on the way home from Scotland, we stopped for lunch break at the infamous The Old Blacksmith Shop at Gretna Green; a small town at english/scottish border. what is so famous about this place? kampong kecik ni ala2 Sg Golok or Tak Bai or Padang Besar at the Thai/Msian border yang terkenal dengan kawin lari, omputih cakap runaway wedding.
the history behind it started in the early 1700s whereby England was facing serious social problems caused by irregular marriages taking place. 1754 Act of Parliament was introduced to restrict number of places where marriages can take place and also either bride or groom had to be 21 to be legally wed unless being consented by the parents. this Act was only applicable to England. In Scotland, the legal age was 16 or over, with or without parents consent, and marriages can be done without prior notice without need of clergyman. Gretna Green is the first place to reach after Carlisle (the english border town), so it became the centre for runaway weddings. the marriage is being carried out by the blacksmith as the most respected tradesman in the community. for more info, have a read at this link
i've heard a lot about GG but never got round to stop at the lovely place which has become a tourist attraction. and thanks daddy for buying me a nice big tartan wool shawl from the tartan shop; just perfect for the chilly nites.
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