Mr Hardy on Langleyford Vale and the Cheviots. 353 



in the air, as flashes of sheet lightning were frequent. I 

 wrote a letter about this to " The Scotsman " newspaper, 

 and a gentleman from Aberdeen answered, informing me 

 that he had been on fire exactly in the same way ; and 

 directed my attention to a paragragh in " The John-o'-Groat 

 Journal " headed " A beard on fire," relating to another 

 instance of a similar kind. The late Mr Henderson, surgeon, 

 Chirnside, once told me, that passing some large manure 

 heaps, in the middle of the night, a phosphorescent light 

 came upon the edge of his riding switch, and remained for 

 some time. I considered this phenomenon at the time to be 

 what is popularly known as " Will-o'-the-Wisp." 



On Langleyford Vale and the Cheviots. By James Hardy. 



[Read to the Club at Langleyford, July 25, 1872.] 



This paper pretends to be little more than a survey of the 

 objects more worthy of notice that fall within the compass of 

 our sojourn from Wooler to the base of Cheviot, with occa- 

 sional deviations into the back country on ^either side of the 

 way. 



On Horsdean, the hill above Wooler — of which a portion 

 is allotted for the holding of statute fairs — have at different 

 times been disclosed, during cultivation, several sand- 

 stone querns of the early British people, who had grown corn 

 — and ground it too — in their primeval settlements on the 

 hill-face. Their 'tombs occur even within the circuit of 

 Wooler. In one instance, at least, the primitive mill was 

 constructed of cellular Tuedian sandstone ; and the cover of 

 a cist recently discovered in a garden, was a hard compact 

 variety of the Tuedian also, which appeared to have been 

 quarried. Very many years ago, an antique brooch or fibula, 

 is said to have been picked up by a native of Wooler, near an 

 old wall, above the Wadhouse, behind Horsdean. The face 

 and back of this hill are covered with drift, but towards the 

 top the coating is shallow, and the plough strikes against the 

 subjacent porphyry. Wooler, itself, occupying the last pro- 

 jecting angle of the Cheviots, stands on a deep accumulation 

 of boulder clay and sand. It was probably a waste, till the 

 mediaeval castle, pitched on the terminable knoll, sheltered 



