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Transcription

[Page 174]
[Continued from page 172]

the trees in their autumn foliage were magnificent brought
me to St. Helen’s on the Sea. It’s description

St. Helen’s kirk
may be taken from Notebook p. [page] 21. I would add that
a single stone, at the E. [East] end of the nave on
the N. [North] side about 5 ft. [feet] from the ground still bears
traces of the sunk cross and diamond enrichment
similar to that in Legerwood Church. I observed on
the interior of the W. [West] gable three stones each about
10 ins. sq. [inches square] decorated with a combined double
chevron [Sketch inserted here]. Lying to the S. [South] of the chancel
at the E. [East] end of a group of table stones is a
portion of a hog-back or coped stone. It lies
N. & S. [North & South]. On the West side about 5 inches below the
flat top which is 6 ins. [inches] across occur three parallel
rows of scale enrichment. On the E. [East] side how:
:ever there appears towards the broken end of the
stone the figure of a four legged
animal (passant). The stone is much worn. The
angles terminate with slight buttress-like projections
The fragment is 2 ft [feet] long. and 1’.4” across the
base at ground level & 6 ins [inches] across the flat top. It is slightly less deep at
the end than at the point of fracture but it
is doubtful if it was exactly hog-backed.
At point of fracture it is 10 inches deep.
12 ft. [feet] S.S.W. [South South West] of the S. [South] buttress of the W. [West] gable lying
E. and W. [East and West] and almost overgrown with turf
is a coped stone of white free-stone. It appears to
be about 4’.8” in length. On the South side

[Margin] see later

which I partially exposed with great difficulty
there is carved a bold figure of an animal
looking backwards with its tail curled up
over its back. In rear of it there appears to be
a horse. This stone must be dug up and
described. Time pressing I had reluctantly
to leave St. Helens and its old stones and
make for the adjacent fort described in the
Ber. Nat. Club. Pro. [Berwickshire Naturalists’ Club Proceedings] for 1885. as on Dean Castle.

Dean Castle Fort.
It was an ideal situation with almost precipitous
rocks on three sides but I failed entirely to see
the double ramparts and ditches on the N. [North] which
must now have entirely disappeared. A mound
along the So. [South] face might have been artificial
but even of that I was not sure. Feeling somewhat
tired with my impedimenta & a waterproof I betook
myself home to mine inn, but before turning
in I paid a visit to the old Manor house,
called locally “sparrow castle,” which exists to
the So. [South] of the village. It is in reality two old
houses one abutting partially on the end of the
other at right angles. The windows of the S. [South] house
are surrounded with a half round & hollow moulding
but otherwise the buildings have no merit
beyond their Antiquity. The N. [North] house enters on
the first floor by an outside stair and in its
vaulted basement two straw beds afford free

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