Field Ma'llnij-<. 4 I 



so obscured by an ash sapling that it is impossible to get a 

 good view of it. The arms are (1) Maxwell of Hills ; (2) Sir 

 John Maxwell (Lord Herries) ; and (3) Edward and Agnes 

 Maxwell. Entering the building we find ourselves in a small 

 hall, flanked on one side by the door leading to the dungeon 

 or ground floor, and on the other by a circular staircase, 

 3ft. 6in. wide, by which we reach the second floor, in 

 which the joisting, &c., is still nearly p'^vfect, but of the 

 next floor only a few timbers remain. The storey consists 

 of two rooms, and what has apparently served the purpose of 

 our modern w.c, the larger rooms being well lighted with 

 lai'ge ingoing windows, while the stone jambs, which are 

 handsome in character, still remai'a. They are, however, 

 comparatively modern. The next floor it is impossible to 

 examine, so passing upwards the battlements are reached. 

 These are 2ft. Gin. wide, and rest wholly on the wall, the 

 parapet only being corbelled out, and are well secured from 

 any accumulation of surface water by openings to large gar- 

 goyles of cannon shape, which, projecting from the walls, add 

 much to its picturesque appearance. We may mention that 

 the parapet is above the average height, the embrasures being 

 three and the merlons four feet. A new roof has just been 

 added by the proprietor, Mr M'Culloch of Ardwall, and much 

 praise is due to him for his zealous care of the ruins, exem- 

 plified in this and in many other instances. 



As we have indicated, the history of the Hills is ex- 

 tremely scanty. It is noteworthy, however, that Edward I. 

 spent a night at the Castle or in its immediate neighbour- 

 hood, the note of his expenses connected therewith being in 

 the Wardrobe Accounts. At that timo, and until the fall of 

 their House, the Tower was one of the numerous possessions 

 of Lhe Douglas family. It then passed into the hands of the 

 Maxwell family, one of whom, Herbert, said to be an illegiti- 

 mate son of John, third Lord, founded the now extinct house 

 of Maxwell of Hills. 



After the old Tower had thus been minutely inspected, 

 the party next proceeded to Lochrutton, where one portion 



