Ferniehirst, occupied in this century as a Youth Hostel, was built to hold the gate for Scotland and to serve as a base for military raids and cattle-lifting forays. It commands the road to Otterburn and Newcastle. It has being in the hands of the Kerr family for over 500 years, and perhaps 700 if we are to include more temporary structures which probably existed on or near the same site before Ferniehirst itself.