Old Hall of Ecclefechan. 19 



acquired Springkell. William Irving left a son named Herbert, 

 who died in 1709, aged 60 years. Herbert and Janet his wife 

 left a daughter, Sarah. Sarah married William Knox. They had 

 an only daughter, Janet Knox, who married in 1754, according to 

 the session records, George Arnott. George Arnott and Janet 

 Knox were the parents of Dr Archibald Arnott, who died in 1855 

 and is interred in Ecclefechan Churchyard. Now, if we turn to 

 the initials upon the window sills what do we find ? 1724 we find 

 the initials of Janet Irving, William Knox, and Sarah Irving ; 

 1735, William Knox and Sarah [rving ; 1738, William Knox and 

 Sarah Irving. The above is, I think, a fair interpretation of the 

 inscriptions upon the old house, and is supported by the inscriptions 

 upon the tombstones in Kirkconnell and Ecclefechan churchyards. 

 The property still remains in the possession of the Arnott family. 

 It is said that the first Arnott came to Ecclefechan from Fife to 

 manage some linen works — a flourishing industry early last 

 century. It is recorded that when he married Miss Knox it was 

 before a Magistrate, and that they were summoned before the 

 Kirk-Session and censured for irregularity and fined ten shillings 

 and sixpence. It was apparently not convenient for the young 

 couple to pay cash, so the bridegroom granted a bill. Unfortu- 

 nately there is no mark or date on the Tower to shew when it was 

 built, but it is of precisely the same type as the other Border 

 Towers in the district. I have said that Kirkconnell was held by 

 an Irving, and in those days it was customary, and to some extent 

 still is, to name the Lairds by their lands, and vice versa. Now 

 what would be more common than to say it was Kirkconnell's 

 Land or Bonshaw's Land ? 



In the same old valuation we have the Hoddom estate 

 described as " pertaining to Southesque," just the same as the 

 '' Ten merkland pertaining to Kirkconnell." Kirkconnell was the 

 familiar title of the Laird of that Ilk. All this, I think, justifies 

 me in saying that the proper name for this old Border Tower is 

 the Hall of Ecclefechan. The name Kirkconnell Hall applied to 

 the present residence is quite a modern name — no doubt adopted 

 by Dr Arnott from the early associations of his mother as a 

 descendant of Irving of Kirkconnell. 



Mr William Johnstone, formerly schoolmaster of Hoddom, in 

 his " Bard and Belted Knight," says its ancient name was Tyre- 



