Mr. Stuart oti Chirnside. 187 



or household. Hence, as the land was in time parcelled out 

 into several farms, so, many of them, distinguished only by 

 their position in different quarters, are known here and in 

 other parishes by the common designation of mainses." This 

 last word may be the modern rendering of the word "mansio," 

 so that at the date of Edgar's grant, there may have only been 

 one prominent and central settlement in the district contained 

 in the grant, and from which it was designated*. Part of the 

 ancient church may yet be traced in the present parish kirk, 

 the western doorway of which is in the Norman style. 



The manor was held of the monks of Coldingham during 

 the 12th and 13th centuries, by the Earls of Dunbar. It 

 afterwards formed part of the Home property, but now belongs 

 to Sir Hall. 



In the church is a square tablet bearing the date 1572, on 

 which are carved the words " Helpe the Pvr." Like many 

 Border churches, that of Chirnside had formerly a defensive 

 tower erected near its west end. Its roof was vaulted, in 

 which respect it differed from others in the district, which 

 seem to have been thatched, till nearly the end of last century; 

 near the western door hang a few links of the chain to which 

 the jougs had in old times been attached. 



In the ancient taxatio of the churches in the See of St. 

 Andrews, Ecclesia de Chirnesyd is taxed at 50 merks ; and in 

 Bagimonts roll, rectoria de Chirnside is assessed at £4. 



In the volume printed by Dr. Raine for the Surtees' Society, 

 illustrative of the history of Coldingham, there are preserved 

 some curious records of the properties of the monks of Cold- 

 ingham, illustrative of the early social condition of this part 

 of the country. It is entitled " Rentale Antiquum de reddi- 

 tibris Tenementis &c., in Scotia," and among other rentals 

 it preserves to us that of Fyschewike which was one of the 

 "mansiones" included in the gift of King Edgar to the monks 

 of Durham. This "mansio" was originally a parish by itself 

 adjoining to Chirnside, but in 1614 it was united to the parish 

 of Hutton. It has been remarked that ^^ in this district the 

 parishes must have been originally very small, as most of the 

 present ones formed two, and still are by no means large either 

 in extent or populationf." 



I venture to give a translation of the rental of Fishwick, 

 as very curious and suggestive of what was the condition of 



* This seems to agree with the statement in Sir Henry Ellis* Dissertations 

 on Domesday voce "mansio." See also Ducange Glossarium voce " mansio" 

 quoting Br acton. 



t New Statistical Account, Vol. II. p. 150. Edinburgh, 1845. 



