222 Field Meetings. 



towers which were in former days in the hands of various members 

 of the family of that name. In and around it would live bold 

 lads and fair ladies of the kind whose manner of living and of 

 thinking has been preserved to us in the vigorous old Annandale 

 ballads. On its table the lady of the house would at times serve 

 up a dish containing only a pair of spurs, a significant hint to the 

 male members of the family that the larder was empty, and that 

 it was time that another visit was paid to those rich cattle-lands 

 of the English, whose homesteads could be seen from the top of 

 the tower. The chief incident in the history of the tower is a 

 siege which it underwent in 1626, and of which an account is 

 given in " The Book of Irvings," by Colonel Irving of Bonshaw. 

 Three years previously, the house and lands had in some way 

 come into the possession of one Fergus Grahame. But Christo- 

 pher Irving, son of the former owner of the place, thinking no 

 doubt that he had a superior claim to it, and believing, in the 

 manner of the times, in the justice of the rule that might is right, 

 wrested the tower from his hands, carr\ ing out the work " airlie 

 in the moirning, afoir the break of day," as, with an unexpected 

 lilt, it is put by an old legal document relating to the event. 

 Grahame naturally resented this, with the result that Sir John 

 Charteris of Amisfield, one of the Commissioners of the Middle 

 Shires, was instructed by the Privy Council to proceed against 

 the tower and get it out of the keeping of Irving. Sir John at 

 once attempted to do this, but without success. " Sir William 

 Grier of Lag and James Maxwell of Kirkconnel " were then 

 directed to assist Charteris ; but Christopher Irving kept within 

 the stout walls of his tower, and was able to resist all three. 

 Finally, " Robert, Earl of Nithsdaill ; Robert, Earl of Roxburgh ; 

 Walter, Earl of Buccleuch," and all the other powerful commis- 

 sioners, acting on instructions received from headquarters, massed 

 their forces, laid siege to the tower, and obliged Irving to capitu- 

 late. To this historic building, rich in associations with the old 

 Border days, the more modern mansion has been attached. 



In the course of the afternoon the Antiquarians were hospit- 

 ably entertained to tea by Major and Mrs Critchley, and what 

 time remained was spent in examining the numerous objects of 

 artistic and antiquarian interest which the house contains. 



Before leaving, Mr J. W. Payne, solicitor, Annan, proposed 

 a vote of thanks to Major and Mrs Critchley for the hospitality 



