Report of Meetings for 1880, by James Hardy. 287 



sweeps round a far way, till tlie cultivated ground of Legerwood 

 crosses and occupies the space. After passing Corsbie steading, 

 Corsbie Tower came in view, situated in a field on a knoll among 

 ash trees. It has a certain stateliness about it, and is built of a 

 pale coloured stone. "Three sides of the lofty walls are still 

 complete. It is believed by many who know the locality that 

 Sir Walter Scott must have had this castle in mind when 

 describing Avenel. A few centuries ago it would be totally sur- 

 rounded by water. It is eight miles, crow-line, from Melrose,"-'' 

 Corsbie Castle belonged to the Cranstons. Jasper Cranstoun of 

 Corsbie was one of the Berwickshire barons proceeded against in 

 1530, for neglecting to fulfill their bonds ''to keep good rule 

 within their respective bounds. "f On Sept. 14, 1571, the Earl 

 of Mar writes to Sir William Drury at Berwick, and " complains 

 of spoils committed on the lands of Thomas Cranstoun, the hus- 

 band of Lady Corsby, and requests him to give orders to the 

 Captain of Home Castle, for redress of these disorders."! ^^ 

 then came to a farm place called Kirkhill, which, with its en- 

 vironment of trees, concealed behind it the kirk and manse of 

 Legerwood. The Eev. Archibald Brown very kindly shewed the 

 visitors whatever was worth inspection. The church is a neat 

 but plain structure ; new space has been obtained by an addition 

 at the back. Blaikie, the eccentric slater of Earlstoun, covered 

 the church roof all in one morning, single-handed ; and it has 

 been so well executed, that not a slate has stirred since. In the 

 interior an old Norman arch of the original church is preserved. 

 The arch is very plain, but massive, formed of red sandstone, 

 and is 15 feet in diameter. The capitals of the pillars are 

 peculiar ; one has a transverse parallel double line of stars ; and 

 another has an upright elliptical pattern of sculpturing. The 

 pillars had been continuous into the Moristoun aisle, now on the 

 exterior, and roofless. This aisle contains the tomb of John Ker 

 of Moristoun and of his wife, the famous heroine, Grizel Coch- 

 rane, who robbed the postman near Belford of the warrant for 

 her father's (Sir John Cochrane of Ochiltree — concerned with 

 Sir Patrick Home of Polwarth, in the political troubles of the 

 reign of James VII.) execution, and by this means obtained 



* Mr James Small, Introduction to " The Grey Peel, a Ballad." 



t Anderson's Scottish. Nation, i., p. 696. 



X Calendar of State Papers, Scotland, i., p. 328. 



