The Catrail, or Picts-Work-Ditch, by James Small. 117 



of Berwick in 1296, Edward I. performed a pilgrimage to St. 

 Ninian's slirine in Galloway, and lodged two nights here, one 

 night in going and one night in returning.*" It is difficult at 

 the present day, even to imagine where the worshippers in this 

 church lived." The '' Old Statistical Account " (Eev. Mr Arkle), 

 1793, also states that, " Many grave stones appear in the church- 

 yard, yet when standing on this spot, at this time there are only 

 three farm houses in view, taking in a circle of many miles." 



In reference to these quotations I may remark that it is per- 

 fectly evident, on the spot, that the Wheel Church has been very 

 small ; and as I have carefully gone over the immediately sur- 

 rounding land, and have found the remains or sites of a con- 

 siderable number of dwelling-houses on Wheelrig, in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the church site, I have no doubt in my own mind 

 that the worshippers lived on Wheelrig, and in some of the farm 

 places near it. Friends of mine, who know more than I of the 

 place, are of the same opinion. There must have been a hamlet at 

 Wheelrig. It is a sweet and very solitary spot, well sheltered by 

 the surrounding mountains. But of the people who lived and died 

 there, nothing whatever is now known. A small field adjoining 

 the site of the church has been walled round ; and many of the 

 stones show that they have of old been under the mason's chisel. 

 These stones have, doubtless, been taken from the ruins of the 

 church and the neighbouring houses. We saw one half of a 

 quern stone at the side of this field. It was of a very large size, 

 and might once have been in general use among the inhabitants 

 of Wheelrig. It is of too large a size to have been for the sole 

 use of only one house or family of the period. 



THE NAME — CATRAIL. 



Writers do not aU agree on the derivation of Catrail. 

 Chalmers in his Caledonia caXis it "the dividing /^wce" or ''par- 

 tition of defence ;" Jeffrey " a war fence," stating that Cat signi- 

 fies conflict and Bhail a fence. Then we have elsewhere Cater a 

 camp, and Cad a ditch, with Ehail in each case given as a fence. 

 The learned Mr Mackenzie of Delvin says : " That the newly 

 discovered Boimdary was originally designed as a limit of separa- 

 tion is evident from the etymology of Catrail ; which comes from 



* ["On the fifteenth day, being Wednesday (May 23), Edward went to 

 Jedborough ; on the Thursday to "Wyel, on the Friday to Castleton, on the 

 Sunday afterwards back to Wyel ; on the Monday to Jedborough." — Journal 

 of the Morements of King Edward, Documents Hist. Scot., ii., p. 27.] 



