470 Report of Meetings for 1881. By Jas. Hardy. 



There was a leper window at Elsdon diurch. It is very likely 

 that leprosy would be prevalent in Eedesdale at some period, as 

 the climate would be much colder, and more unhealthy than it is 

 now, and the means of subsistence scanty. It is well-known that 

 king Eobert Bruce notwithstanding his once strong constitution, 

 died of a leprosy brought on by the hardships and exposure which 

 he had endured. On Eebruary 10th, 1728-9, the Eev. John 

 Horsley, writes, ^'I viewed the bridge at Elishaw with Mr Eey- 

 nold Hall. I believe it to be Watling Sheet, by its elevation 

 and stoniness, that comes from Blackup up to the bridge, the re- 

 mains of which old Mr Hall (Mr Gabriel Hall of Otterburn) 

 remembers."* The haugh behind Elishaw is the recipient of the 

 floating rubbish that the Eede carries off from the upper country 

 during floods. Hence it is said, when anything is amissing in 

 that district, " you'll find it in the haugh anunder Elishaw." 

 It is also said, "the lang gaunts o' Elishaw were heard in't 

 loans o' Blakelaw," Blackman's Law being a hill near Elishaw, 

 on the opposite side of the Elishaw burn. Almost opposite Elis- 

 haw or 'Lishaw is a decayed farm-place, called Eattenraw, near 

 a burn of the same name, about which the people have a saying 

 that " Eattenraw burn will not make a crowdy after May-day." 

 This is indicative of the former poverty of the place, the whole 

 of the small stock of winter-corn having been ground up annu- 

 ally before this date. Many places in Eedesdale did not grow a 

 sufficiency of grain for the home supply. The map of Elsdon 

 parish places a " Breedless Eaw " opposite High Byrness. 



I shall not dwell upon what was seen at Bremenium or High 

 Eochester. It has been fully described by the Eev. Dr J. 0. Bruce 

 in his 3rd edition of the " Eoman Wall," with figures of the in- 

 scriptions. Dr. Bruce has also given an account of the excava- 

 tions at Bremenium, conducted by the late Duke of Northumber- 

 land, with several of these figures, in the Newcastle volumes of 

 the Archaeological Institute, i. pp. 135, 149. To vary the relation 

 I shall now for a little, make Mr Eussell, the reporter. " Brem- 

 enium is situated about three miles to the west of Otterburn, and 

 on the way thither good views were obtained of long stretches of 

 the Watling Street, running in a northerly direction towards the 

 Cheviots. The Eoman station of Bremenium is situated on the 

 east bank of the water of Eede, near where the Sills burn flows 

 into it, and a little to the west of the Watling Street. It is 

 * Ined. Cont. Hist. Northd., p. 96, 



