Transactioiix. 161 



the story of Battlefield and (xrichan's Mire gathered from the 

 folk-talk of last century by the writers of the Statistical Accounts 

 corroborates in the essentials the tale of contemporary history, 

 five hundred yeirs before. The l)attle of 1297 took place at 

 Battlefield ; the engagement ended in the massacre of fugitives 

 whose retreat was cut off in Grichan's Mire, and the event was 

 commemorated by the rude stone monument which stood so long 

 upon the moor. And the three stones of Dornock Churchyard 1 

 Do not the slain three hundred sleep below ? 



VIII. The first Burning (1298). 



Much damage was done to the district during the expedition, 

 but it does not appear that the town was made to suffer. Per- 

 haps the organised resistance of the inhabitants, although 

 insufficient to repel the invasion and resulting in the disaster of 

 Annan Moor, was yet enough to protect the town. Eight or nine 

 weeks later, however, in the beginning of Lent, 1298, Clifford 

 made a second raid, pillaged the town of Annan, and burnt it.* 

 There was, says the Guisborougli historian, " an immense 

 conflagration which burnt our church." Such then was Annan's 

 baptism of fire in the independence wars. 



Too soon the delusive aurora from Wallace's victories vanished. 



ThrougJi defections in his own ranks, he was defeated at Falkirk 



— never to lead the Scottish spears again. But Edward I. gained 



little by his victory, he was forced to .'retreat as soon as the battle 



was fought. In returning he pasised down Annandale, leaving a 



garrison in Lochmaben Castle, and marching through Annan on 



his way. An old poet historian describes! the road he took thus — 



To Bothvile, Glascowe, and to the towne of Are, 

 And so to Lanarke, Loughmalien, and Anand there. 



IX. The Beljry (1299). 



It was with great difficulty that the English managed to hold 

 Lochmaben during 1299. Constant attacks were made by a 

 Scottish force sallying from its headquarters in Carlaverock 

 Castle. It is evident from the facts at this time that Annan 

 castle — if there had been and was still a castle — could have been 

 a place of no strength. At this stage Robert the Bruce — 



* Hemiwihurijh, 146. 



iJohn Hardyng's Ohroniek (ed. 1812), p. 297. 



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