LocKERBIE IN ITS ORIGIN. 159 
Edward First. The first peel on record is that of Lochmaben ; 
the next is at Dumfries.”’ 
Regarding Lochmaben he states:—“ Edward retiring from 
Scotland after the battle of Falkirk in 1298 had taken possession 
pF the Castle of the Bruces at Lochmaben, referred to as 
eastrum ’ and as a ‘chastel.’ That winter a considerable addi- 
tion was made to its defensive strength, as appears from payments 
made to English labourers, sawyers, and carpenters (ad faciendum 
pelum ibidem) for making a peel there. The entry as regards 
the sawyers is (ad sarranda ligna pro constructione peli) for 
sawing wood for the making of the peel. This leaves little 
doubt that the peel was essentially a wooden structure. Its 
character is further illustrated by an order issued in November, 
1299, to provide for the sure keeping of the close outside the 
castle, strengthened by a palisade—custodis clausi extra castrum 
de Loghmaban palitio firmati. This passage points with great 
clearness to the conclusion that the peel was this palisaded or 
stockaded close, forming an outer rampart extending the bounds 
and increasing the accommodation of the castle. In 1300 houses 
had been made in the ‘piel,’ and in 1301 the ‘pele’ was un- 
successfully assailed by the Scots. In the writs relative to Loch- 
maben Castle in subsequent years, very many of them conjoin 
the peel with the castle, the full name and style of which was 
casirum et pelum. In 1376 payments were made for planks and 
to carpenters at the new front called da Pele, and the entry dis- 
tinctly contrasts with that which follows for ‘stanworke’ of the 
castle itself. So late as 1397 English writs refer to the castle 
and peel. The nature of the peel of Lochmaben is thus tolerably 
definite.’’ 
“At Dumfries, as at Lochmaben, there was a castle before 
the peel was made by King Edward in the autumn of 1300. In 
September Friar Robert of Ulm, and with him Adam of Glasham, 
and many other carpenters, were busy making the peel which 
was to be set up round about the Castle of Dumfries. The castle 
appears to have had thrown round it, some little distance out from 
the walls, a strong palisade or stockade, beyond which again a 
large fosse was dug. This palisaded and moated enclosure con- 
stituted the peel.”’ 
We therefore see that the word ‘peel’’ was not used 
originally to signify a tower, but, as Dr Neilson maintains, was the 
