62 



are only two towers of the original structure 

 remaining. This ancient fortress suffered 

 severely from the Scots in an incursion in the 

 year 1385. It was taken by James IV. in 

 1513, just before the battle of Flodden Field, 

 which was fought in this parish of Ford. 



The Till enters the Tweed at Tilmouth ; but 

 as it approaches the parent river its current 

 becomes very still, narrow, and languid. This 

 circumstance has given rise to the following 

 rhyme, which the country people in the neigh- 

 bourhood often repeat : 



" Tweed said to Till, 

 ' What gars ye rin sae still ? * 

 Till said to Tweed, 

 ' Though you rin wi' speed 

 And I rin slaw ; 

 Tet where ye drown ae man 

 I drown twa ! ' ' 



Twizel Castle, the seat of Sir Francis Blake, 

 Bart., stands in this locality. Beneath this 

 structure is the ancient bridge by which the 

 English crosed the Till before the battle of 

 Flodden Field. This is alluded to by Sir 

 Walter Scott in his " Marmion " : 



- they crossed 



The Till by Twizel Bridge, 



High sight it is, and haughty, while 



They dive into the deep defile ; 



