Operations and Finds in Upper Nithsdale. 33 



following the circle of the stockade into the hard ground no 

 vestige of the wood remained. The area embraced in the 

 stockade would be about half an acre, and at one time when the 

 Nith ran at a higher level the stockade may have been partly 

 surrounded on the lower side with water. The stakes in appear- 

 ance and morticing were exactly similar to those in the stockade 

 around the lake dwelling in Sanquhar moor. 



Besides I'ecovering the minute book of the Sanquhar Lodge of 

 Freemasons, dating from 1738, and the second charter of the 

 lodge, dated 1778, I have lately got from Canada the minute 

 book of the incorporated trades of Sanquhar, beginning in 172G. 



In examining the progress of the titles of a house in Sanquhar 

 I found a charter in law Latin by John, Earl of Mortone, Lord 

 of Dalkeith, and of the Barony of Mortone, in favour of Robert 

 of Dawlzele and Florentine of Douglas, his spouse, of the lands 

 of Belliboucht in the Barony of Mortone and Sheriffdom of 

 Dumfries, dated at the Earl's Castle of Dalkeitht, 8th October, 

 1493. These lands afterwards passed into the hands of Douglas 

 of Coshogle, and from him to Douglas of Drumlanrig. They 

 form part of the farm of Burn in Morton parish, and embrace 

 the prominent hill on which you see at a great distance the 

 remains of the " Picts' or Deil's Dyke." This is a photograph of 

 tlie ciiarter by Mr Fingland, of Thornhill, -and I produce a 

 synopsis kindly obtained for me by Mr Alexander Anderson of 

 tlie Edinburgh University Library. 



These facts exhaust in some degree my knowledge of the 

 antiquities in Upper Nithsdale which have been dealt with or 

 found during the last few years, and I hope they have been of 

 some interest to you. It is gratifying that there exists an 

 increasing liking for preserving local antiquities, and the example 

 set will, I am sure, lead to still more being done in the future to 

 preserve not only the antiquities of the district but also the 

 history and the traditions of the past. The antiquities of Niths 

 dale are far from being exhausted, and a rich harvest is in store 

 for those who have time and inclination to investigate its lake 

 dwellings and stockades, territorial division dykes, drove roads, 

 moats, cairns, camps, and tumuli. 



Cordial thanks were voted to Mr Wilson on the motion of the 

 Rev. W. Andson, seconded by Mr James Barbour. 



