178 Fietp MEETINGS. 
Hempisfield, as it is sometimes styled in early documents, since 
the twelfth century ; but the tower now standing is of later date. 
The main building is a square keep, of three storeys, basement, 
and attic, built of whinstone, each storey consisting of a single 
large apartment, with some subsidiary accommodation; but its 
height is greatly increased by projecting turrets, which add to it 
also a very picturesque feature. These turrets are of red sand- 
stone ; and the south front of the tower, in which is the entrance, 
is enriched with door and window settings of freestone, elabo- 
rately carved. They are square in form, but at a little distance 
above each is a rough circular arch in the whinstone. This may 
either indicate that the richer work is a late insertion in an older 
building, or it may be that the arch was formed to protect the 
freestone lintel from the superincumbent weight, which, even as 
it is, has proved too heavy in one instance and has cracked the 
lintel. On the same front are two shields in freestone, marriage 
stones, commemorating Sir John Charteris and his wife, Agnes 
Maxwell, daughter of John, Lord Herries (first of the Maxwells 
to bear that title). The husband’s shield, with a plain saltire, 
bears the initials I. C. and the date 1600. On the other the three 
hedgehogs of Herries are carved on two quarters, and in the 
others a label of three points ; surmounted by the initials A. M. 
and the same date. A massive door from the tower, which is 
now in the Antiquarian Museum in Edinburgh, also bears the 
date 1600 and a representation of the incident of Samson rending 
the lion’s jaw. The following detailed description of the tower 
we take from Messrs Ross and M‘Gibbon’s valuable work on 
“The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland,’’ 
viz. :— 
“This striking tower is situated on level ground above the 
steep bank of a stream about four miles from Dumfries, and 
near the station of Amisfield. It is one of the most picturesque 
of the late tower-built houses in the country. In plan it is a 
simple parallelogram, 31 feet 6 inches by 29 feet. The ground 
floor contains the entrance door and a straight stair to the first 
floor. It has one vaulted apartment, forming the usual cellar 
or store, and a smaller cellar next the entrance door, which may 
have been a guard-room. The first floor comprises the hall, 21 
feet long by 15 feet wide, with large fireplace, almouries, etc., 
as usual. The recess adjoining the staircase seems to have been 
