Rev. P. Mearns on Warh Castle. 65 



bled a large army, and marched to the Border ; but their pro- 

 gress was arrested at Wark, and they returned without 

 accomplishing anything of importance. The Earl of Sussex 

 spent a night in this castle, in 1570, on his way to Teviot- 

 dale, where he destroyed more than 50 castles and peles, and 

 about three hundred towns and villages. 



After the accession of James VI. to the English crown the 

 .Border castles were no longer needed, and soon became ruins. 



It appears from the preceding summary that, from the be- 

 ginning of the 11th century, when the locality came into 

 notice, before the building of the castle, till the end of the 

 16th century, when it disappears from history, most import- 

 ant events are associa ted with Wark, during each intervening 

 century. The period embraces the battle of the Standard, 

 where the Scots suffered a defeat, from which they soon re- 

 covered, and wliich was unduly magnified at the time. The 

 battle of Flodden was tlie most disastrous to Scotland in the 

 whole annals of Border warfare. On the other hand, the 

 battle of Bannockburn was the most humbling to England, 

 and glorious to Scotland, and important in its results to both 

 countries. The greatest event in the whole period was the 

 Scottish Keformation in the 16th century, with which must 

 ever be associated the honoured name of John Knox. 



The glory of this once famous castle has now passed away. 

 With the exception of the tower at the south-west corner, 

 there is nothing prominent among the existing ruins. The 

 tower, it is said, rose 120 feet above tlie Kaim on which it 

 stands, and which is about fifty feet high. It is now so low 

 and accessible that children are often seen at play on its sum- 

 mit. Predicting the peace of Jerusalem, an ancient prophet 

 describes the city as " full of boys and girls playing in the 

 streets thereof." 



The foundation of the north wall, which runs along the top 

 of the escarpment on the Tweed, remains to the height of 

 several feet, and the outside facing is seen in several places. 

 The shale of the escarpment is gradually crumbling down, 

 year by year, under the united action of the river and the 

 atmosphere ; and, a few years ago, at a point near the east 

 corner, it had retired from beneath the wall, a portion of 

 which required to be removed, as it had become dangerous to 

 the people crossing at the ferry. From this cause alone, the 

 north wall must fall in the course of years by the all-destroy- 

 ing hand of time. At present it is a most interesting object 

 to the antiquary. It extends to one hundred yards in length. 



