Why Scottish Borderers Lived in Expendable Shacks

In the turbulent world of the Scottish Borders from the 14th to the early 17th century, survival required more than just courage or cunning—it demanded flexibility, mobility, and a very loose attachment to one’s home. This is why many Borderers, instead of investing in permanent dwellings, lived in shacks so expendable they could be rebuilt in a matter of hours. To modern eyes, this might seem like poverty or backwardness, but it was actually a rational adaptation to a life of near-constant danger and war.