Mr. G. Tumbull on Edin's Hall. 15 



dern construction, do not seem to have been coaeval with the 

 works themselves, but were probably formed when these works 

 had become no longer requisite as means of defence. 



IVell. — There is no spring within the fort. As it is not likely, 

 however, that the inhabitants would choose to rely at all times 

 on obtaining water from without, it is probable that this neces- 

 sary article was procured by means of a pit -well ; but of such a 

 well no marks can be found. It must long ago have been filled 

 up or covered over. 



Neighbouring camp. — It may be mentioned that the summit 

 of the hill on which Edin's Hall stands is surrounded by 

 trenches. These, like the trenches at the Hall, are adapted to 

 the nature of the ground ; that is to say, where it is steepest 

 there is one ditch only, but where it is easier of access there are 

 two and three. They must either have originally been shallow, 

 or are now in a great measure filled up. In this respect the 

 camp on Cockburn Law is unlike what are understood to be 

 Danish camps in the same district, these having their trenches 

 much deeper, and being altogether in better preservation. This 

 circumstance may perhaps lead to the inference, that this camp 

 is not of Danish but of Saxon origin. In the middle of the 

 entrenched ground a shaft has been sunk, which is lined at the 

 mouth, if not deeper, with building of uncemented stone, formed 

 not into a circle but an oblong. It was no doubt a well, but is 

 now nearly filled with stones. 



Similar buildings. — Although no remains similar to those of 

 the Keep of Edin's Hall are to be found in England or in the 

 Lowlands of Scotland, there are numerous examples in the High- 

 lands, in Orkney and Zetland, in the Hebrides and in Ireland*. 

 In Scotland they are called Burghs by the Saxon inhabitants, 

 and Duns by the Celtic. There are distinctions, however, be- 

 tween these burghs or duns and Edin's Hall. In size they are 

 less, the openings within the walls are smaller, being in general 

 from two to three feet only in width instead of seven, and these 

 openings are of a different construction, being commonly conti- 

 nuous passages all round the building, and not separate cham- 

 bers. In the very remarkable ruin near Londonderry, called the 

 Grianan of Aileach (which was the residence of Irish kings till the 

 twelfth century), the galleries are two in number, entering from 

 the inner court, and occupying each nearly a quarter of the circlef. 



Origin of such buildings. — Such buildings must have been 



* See Gordon's Itinerariura Septentrionale, p. 1()6; Pennant's Tour; 

 Sir Walter Scott's Notes on the Castle of Coningsbui^h in Ivauhoe, and 

 on the Castle of Moussa in his Journal of a Voyage round Scotland, pre- 

 served in his Life by Lockhart. 



t Ordnance Survey of Londonderry. 



