162 LOCKERBIE IN ITS ORIGIN. 
stepping horses. The Scotch plough of the thirteenth century 
(and for three centuries afterwards) was a ponderous machine 
drawn by twelve oxen, whether all used at once or by two relays, 
so that for five ploughs they had sixty oxen.’’ 
The arable land of each would extend to some 26 acres, 
which were laid off in rigs. This was known as the runrig 
system. 
The village, no doubt, would possess a brew house, as also 
a mill, where each would, by the laws of the barony, be com- 
pelled to have his corn ground. 
A church it would also possess, or at least, there was one 
in the vicinity. In the year 1124 we know for certain that 
there existed in Annandale at least three churches—Hoddom, 
St Mungo, and Dryfesdale. The Church of Dryfesdale was 
dedicated to St. Cuthbert. |The Inquisitis of Earl David in 
1116 found that the lands of Dryfesdale belonged to the Epis- 
copate of Glasgow. The Church of Dryfesdale was confirmed 
to this see by successive bulls of Pope Alexander in 1170 and 
1178, Pope Lucias in 1181, and Pope Urban in 1186. ‘The last 
specifies that the chapel of Hutton belonged to the mother 
church of Dryfesdale. : 
There were also numerous chapels belonging to the Knights 
Templars in the district. One, for instance, stood near what is 
yet known as the Chapel Well at Beckton, within a mile from 
the peel. The font of this chapel was, after the suppression of 
the Order, used as part of the market cross of the town. 
Our forefathers in Lockerbie, therefore, even in these far-off 
days, were not without their spiritual advisers ; and, judging from 
the noble account their children gave of themselves in after 
years, the seed of the Gospel must not only have been well sown, 
but sown in rich and fertile soil. 
And now my task is finished. I have endeavoured, from 
what scraps of information I had at my disposal, to give a short 
account of the condition of things obtaining in our little town 
when the same was first honoured by Locard—no doubt with 
the advice of his fair lady—selecting it as the site of their future 
home. 
Border raids and forays, it must be remembered, were as 
yet unknown. — It was not until Edward had besieged Berwick, 
mercilessly butchered without respect of age or sex some seven- 
