194 FieLtp MEETINGS. 
not be hindered. For eight years the castle remained in posses- 
sion of the English, but in 1306 Bruce, after killing Comyn and 
taking the Castle of Dumfries, captured Tibbers, in which he im- 
prisoned Siward. The castle was held for a few weeks on behalf 
of Bruce by Sir John de Seton, but it was re-captured by the 
English, and Seton was sentenced to be drawn and_ hanged. 
According to the indictment he was “taken in Richard Siward’s 
castle of Tibbers, which he, John, was holding against the King, 
for Robert de Bruce, a traitor, and for aiding the said Robert in 
killing John Comyn in the Church of the Friars’ Minors of Dum- 
fries.’’ Such is the first chapter in the known history of the 
castle. About 1380 it was occupied by the Earl of March, and 
afterwards by the Maitlands of Lethington. In 1509 the barony 
of Tibbers was conveyed to the sixth baron of Drumlanrig, but 
the castle mote had been reserved by the Earl of March. In 
1544, James, seventh baron of Drumlanrig, acquired the castle, 
mote of Tibbers, and two acres of land belonging thereto from 
John Maitland of Auchengassel. 
Except for a space in the centre, the site of the castle is now 
overgrown by trees. In the open space there is a well in a good 
state of preservation, judged to be nearly fifty feet in depth. 
The remaining foundations of the castle show that it has been of 
considerable extent, embracing a central court and surrounding 
buildings, and having round towers at three of the angles, and a 
similar tower on either side of the entrance. 
Those of the party interested in botany found a variety of 
flowers at Tibbers. There is any quantity of the common blue- 
bell, as well as wood loosestrife, wild parsley, and the early 
purple orchis. Less common flowers are the burnet saxifrage and 
the wood cranesbill, but the latter was found in rather unusual 
quantity. 
The party afterwards drove to the gardens at Drumlanrig, 
which are situated on lower ground than the castle and nearer 
the Nith, and were there shown round by Mr George Angus. 
The walled-in garden extends to about four acres, and in it and 
the grounds and flower-beds at the castle forty men are employed. 
The whole length of one end of the enclosure is occupied by 
glass houses for the cultivation of fruit. One-half of these are 
devoted to peaches, the greater part of the other half to plums, 
and the rest to pears and figs. At the opposite end of the garden 
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