east-lothian-1924/05-197

Transcription

[Marginal note]
Long cists (? Early Xtions) found in the Burial Knowe, nietors of Salton, see Proc. Soc. Ant. Scot., vol. III. pp. 503-6.
See No. 143.

SALTOUN.] -- HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. -- [SPOTT.

164. Salton Hall.-Salton Hall stands one
mile north of Salton station, on the right bank
of the winding Birns Water, above its con-
fluence with the Tyne. It is a large and im-
posing mansion in the Tudor style of last
century, but there is an earlier nucleus over-
laid and obscured by the modern work, and this
goes back at least as far as the early 17th
century. This portion is the part on the west
which crests the steep bank. It is now
four storeys in height and has been refaced and
otherwise modernised, but the basement still
retains in parts its stone vaulted ceilings.

DOVECOT.-On the opposite bank of the
river there is a dovecot, which is apparently a
late 18th century structure but may not be
much older than the modern portion of the
house. Externally it is square, but it is circled
internally and the nests are of stone. It is
treated in a free rendering of the Classic style.

HISTORICAL NOTE.-Salton in the 12th cen-
tury formed part of the great possessions of
the De Morevilles, hereditary Constables
of Scotland. About 1295 it was held by
William of Abernethy,1 and in 1483 all the
lands of this family were erected, in favour of
William Lord Abernethy " in Rothemay "
(Banffshire) into the free barony of Salton.2
The laird of Salton in 1547 was pro-English
and was one of the Lothian lairds who had
placed his house in " our auld ynemeis hands,"
for which reason, and because no one would
undertake to hold the place against the English
invaders, the Privy Council ordered the de-
struction of it as it then stood.3 But in
February 1548 Salton was one of the strengths
occupied by the English.4 In 1643 the lands
and barony of Salton with tower, manor place,
etc. were sold to Sir Andrew Fletcher of Inver-
peffer,5 who, as a judge of Session, became
Lord Innerpeffer. In 1650 Sir Robert Fletcher
of " Innerpeffer " was served heir to his father
Sir Andrew Fletcher of " Innerpeffer " in the
lands and barony of Salton.6

1 Reg. de Dryburgh No. 304 ; 2 Reg. Mag.
Sig. ii., No. 1534 ; 3 Reg. P.C. i., p. 82 ;
4 Scot. Pap. i., No. 168 ; 5 R.M.S. s.a. No.
1388 ; 6 Inquisit. Spec. Hadd. No. 222.

xiv. N.E. 25 June 1920.

108

MISCELLANEOUS.

165. Saltoun Mill.-A quarter of a mile
north-east of Salton station is Saltoun Mill,
where pot barley was first prepared in Scotland.
The mill is still in use. It is an oblong three
storeyed structure of the late 17th century,
built of rubble which was harled, as the
backset margins of the voids testify. The
wheel is of timber and is overshot. At the
south-west angle of the building there is a
plain two-faced " tablet " sundial of about the
same period.

xiv. N.E. 25 June 1920.

SPOTT.

DEFENSIVE CONSTRUCTIONS.

166. Fort, Doon Hill.-On the shoulder of
the hill about 110 yards west of, and some 15
feet lower than, the summit of Doon Hill,
which rises 582 feet above sea-level are
the badly mutilated remains of a fort, oval in
outline, of which the longer axis runs east-
north-east and west-south-west, and which
measures internally some 392 feet in length by
222 feet in breadth. On the northern
flank the slope of the hill is steep from the
inner rampart, but on the opposite flank the
ground slopes gradually for some 50 yards and
then falls away in a stiff brae. Through
cultivation a large portion of the defences
has been obliterated. The inner rampart, now
distributed over a width of 32 feet and reduced
to a height of barely 2 feet at the east-north-
eastern end, the best preserved part, is almost
obliterated on the flanks. An outer rampart of
about the same dimensions can be traced only
round the east-north-eastern end and for some
distance along the southern side. The distance
between the ramparts at this end is 34 feet but
widens on the southern flank. This outer
defence takes the form of a scarp at the
west-south-western end, 124 feet distant from
the inner rampart and 15 feet lower. The
entrance has been at the north-west and is now
30 feet wide.

xii. N.W. 25 June 1913.

167. Hill Fort, The Chesters.-This fort,
known as " The Chesters," is situated at an

  Transcribers who have contributed to this page.

Douglas Montgomery, Bizzy- Moderator

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