42 Transactions. 



time after the Roman legions loft. ]\li- Whitelaw then went on to 

 describe the baths, and in conclusion said they were a splendid 

 memorial left by these old Romans, not only of the comfort, 

 luxury, and splendour which they brought with them into this 

 remote part of their dominions, but of that solid, all-enduring, 

 time-defying Avork Avhich they cMd, and which was emblematic of 

 the indomitable courage and perseverance which subdued the 

 whole of the then known world. 



II. The Old Church of Dinnfrks. By Mr James Barbour. 



St. IMichael's Church is still sometimes called "the Old Church," 

 but the title was first and properly applied to the building which 

 preceded the present one, after the New Chui'ch, now Greyfriai's', 

 was founded in the year 1727. It is the form and character of 

 this earlier building, of which very little is known, although not 

 quite one hundred and fifty years have elapsed since it was 

 taken down, I propose endeavouring to elucidate in this paper. 

 The site of the church is a conspicuous one, and with an 

 outline showing that peculiar kind of eminence which is suggestive 

 of the idea that it may have been a " high place " of heathen 

 worship, afterwards appropriated to its present use when, under 

 the influence of Christianity, such worship had ceased. This at 

 least is the most ancient religious foundation in the town of which 

 there is authentic record, receiving mention as early as the middle 

 of the twelfth century, more than one hundred years before the 

 founding of Greyfriars' Monastery by Devorgilla. It has no doubt 

 continued uninterruptedly to be a place of public worship ever 

 since. Dedicated to the Archangel Michael, the patron of the 

 Bui'gh, whose image the official seal bears, it and the old Castle 

 which stood near were doubtless tlie two institutions under whose 

 protecting shadow and fostering care the town was first planted 

 and reared. Here the citizens worshipped, and in the small 

 cemetery around, the only one existing in tlu'' town until quite 

 recently, all their past generations are laid. 



Recently when repairs were being made on the existing 

 building remains of old foundations were exposed, and some frag- 

 ments of stones believed to be parts of the older churcli. Having 

 these to start witli, and wishing to follow out tlie subject, I 

 examined the Recoi'ds of various hodie.s likely to contain informa- 

 tion, and fortunately found in those of the Presbytery, engrossed 

 iji extenso, the i-eports of tradesmen to whom remit had been made 



