned of all the lay parsons of Gretna
Paisley was called 1.-THE blacksmith" be-
cause of the celebrity with which he welded
together the links matrimonial. From
this nickname grew the tradition that the
chief marriage maker at Gretna was
smith. AS a matter of fact. Paisley, while
he had been at different times tobaccon-
list, fisherman and even smuggler, was
never a blacksmith. Paisley succeeded his
uncle In 1853 When officiating he wore
semi-clerical suit.
After Paisley's death In 1911 the lay
parsonship was divided between David
Lang, who had married Paisley's sister,
and Robert Elliott who was subsequently,
married to his granddaughter. Elliott and
Lang were partners. and the former,
man Of some culture wrote book about
Gretna Green, which Is now very much
priced volume He records that in the
twenty-nine years of his ministry" he
married S671 couples. In one year alone
ls25-he united 1893 couples His average
yearly crop Of clipping couples was $50.
Fees, he states, averaged fifteen guineas
(about SISTED but often far exceeded that
amount. For instance when. Lord Erskine
eloped to Gretna he paid as much as
eighty guineas (44o) Erskne was SO
fearful of being arrested by his creditors
that he donned female costume In which
| to cross the border and was actually
| married to his heiress wife In skirt and
| bonnet. II Will be seen from these figures