The Irving s of Hoddom. 201 



peacocks (some of them white), pigeons, and piebald sheep with 

 bells in front of the house. 



Major Campbell Bedford, a nephew of the late William 

 Sharpe, next occupied it until a few years ago, and was succeeded 

 by the present occupier, Mr David Bell-Irving, Master of the 

 Dumfriesshire Otter Hounds, a son of the present venerable Laird 

 of Whitehill, and a descendant of good Duke Richard. 



I enclose some sketches of a number of interesting inscribed 

 and sculptured stones in a little summer-house in Knockhill 

 grounds. Amongst them are two Koman inscriptions (Corpus 

 Inscr. Lat., Vol. VII.), fragments of cross shafts of pre-conquest 

 date much disfigured, and one or two mediaeval stones. On one 

 of the pre-conquest stones, a portion of a cross shaft, aie the 

 lower part of the two figures, the feet of each resting on two discs 

 not unlike roller skates. Mr Romilly Allen writes that " They 

 are a very interesting lot, and it is greatly to be regretted that 

 they have been so knocked about. The style of the sculpture is 

 Northumbrian, and apparently of the best period. The figures on 

 wheels must; I think, be intended for the cherubims described in 

 Ezekiel x. 8-22, who are the only creatures mentioned in the 

 Bible as having anticipated the modern invention of roller skates." 



There are also two stones, one inscribed " A Lor Burn " and 

 the other the names of certain " Baillies " connected with Dum- 

 fries, but which were described by Mr James Barbour in the 

 Society's transactions. Vol. XII., p. 99. It is rather a pity that 

 these two stones are not in Dumfries. It is to be hoped that 

 they will be well taken care of in the future. 



