ri2 president's address. 



took the path near the station which leads to Embleton 

 through the fields ; here on every hand signs of approaching 

 autumn were visible, not only in the ripening of grain, but 

 also in the abundance of such flowers as Devil's bit {Scabiosa 

 succisd) and Knapweed or Hardhead [Centaurea nigra) true 

 harbingers of the season. 



We visited the church, where several interesting relics were 

 noticed, especially the grave covers with incised crosses, which 

 have been built into the walls of the porch. The lowest stage 

 of the tower and part of the nave walls exhibit the oldest 

 masonry in the church, probably dating from very early in the 

 1 2th century ; the nave arches were built about the year 1 200, 

 and bear decoration characteristic of the period, and the aisles 

 were considerably enlarged and the upper part of the tower 

 built between 1330 and 1340. The chancel is modern. In- 

 corporated with the vicarage is one of the old Border peel 

 towers, and vicarage and church are well sheltered by some 

 fine elm trees. 



In passing through the village we noticed several nests of 

 the house martin, where the old birds were busily engaged 

 feeding their young, and a few chimney swallows flying about 

 were evidently bent on the same errand. After a short walk 

 we reached the shore, and followed it to the ruins of Dunstan- 

 borough Castle. This building stands on a bold basaltic 

 rock, nowhere less than 30 feet above sea level, and on the 

 north side rising to heights of 100 and 120 feet. It was by 

 far the largest castle in Northumberland, as the walls enclosed 

 an area of ten acres. It was built by Thomas Plantagenet, 

 Earl of Lancaster, Leicester, and Derby, about 1314-1320. 

 It seems to have had remarkably little to do with Border 

 warfare, but was conspicuous as a Lancastrian stronghold 

 during the Wars of the Roses, and, tradition says, was visited 

 by Queen Margaret of Anjou. The only buildings now left 

 are the gateway with its two massive flanking towers, three 

 smaller towers on the wall, and parts of the wall itself have 

 been recently repaired so as to prevent further dilapidation. 

 The internal buildings, which were of somewhat later date, 



