On British Cists at Frenchlaw and Edington Hill. 349 



square slabs to pack round the bodies, certainly indicates 

 very ancient fashions of burial. The discovery, at a period 

 later than his visit, of a very ancient corn rubbing implement, 

 having a hole drilled in the edge, probably to receive a thong 

 or a stick to lift it by, deposited in the grave, as a domestic 

 implement or utensil, suggests an antiquity of a very remote 

 period. These grain triturating dishes it is known preceded 

 the period when more elaborate mechanical productions, such 

 as querns, came into use ; and the discovery of this imple- 

 ment, we are inclined to think, adds a new interest to the 

 Abbey Green graves. The article was sent to the Edinburgh 

 Antiquarian Museum. While referring to the Abbey Green 

 graves at Jedburgh, we may notice the curious arrangement 

 which marks the disposal of the graves closely adjoining the 

 Abbey. There seems to be an upper and under stratum of 

 burial remains. Tn the upper deposit are contained the 

 graves of the population before and after the Abbey became 

 a ruin. On digging below this, those of the early period are 

 disclosed, fashioned with short slabs of stone, as mentioned 

 above. Whilst a grave was being dug in 1854, to receive the 

 coffin of the late Admiral Elliot, who died at Castlegate, the 

 sexton remarked that he could not get deep down owing to 

 a flagstone. This was found to be the lid of a stone cist of 

 the class in question ; and on removing it, a skeleton 

 wrapped in a nolt's hide was found. It is not improbable 

 that the Abbey occupies the site of a Pagan place of worship. 

 Any way, the valley must have been peopled from the very 

 earliest period ; and traces of interment turn up continually 

 all over the town. In addition to those referred to, skeletons 

 were come upon when digging on the site of what is now the 

 Royal Hotel. Fifty years ago, some stone coffins were 

 discovered on what is known as Ringan Bell's Close, on the 

 site of the house occupied by Mr Thomas Oliver. 



On British Cists discovered at Frenchlaw and Edington 

 Hill, Berwickshire. By Charles Stuart, M.D. 

 Some time ago, while passing along the Whitsome road, I 

 was informed that the men ploughing in a field immediately 

 to the south of Frenchlaw, had exposed a stone coffin ; and 

 that they had waited before removing the top, for some one 

 who might know about such matters. On inspection, I 



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