dumfries-1920/04-109

Transcription

CANONBIE.] -- HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. -- [CLOSEBURN.

Another similar lumpish stone lies 130 feet
to the south-south-east of the first in a water-
holding hole which is partly filled in with
smaller stones. It lies over to the north at
an angle of 45 degrees, and its longer face is
7 feet 9 inches above ground, while it measures
4 feet 2 inches across and averages about
half this in thickness. The writer of the
Statistical Account, 1795 (vol. xvi. p. 85),
speaks of one stone near the south end of the
large cairns "standing perpendicular -- 7
feet above the moss," and states that he
found "five other stones, nearly of an equal
size with the former, all inclining to, or lying on
the ground, forming a circle, the diameter of
which is 45 yards." This is just about the
distance between the two stones already
described. The writer treats the group as
being in Roxburghshire.
The stones in all cases are of hard sandstone,
and, as the moor is entirely boggy with tussock
grass and has no scattered stones upon it,
these must have been brought from some
distance. For the same reason the cairns
have been subjected to much spoliation
probably on behalf of a dry-stone dyke less
than a mile away.
xlvi. -- S.W. and S.E. -- 4 June 1920.

MISCELLANEOUS.
48. Scots Dike. - See p. xix.
lix. -- N.W. and N.E. -- 5 June 1920.

SITES.

49. Cairn, "The Haunches." - On the S.W.
corner of "The Haunches" (1002 feet) a
rush-grown rise of green sward appears to
mark the site of a cairn, the remaining stones
of which have been gathered into a surveyors'
cairn, with the exception of a few still left
here and there round the base. It is roughly
23 feet in diameter.
xlvi. -- S.W. and N.E. (unnoted). -- 4 June 1920.

50. Mound and Ditch, Gilnockie Bridge. -
At the east end of Gilnockie Bridge is a high
mound running from the road in a northerly
direction. Midway there is an entrance, and
a fosse runs parallel to the whole front. The
inner scarp of the mound has been faced with
stones. The enclosure so cut off is a pro-

montory with precipitous sides to the river
and narrowing just in the line of mound and
ditch. the prolongation of these to the south
bank has been destroyed in making the road at
a lower level, but the construction clearly
suggests a promontory fort of familiar type.
The O.S. map indicates "Gilnockie Castle
(site)" E. of No. 50.
liii. -- S.E. ("Moat"). -- 27 March 1915.

The O.S. maps also indicate sites as under;-

51. Priory (Canonbie), Hallgreen. - Of the
Augustinian Priory of Canonbie ("Canons'
hamlet"), founded in the 12th century and
subsequently a cell of Jedburgh, no part now
remains. The site is 1/2 mile south-south-east
of the parish church. -- liii. -- S.E.
51a. Chapel, near Pingle Bridge. -- liii. -- S.W.
52. Morton Church, Tower of Sark. -- lix. -- N.W.
53. Tower, Tower of Sark. -- lix. -- N.W.
54. Mumbie Tower. -- liii. -- N.E.
55. Kinmont Tower. -- lix. -- N.E.
56. Harelaw Tower, Harelawgate. -- liv. -- N.W.
57. Tower, Outer Woodhead. -- liv. -- N.W.

CLOSEBURN.

ECCLESIASTICAL STRUCTURE.
58. Old Church. - The old church, according
to the Statistical Account, was rebuilt in 1740
with a north transept: of this building little
more than the east gable remains, its place
having been taken by a new church built on
the south side of the old churchyard in the
19th century. The remaining east gable of
the old church is 30 feet wide and the wall is
3 feet thick. It contains a doorway 4 feet
wide, and has a semicircular arched head,
with moulded archivolt, keystone, and imposts.
In the upper part of the wall is a circular
window, as at Morton and Dalton, and on the
top is a belfry. The remains of the north and
south walls are 2 feet 6 inches thick.
BELL. - The bell still remains in the belfry,
and is inscribed:-
+ TREGINTA + DE + AGVST + APVD · POTERRAW
+ ANNO + DOMINI + 1606
On waist a crown, with hammer below, and
letter G on one side, H on the other.
Diameter 15 1/2 inches.

-- 30

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