MEL 



48 



MEL 



ing linens is carried on to a considerable extent ; and 

 the woollen manufacture has, of late, been cultivated 

 with success. 



A little to the south of Melrose are the three Eildon 

 hills. The base of them may be in compass six or se- 

 ven miles ; the heighth of two of them to the north 

 about a mile and a half. On the top of the north-east 

 hill are plain vestiges of a Roman camp, well fortified 

 with two fosses and mounds of earth more than a mile 

 and a half in circuit, with a large plain near the top of 

 the hill, on which may be seen the prcclorium, or the 

 general's quarter, surrounded with many huts. The 

 situation seems to have been skilfully selected, and it 

 has all the properties of a well chosen camp, according 

 to the rules of Vegetius. There is a large prospect 

 from it of all the country ; it has many springs of good 

 water near it; the sides of the hill have been covered 

 with wood ; and the camp is so extensive, that neither 

 man, beast, nor baggage, could be straitened for room. 

 On the north side of the middle hill there seems to 

 have been a second camp, from which there is a large 

 ditch for two miles to the west , reaching to another 

 camp on the top of Caldshielhill. This camp has been 

 strongly fortified with a double trench, and the circum- 

 vallation of it continued for a considerable way ; and, 

 along with the camp called Castlestead, it forms almost 

 a triangle with the large camp in Eildon hills. The 

 vestiges of two other large camps are also found in this 

 neighbourh >od ; the one on the head of the hill, on the 

 side of which the village of Gattonside is founded, north 

 of the Tweed, which is surrounded by a wall of stone 

 about half a mile in compass ; the other about half a 

 mile to the east, on the top of the hill opposite to New- 

 stead, which seems to have been about three quarters 

 of a mile in circumference, and is called the Chester 

 Know, or Knoll. The eastern Roman military road is 

 visible in many quarters of this country, raised in 

 some places considerably above the adjoining fields, 

 and of a considerable breadth, with military stations on 

 some parts of it. 



But the most remarkable monument of antiquity to 

 be found in this quarter, is the abbey of Melrose. Va- 

 rious religious foundations, of different dates, appear to 

 have existed at this place. The ancient monastery of 

 Old Melrose, situated on a little peninsula formed by 

 the windings of the Tweed, was probably founded about 

 the end of the sixth century. The venerable Bede, who 

 was born in 6'73, gives an account of its situation on the 

 bank of the Tweed, and also of its abbots. It was a 

 famous nursery for learned and religious men, and pro- 

 bably continued until the other one, at the present 

 Melrose, was founded by king David. The convent of 

 Old Melrose was enclosed with a stone wall, reaching 

 from the south corner to the west corner of the Tweed, 

 where the neck of land is narrow ; and the foundation 

 of the wall is still to be seen. 



About a mile to the west of this, on the Tweed, stands 

 the village of Newstead, a place remarkable for another 



Obey on the east side of it, called Red Abbey-stead ; 

 and about half a mile from Newstead, on the south side 

 the river, stands the present abbey of Melrose. This 

 monastery, from the ruins which yet exist, appears to 

 have been truly magnificent and spacious. It still con- 

 tinues to be the admiration of strangers ; and from the 

 nt and embelli hment of its columns, the symme- 

 try ot Us parts, the beauty of the stone of which it is 

 built, and the delicacy of its sculpture, it may be re- 

 rded as one of the finest specimens of Gothic archi- 

 tecture which exist in this country. It was founded 



by king David in 1 1 36, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Melrose. 

 and endowed with large revenues and many immuni- '"" m ^~" m 

 ties, as appears by the charters granted to the abbot 

 and convent by our kings. The monks were Cister- 

 tian, and the monastery of Melrose was a mother 

 church or nursery for all that order, in many various 

 and remote regions of Scotland. 



The church is built in the form of St. John's cross. 

 The chancel, which is a very stately fabric, is still 

 standing ; its roof is very curious, and has much of the 

 scripture history sculptured upon it. Much of the 

 western part of this building is so entirely demolished, 

 that it cannot be precisely ascertained how far it reach- 

 ed in that direction. What still exists is of the follow, 

 ing dimensions. Its length is 258 feet, breadth 137^-, 

 circumference about 943 ; height of the east window 

 24, breadth 16; height of the south window 34^, 

 breadth 15{ ; height of the steeple 75, the spire gone. 

 The east window, at which was the great altar/is a 

 beautiful structure, consisting of four pillars or bars, 

 with a great deal of curious work between them ; and 

 on each side a great number of niches for statues ; on 

 the top, an old man with a globe in his left hand, rest- 

 ing on his knee, and a young man on his right, both 

 in a sitting posture, with an open crown over their 

 heads. (See Plate CLXX. of CIVIL ARCHITECTURE.) 

 On the north and south of this window are two others 

 of smaller dimensions. The niches are curiously carv- 

 ed, both the pedestals and canopies, on which seve- 

 ral figures of men and animals are curiously cut. On 

 the south-east of this church are a great many mu- 

 sicians admirably cut, with much pleasantness and gaie- 

 ty in their countenances, accompanied with their vari- 

 ous instruments ; also nuns with their veils, some of 

 them richly dressed. The south window is very much 

 admired for its height and curious workmanship. There 

 are niches on each side and above it, where have been 

 statues of our Saviour and the apostles. Besides, there 

 are many other figures on the east, or on the west side 

 of this window : monks curiously cut, with their beards, 

 cowls, and beads ; a cripple on the back of a blind 

 man ; several animals cut very nicely, as boars, grey- 

 hounds, lions, monkeys, and others. There are about 

 sixty-eight niches in the whole standing ; the statues 

 were only demolished about the year 16'49- 



With regard to the inside of the church, on the north 

 side of the cross, there are beautiful pillars, the sculp- 

 ture as fresh as if it had been newly cut. On the 

 west side is a statue of St. Peter ; and to the south of 

 it one of St. Paul. In the middle of the cross stood 

 the steeple, a piece of noble architecture ; a quarter 

 of it yet standing, but the spire gone. Thereof of the 

 south side of the cross is still standing, where there is 

 a beautiful stair-case, much admired, the roof of it wind- 

 ing like a snail- cap. There was within the church a 

 vast number of fonts, curiously carved, and altars dedi- 

 cated to various saints. In the portion of the church 

 where worship is at present performed, there are two 

 rows of pillars of excellent workmanship, especially 

 that to the south-east, which for fineness looks like 

 Flanders lace. 



With regard, lastly, to what was in part or altogether 

 separated from the body of the church, there was n 

 cloister on the north side, a part of the walls of which 

 are still remaining ; and where may be observed plea- 

 sant walks and seats, with a jrreat many fine flowers of 

 various kinds, nicely cut. The door at the north entry of 

 the church is curiously embossed ; and the foliage here, 

 and in several places of the church, very beautiful. 



