213 



FIELD MEETINGS. 



4th June, 1910. 



COMLOXGON CASTLE AND RUTH WELL. 



{From the Dumfries and Galloway Standard, June Wth, 1910.) 



It was a happy idea which, on the e\"e of the celebration 

 of the centenary of .savings banks, took the members of the 

 Natural Histor\' and Antiquarian Society of Dumfries on pilgrim- 

 age to the perish of Ruthwell, to the cottage in which the first 

 savings bank was established, and to the various spots associated 

 with the history of its founder, the Re\-. Dr Henry Duncan ; 

 and they were fortunate in making the tour under the guidance 

 of Dr Duncan's two ecclesiastical successors, the Rev. J. L. 

 Dinwiddle, of the Parish Church, and the Rev. A. Angus, of 

 the United Free Church. The interest of the day was further 

 enhanced by a visit to Comlongon Castle. There they had the 

 opportunity of inspecting the ancient stronghold of the Murrays. 

 Viscounts Stormont, now the property of their descendant, the 

 Earl of Mansfield, and of viewing from its battlements the far- 

 extending landscape of Lower Annandale and the gleaming sands 

 of the Soiway. They were also shown over the beautiful policies 

 and gardens by Mrs Johnstone-Douglas and her daughter. Miss 

 Bryde ; and found much to admire in the splendid old trees, the 

 conservatory with its wealth of bloom, the clumps of delicate- 

 tinted azaleas, and the \ery interesting rock and water garden 

 which is still in process of evolution under skilful direction. 



The first point of call was Mount Kedar, where on the 

 border lin---. of the parishes of Mouswald and Ruthwell are clus- 

 tered the Free Church, the manse, and a building which 

 originally served the purpose of school and schoolmaster's 

 house, buc which since the establishment of a national system of 

 education has been turned to other use. These are the fruit of 

 the last great enterprise of Dr Duncan's life, the enduring 



