OS1/29/17/2
| List of names as written | Various modes of spelling | Authorities for spelling | Situation | Description remarks |
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| HOUNAM | [Continued from page 1] a rolling plain:- The greatest elevation is Hownam Law near the N.En [North Eastern] extremity of Parish, of conical shape and having a gentle declivity North and West it is said to be 1464 feet above Seal level. There are other hills on the Sn [Southern] boundary which attain a height of 1300 feet. The lowest point in the Ph [Parish] is however 460 feet above sea level. Kale Water the largest stream - from Oxnam - traverses the Parish over a distance of 6 1/2 miles in a N.N.En [North North Eastern] direction and nearly on the line of its greatest length. Capehope Burn also a considerable stream takes its rise near the Sn [Southern] boundary and runs N.W. [North West] to Kale Water. This district is also well watered throughout by numerous rills and springs. No part of the district is traversed either by Turnpike Road or Railway - no particular branch of manufacture is carried on and no minerals are wrought. The only village or rather hamlet is Hownam situate towards the Nn [Northern] district - the houses in which are mostly two storeys high - in it are a Post Office and two public houses and in its Nn [Northern] vicinity are the Ph [Parish] Church and School. Population at the last census 252. The ancient Roman Way or Causeway commonly called Watling Street enters this Parish from Oxnam at Blackhall Hill a considerable height on the Southern Boundary - and pursuing a N Wn [North Western] direction - from thence it forms for the most part the Boundary common to Oxnam and Hownam. Vide Oxnam Name Book for farther particulars. In General Roy's Plan shewing the route of this ancient road, it has been there shewn to pass a large Roman work at Streethouse and which is called by him Agricola's Camp. In order to avoid any difficulty in recognising this encampment it may be here remarked that Genl [General] Roy has given a wrong name to the house in close proximity and which may be readily confirmed by a comparison of his Maps of existing features and a measurement to locality from Woden Law. The Camp as shewn p [per] Genl [General] Roy's Plan at Streethouse is therefore no other than that shewn on Ord: [Ordnance] Plan at Pennymuir in Oxnam - Streethouse being upwards of 92 chains S.E. [South East] therefrom and in this Ph [Parish]. Remains of a large Fort or Camp exist on the Summit of Hounam Law but whether British or Roman origin is doubtful - the latter however is that attributed by the best Authorities. Traces of semicircular entrenchments exist on Woden Law near the Sn [Southern] extremity of Ph [Parish] lying on the route of Watling Street - it may be inferred that this circumstance rather than the peculiar formation thereof has led to the general impression that these Works are of Roman origin. Though shewn by Genl [General] Roy on Plan of the route of Watling Street he does not characterize them as Roman, but in the body of his work he assumes them to be an advanced Roman Post of Agricola's army when established on the banks of the Esk. Vestiges of numerous other encampments are to be met with throughout this district, which from the peculiar rounded formation thereof etc have been hitherto characterized on Plans as British Forts - contemporary with Roman Camps. The great number of these objects and their situation on the Border does not however confirm this character but would rather lead to the conclusion that most of them were merely Shelters for securing cattle against the depredations of Border marauders. Two clusters of stones situate near the central district called respectively Eleven Shearers and Five Stanes are generally believed to be the remains of Druidical Circles. Remains of two Towers exist at Heatherlands and Chester House upon which both tradition and history are silent. The latter has been supplied to indicate the site of an ancient Roman fortification which originally must have given the name of Chesters to the property where the remains of this Tower now stand. All that now remains of the original structure is part of a vaulted roof. Carlisle April 1859. |
Continued entries/extra info
[Page] 2Parish of Hownam -- County of Roxburgh
Transcribers who have contributed to this page.
Moira L- Moderator, SuzyC1978
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