256 Report of Meetings. By James Hardy. 



VISIT TO KIDLAND. 



As an appendage to this meeting, I may state tliat immediately 

 it had concluded, having been unsatisfied with the results of the 

 Club's visit to the Upper Coquet in the previous summer, I pro- 

 ceeded for a week to the secluded and almost unknown, except 

 to the sportsman, tract of country called Kidland, which lies be- 

 tween the Great Cheviot and the head of the Coquet, crossing 

 the hills by Hownam, Greenhill, Heatherhope, Philip-hope, the 

 Windy Gyle, and TJsway Ford to Milkhope. Here I was joined 

 by Mr Dixon, and Mr James Thomson, from the southern side of 

 the Cheviots. We had a most enjoyable time, and clear bracing 

 weather. We explored and botanised most of the tributaries of 

 the Alwin, climbed not a few of the hills, secured several rare 

 plants, as well as observations on the zoology and mineralogy. 

 The site of Memmerkirk was surveyed, and the positions of the 

 remains of numerous shielings and hut circles were ascertained. 

 A mineral spring and a vein of lead ore were revealed to us by 

 our host, Mr John Anderson, Milkhope, who afforded us much 

 insight into the condition of shepherd life on that rough and in- 

 clement out-post of civilisation. A circumstantial and reliable 

 account of the discovery of a bronze, iron, and stone implement 

 together in a fissure of peat, on the back of Cheviot, by the finder 

 himself, was obtained ; and on my return home, a drawing of the 

 articles suitable for engraving has been presented by Mr Eobt. 

 Blair, South Shields, the obliging Secretary of the Society of 

 Antiquaries of Newcastle, who had acquired the articles from 

 our informant some years ago, while crossing these almost 

 trackless wilds, A packet with several rude stone implements, 

 and patterns of glazed earthenware pottery, has recently been 

 dispatched from Milkhope, and has arrived safely. Kidland 

 having been from early times a possession of the monks of New- 

 minster, a history of the district is rendered possible, and the 

 charters have been copied, with the intention of this being 

 attempted. On my return I spent a day in revisiting the re- 

 mains of antiquity on Bughtrig, including the Moat. Western 

 Kidland between Usway burn and Chew-green still requires 

 investigation. In regard to the Roman Station at Chew-green, 

 or Makendon Camp as it is called, our venerable member, Mr 

 Carr-Ellison, on whose property it is, informed me when I after- 

 wards visited him at Hedgeley, that he intends to excavate iti 

 in the interests of archaeology. 



