Transactions. 177 
XXI1. Annan Steeple, The Nowsome Neighbour (1547). 
It is not easy to determine from the disjointed references to 
the famous steeple whether it stood in the middle of the church 
between the choir and the nave, or whether it stood at the 
western extremity of a church consisting of a choir only. A 
nave is never mentioned. Probabilities are strong for the belief 
that the tower formed the western end of the building,* the site 
of which is now occupied by the Town Hall and part of the old 
churchyard. The choir—“ quere” they called it then—was at the 
east end of the structure. On the north side the position had 
good natural advantages in the steep slope down to the kirk burn. 
The steeple was low, only a “ house height,” probably not 20 feet 
high, but “that house height rampered up with earth.” Around 
both Church and Steepley a strong rampart of earth added all the 
advantages of art. The house of God was made into a fortress. 
Such was the strange appearance made by Annan Steeple. 
Its Captain was James Lyon of Glamis. He had seven gunners 
with him. His ecclesiastical fortress was manned by many 
burgesses of the town and other soldiers of the district, for 
Annan’s own fighting force at this time does not seem to have — 
been much over 30.{ Lyon had under his command a total force 
of about 100 men. 
The garrison§ stood manfully to their defence. When Whar- 
ton came he saw a ‘‘pensall of defyaunce,” the Scottish banner, 
hung out and all the other evidences of stout resistance. 
XXII. The Srege of the Steeple (1547). 
On arrival at Annan, the attacking force pitched camp as near 
the steeple as possible. A summons was sent to the captain to 
surrender—a summons which met with unhesitating refusal. 
*The following description is taken mainly from Lennox & Wharton’sletter 
of 16th September, 1547 (British Museum, MS. State Papers, Edward VL., 
1547, vol. i,), transcribed by Miss Jessie Wright, of London,and printed in 
Dumfries Standard ‘‘Auld Lang Syne Column” No. cix. See excerpt below. 
Other authorities are specified when quoted. 
+Holinshed’s Scottish Chronicle (ed. 1805) ii., 241. 
~The town of Annan was returned for 33 men by Lord Wharton. See 
Nicholson and Burn’s History of Westmorland and Cumberland, p. lv. 
§SAnnan was—at a later period at least—permanently garrisoned. The 
English in their plans for raids had always to reckon upon the risk of 
encounter with ‘‘ the particular garrisone in Annane towne for the tyme.” 
Bruce Armstrong’s Liddesdale appx., p. exvi. 
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