gb0551ms-36-2-170

Transcription

[Page 170]
[Continued from page 168]

defective similarly made good. The upper portions
of the angle buttresses at the S. [South] end of the Black:
:adder aisle are in need of pointing. On the W. [West]
buttress is a shield bearing a chevron charged
with 3 cinquefoils. while on the E. [East] buttress the chevron
on the shield is charged with a single cinquefoil
The arms on a shield on S. [South] wall near the west
end are almost obliterated. On the dexter half
there appear to have been two, or three human heads.
Inside the church a large pointed arch (forms
the N. [North] extremity of the Blackadder aisle).
Preserved in the hearse house to the right of
the gateway into the churchyard is the broken
half of a hog-backed monument described
by Mr. Richardson. Before being rescued
it had been split longditudinally by a blow
from a cart wheel. Parting company
with the minister after an interesting morning I
made my way to Blanerne where Mrs.
Sandys Lumsdaine, a courteous old lady,
took me herself to the ruins of the castle,
my abstract confused the two buildings. The
guard-house has a fragment of a turret
on it and a shot hole on the left of the door
-way. It has been used as a dairy. The
keep is ruinous, was at one time used as
a brewhouse, & now presents no features
of interest. The walls are 4’.6” thick. Mrs.
Lumsdaine recited the following which I
have somewhere come across before.
“Bonkle, Billie and Blanerne
Three castles strong as airn
Built when Davie was a bairn
They’ll a’ gang doun wi’ Scotland’s croun
And ilka ane shall be a cairn.”
The Castle stood on the edge of a steep bank
above the Whitadder. This “sight” accomplished
I found myself 4 1/2 miles from Duns at 12.15
to which I hoped to return at 12.45! I had a
rapid, warm walk, too rapid for enjoyment,
& got back to mine inn by 1.20! At 1.49 I
left Duns & regretfully came back from the
hills & woods in their autumn glory bathed
in sunshine to the town.

2nd Nov. 1908
A wet misty day but as I am determined to finish
Berwickshire I have come down to Cockburnspath
by the afternoon train. The only other visitor in the
hotel is a Mr. Davidson a well-known land valuator
the remnant of a shooting party that left as I arrived.

3rd Nov. 1908
My fellow lodger having left early I breakfasted in peace.
The day was dull but dry and rather warm. I
walked off about 10.0 to Cockburnspath tower.
It consists of a ruined keep and the remains of
outbuildings to the East of it in the courtyard.

[Continued on page 172]